Andy C. Highfield
The recent winter proved to be one of the coldest on recent record in the UK, with overnight temperatures plummeting to below -24° Celsius in some places. One result of this is that there has been a huge increase in deaths in hibernation (brumation) due to freezing and also in frost-damaged tortoises that survived, albeit with problems. Since 1986, of course, we have distributed our free Safer Hibernation guide both in print form and online, and have repeatedly given detailed advice on how to avoid this situation on our website and in our Facebook Group, but sadly, it still happens, which proves that we still have a long way to go in making owners aware of this danger. We have touched briefly on this same subject in another article (Common Post Hibernation Problems in Tortoises) but here we'll take a closer look at how to help those unfortunate enough o suffer such damage on their slow pathway to recovery.
In this article, I want to deal specifically with what to do if you encounter a frost-blind tortoise. Over many years we have developed some rehabilitation techniques that can not only save lives, but can in some cases, aid recovery to full vision.
I would stress that it is vital that qualified veterinary advice is obtained urgently and that where possible, we highly recommend seeking out a vet who has special knowledge of reptiles and of treating eyesight problems.
Symptoms
The first thing is to learn to look out for signs that a tortoise could be sight-damaged. These signs often include a combination of the following behaviours:
Refusing to eat at all
Immobility
Moving in circles
Head held at an unusual angle (up or down)
Failing to react to visual stimuli
Failure to emerge voluntarily from hibernation
These are all good indicators that something is seriously wrong. It is important that any tortoise with these symptoms is seen by a good vet without delay. The sooner support and treatment is provided the better the long-term prognosis. Sadly, we often find (even as late as June) people contacting us saying “my tortoise has not eaten since coming out of hibernation”. These tortoises should have been detected and treated within days of getting up. Instead, after weeks or months without feeding, they are now not only blind, but emaciated and dehydrated in addition.
It is no use trying to ‘tempt’ a sight damage tortoise to eat. They will not respond to that. More active intervention is required.
Initial treatment
The first priority is rehydration. This is absolutely critical as dehydration itself will cause major problems and can lead directly to death if not dealt with as a priority. It is always worth trying the simple ‘soak’ method to encourage voluntary drinking first. Place the tortoise in washing-up sized plastic bowl with tepid water up to about chin height. Splash the water around the head and over the shell (this often stimulates a drinking response). Hopefully, the tortoise will place its head down and begin drinking deeply. It may urinate at the same time, in an effort to get rid of accumulated uric acid that will have built up in the bladder over winter. Repeat this twice daily at first. If the tortoise will not take fluid voluntarily, however, the use of a syringe and stomach tube will be necessary. For a typical tortoise in the 1 kg range, start with 10 ml, twice a day. Again, the use of an electrolyte solution is also recommended. There are specialist veterinary products available, but in emergencies good use can be made of the human rehydration products available at all pharmacies, for example Dioralyte. After a few days of this, and only after urinary output has been established, it is time to think about general nutrition. As always though, seek qualified and experienced veterinary advice without delay. There are several different hydration products and protocols that can be used, and selecting the optimal method for that particular patient is extremely important. There is some anecdotal evidence that additional regular supplementation with oral vitamin-A might help in some cases, but it is impossible to quantify this.
It is a common mistake to start force-feeding immediately. This is extremely dangerous. On no account begin feeding until a good state of hydration has been established, and until some urinary output has been observed.
Tortoises will have extremely high levels of blood urea after hibernation, and will also have large concentrations of uric acid in the bladder. These levels must be reduced before feeding commences. The only way to do this is to concentrate on hydration first, and leave feeding until later. Starvation is not an immediate danger.
Once urinary output has commenced, which usually only takes a few days if adequate amounts of fluid are being provided, the focus can change to general support and maintenance. I prefer to feed (initially at least) using a syringe with attached catheter feeding tube. This is very safe and it allows a precisely measured quantity to be provided quickly with minimum handling.
The tube should be cut so that it is approximately 3/4 the length of the tortoise. Make sure the cut ends are not sharp or jagged. Soft tubes are also aailable. A larger bore tube is best, as fine bore tubes tend to clog easily. The amount required will depend on the size of the tortoise, but it is vital not to over-feed. If anything, veering slightly in the direction of under-feeding is much safer. Over-feeding, especially in the early phases of treatment can lead to fatalities, as food simply builds up, undigested, and results in blockages. Start slowly, and give the digestive tract time to begin working normally. We have found that once every three days is a good initial regime. This can be gradually increased, but only after the tortoise begins to pass faeces. Until then, take it slowly.
As a guide, 10 ml for a 1 kg tortoise every 3 days is about right. You should increase or decrease this proportionally. Note that this is in addition to the continuing fluid intake.
The oesophagus in tortoises is located just behind the tongue, towards the right side of the neck. Once the tube is past this point it should pass easily and freely all the way down. Never - ever - force it. Slightly wetting the tube with water will help it slide down nicely.
One product that is extremely useful in these cases is the Oxbow Hay Company ‘Critical Care’ assist feeding formulations. The ‘fine ground’ version is especially suited to tube-administration. This is available in both herbivore and carnivore formulas. Obviously, for tortoises we use the herbivore version. Soak the powder as directed, then administer by tube slowly and carefully.
You can also use fully hydrated, mashed commercial tortoise pellets as the basis for a tube-feeding regime. The Testudo Pro-Alpin range is especially suitable, but can be difficult to tube due to it's coarse nature. Many normal commercial pellet diets can have dangerously high protein levels and a poor overall balance, so be careful. This is a very different situation from normal feeding, and used carefully in such a role, such products can be both safe and effective. They are quite high in fibre, and although not as easy to tube as the Oxbow Critical Care, they can add some much needed variety to a potentially long-term tube feeding regime. With juvenile tortoises in particular, we recommend adding some extra calcium to the tube feeding formula. You can also use a kitchen liquidiser to produce a mash of suitable flowers, and green leaf material to supplement the prepared formulas.
Because this can prove difficult to tube, and also to try to encourage voluntary swallowing, moving from tube to syringe feeding should be the next step. It is possible to deliver coarser feeds with this technique. Achieving a firm, but safe, grip does take practice.
It is also impotant to continue to try hand-feeding, by offering leaves or flowers. Ideally the aim is to transition from tube-feeding to hand-feeding, but this can take a very long time in some cases. Nonetheless, it is really important to keep trying.
Keep all feeding equipment clean and disinfected. Never share syringes or tubes between different tortoises. Fresh syringes can be purchased in bulk at low cost from veterinary supply companies.
It is very difficult to say how long this feeding regime may be necessary. It can be weeks. It can be years. I remember that Jill Martin once maintained a tortoise like this for eight years before it one day, without started to feed for itself. Continue to provide the opportunity for self feeding - you never know. Jill refused to give up on tortoises. So should you. Sometimes, a sudden recovery just happens. It is certainly not hopeless. Many of these tortoises do recover.
A few other cautions when working with sight damaged tortoises. Because they do not move easily, and cannot detect shade, be ultra-careful if giving them outdoor time on hot days. They may just sit there and overheat - possibly with fatal consequences. Make sure this cannot happen. Finally, always keep a close check on their digestive functions and general health. These tortoises are very vulnerable. With good care, however, we believe they can continue to enjoy life and deserve to be given the chance to make a full recovery. We do not recommend hibernating sight damaged tortoises again, at least for several years. We have heard of relapses following this, even if no further freezing takes place. We believe it is safer, on balance, to over-winter them in future unless a full recovery has been achieved.
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