Help, Mr. Blink can't open his eyes!!!

[Amanda81]

Today I noticed one the leopards eyes are closed. I took them out for their daily sun and I noticed he wasn't really motoring around and usually he is one of the more active ones. When I gathered them up to bring in his eyes was closed and he really didn't move, I thought, u silly thing, you slept thru your outside time. So I bring them in and put them in their soak, he is still asleep, I thought, that's cute, he is going to hold his head up and get his nap finished. Well as I'm taking them out and drying them off, he starts fighting but his eyes are still closed. So it hits me, he can't open them. Yesterday he was fine, completely normal Mr. Blink. Right now I have a MVB that I'm using for a basking light and a plain old under the cabinet fluorescent to light entire enclosure. The humidity is 80% and the current temp is 90. The other 4 seem fine, no noticeable issues with them. What have I done wrong? How can I fix it and him????!!!!!

 

[Amanda81]

I just took these. He is really lethargic too. He just kinda limp, didn't resist my handling him as he usually does.

 

[ascott]

Well, is there crust crap around the eye lid seam? Or are they closed because of pressure and are swollen shut?

 

[ascott]

How close is the MVB to the surface of the tortoise? How long have you had the MVB in use for them? Was this tort ever in any other enclosure? Is the tort in with the other tortoise in the same enclosure?

 

[Jodie]

Oh no. I hope someone has some ideas for you. What substrate are you using? Poor little guy. Where did you get him, and do you know how he was started? Dry or humid?

 

[Amanda81]

Well, is there crust crap around the eye lid seam? Or are they closed because of pressure and are swollen shut?

No crust no pressure no swelling.

 

[Amanda81]

So I just caught him with them open. He opened them, rubbed the left one w his front leg, closed them back and hasn't opened them back up yet. I would think that's irritation from the way he is acting.

 

[Amanda81]

How close is the MVB to the surface of the tortoise? How long have you had the MVB in use for them? Was this tort ever in any other enclosure? Is the tort in with the other tortoise in the same enclosure?

MVB is 12" from top of their shell. I have used that same bulb for about two months now. No they have never been anywhere except their indoor enclosure and their outdoor enclosure. They don't mingle w my sullys either. The other 4 that's housed w him aren't showing any kinds of issues, yet anyways.

 

[Amanda81]

Oh no. I hope someone has some ideas for you. What substrate are you using? Poor little guy. Where did you get him, and do you know how he was started? Dry or humid?

I use a layered substrate, damp Eco earth topped w moistened reptibark. I got him from a breeder that starts them right. Good diet, daily soaks, etc. like I say, he was A-OK yesterday.

 

[Jodie]

I got nothing. Sure hope he is ok. Maybe he just got something in his eyes outside? I would do extra soaks and consider a vet visit, if not perked back up tomorrow. Hope some of the experts will have more info or advice than i have.

 

[AmRoKo]

He might have an eye infection. If he isn't better by tomorrow I would take him to the vet and have his eyes looked at. If you get a chance to see his eyes see if there are any whitish spots in them.

 

[Amanda81]

I haven't noticed any discharge. Earlier he opened them and rubbed them on his leg and then closed them back. That kinda makes me want to lean toward them having some type of irritation and that's y he is holding them shut. I have some antibiotic eye drops and I started those, course I checked to make sure they are "tort approved" before I did it. I'm almost wondering if my temps are fluctuating to much and it's started to get to them. Their nite temps are usually low 80's but during the day the basking light jumps them up to mid 90's, I am keeping close eye on everyone. I have noticed a difference in my sulcata hatchlings over the last couple day too, which their temps do the same thing, and now this, I have something wrong, I just need to figure out what it is.
They are getting a varied, healthy diet
Daily soaks
An hour of sun everyday
I don't let the leopards and sulcata mingle.
The humidity is 85% at least (always), it usually goes up to 95-99% after I mist the Repti Bark every morning.
They have fresh water available at all times
I mist their shells couple times through out day
I wash their food and water dishes everyday (water dish multiple times some days) with the hottest water I can bare on my skin.
Their temps jump up and down but are never below 80.
Now I do the exact same thing with both the leopards and the sulcata, and I am noticing things in both. Like Arizona, my sulcata, she is my eating machine, she is the first to the food and last to leave, but here lately, last couple days, she has been nibbling, she is eating but not like usual. Alfie, sulcata, he has been digging down through the bark to the Eco earth and sleeping A LOT. He is nibbling about the food dish but he has always kinda been a slow eater. I have noticed a little CLEAR, THIN discharge from his nose, not constant, just here and there over last 2 days. I have tried not to freak out about this because well, that's what I do best, but now with the eye issue, I'm flipping out.
Any and all advise and/or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!!!!

 

[Amanda81]

I got nothing. Sure hope he is ok. Maybe he just got something in his eyes outside? I would do extra soaks and consider a vet visit, if not perked back up tomorrow. Hope some of the experts will have more info or advice than i have.

I think it was actually going on before we made it outside cause he did nothing while we was outside and usually he is the one that's all over the place, nibbling on the grass blades and clover but today he slept, literally, slept the whole time, well I thought he was sleeping

 

[mike taylor]

Contact Tom or Yvonne on this .

 

[Robertchrisroph]

@Yvonne G @Tom

 

[Jodie]

I think it was actually going on before we made it outside cause he did nothing while we was outside and usually he is the one that's all over the place, nibbling on the grass blades and clover but today he slept, literally, slept the whole time, well I thought he was sleeping

@Neal may be able to help. Hope someone who can stops by.

 

[Tom]

How long have you had him?
How was he started as a hatchling?
How does his plastron feel and look?

 

[Amanda81]

How long have you had him?
How was he started as a hatchling?
How does his plastron feel and look?

He was started like recommended. Daily soaks, varied diet, he is in great shape, I got him probably around a month ago. I got 2, both were active, good eaters, shells in perfect shape.
His plastron is firm but not stone hard, in the middle it has some give but it's still firm to touch there too.
This morning during their soak he opened his eyes and had them open on and off for most of the 20 minute soak but he kept closing them back. I am starting to think it's going on w them all because this morning, nobody touched their greens. Usually it's a pig out but today they didn't bother. I'm going to give them some mazuri, see if I can get them to eat that.

 

[Amanda81]

This is him this morning. He did seem to have more spunk in his soak this morning.
I also turned up the temp in their enclosure. The cool side is around 88 and the hot side is at 93, what would be considered to hot? I was thinking maybe the others aren't eating cause they are hot? Maybe?

 

[Tom]

Hmm... What is your night low temp and how are you maintaining that?

What were the temps like while they were outdoors sunning?

Can we see a pic of the indoor and outdoor enclosures? Nothing obvious is jumping out at me yet.