Ornate box turtle help
 

I keep Ornate box turtles. They live year round outside, and generally seem to thrive (eat well, mate, lay eggs, etc). While most of them do well/fine, i periodically get 1 or 2 whose eyes become almost glued shut. The eyes are not puffy, just shut and will not open. The afflicted turtles do not appear to have any upper repository problems (no mouth breathing, no bubbles from nose, etc.) but none they can't or won't open their eyes. They can not see to eat. One has a white film over it's eyes as if it;s wearing a white contact lens. I have seen this before and eventually the turtle wiped it away. Any suggestions for what may be causing this and remedies? Again, most of the turtles seem fine/do fine, but it's 1 or 2 that get this shut eye thing. Any suggestions from experienced keepers would be most welcome. Thanks!

They need more Vitamin A in their diet, likely.

Usually a good supplement such as 'Repashy Calcium Plus' on their food at every feeding is sufficient, but if they show those symptoms, using 'Repashy Vitamin A Plus' according to label directions will help. Turtles whose symptoms are severe enough to cause them to not eat normally can be dosed orally with castor oil to get them Vitamin A.

If this gets bad enough they can lose an eye (probably to secondary infection), so keep on top of this. I rescued a couple triunguis and went through this; they recovered, though one lost one eye. After hibernation they also sometimes need a little Vit A boost, though increased supplementation in the fall helps this.

Thanks - I'll look up those supplements you mentioned. How do you get them to open their mouths to dose orally? Any suggestions?

Any flat, not-so-sharp blade-shaped tool -- I have a nail file I use.