Red Footed Tortoise - Eyes Closed

Question
I've had my rf's since december '07, and my best guess is that they are around 6 months old. I bought them from a pet store. Anyways, I have rarely seen them open their eyes. I called a vet and they said its probably parasites, but I am not positive thats the case. I am bringing them for a checkup this weekend.

As for my enclosure...

They are in a 40g long tank. I use Mosser Lee Spag Moss as the subtrate. They are on a daily diet of Dandeline/Radish leaves and pineapple/strawberries every 3 days.

I keep the tank during the day at 84 degrees and at night it drops to 70+ degrees. I removed the UV light since they obtain their nutriants needed through their diet and the UV can hurt their eyes. The humidity is at 70+ percent inside the enclosure.

Any idea why my little RFs aren't opening their eyes? I'd love an expert opinion before I go see a vet.

Thanks!

Answer
OK, I don't obviously have all the details, so I am guessing...

If they were wild caught, parasites are very likely. Less so for captive bred. I am not aware of parasites causing this, but I am also not a vet.

My first thought is hydration. These guys can dehydrate pretty easily. Good humidity (90%+ in some of the habitat, like a hide box), good soak dish in the habitat, moist foods, etc. Dehydration will also appear as dry-looking skin and 'teary' eyes- if there is none, then this is less likely.

I would also wonder about nutrition. Several macro- and micro-nutrients can cause eye issues, such as vitamin A. If 90% of the diet is those 4 things, then there is a real concern about calcium/phosphorous ratios, vitamins, etc.

Another thought- to keep high humidity and temps in a glass tank, we often cover the top- this can cause 'bad air syndrome' that creates a wide variety of issues.

Give the sites http://www.tortoisetrust.org and http://www.redfoots.com a try and see how your cares and diet line up.