Young tortoise with eye problems and soft plastron ??? I need advice

mattyd

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I have taken in a new tortoise some months ago , she is only small at the moment maybe 2 years old, it was brought to me in a plastic tray with only a hide and a heat mat!! It now has an open top box with coco coi substrate , a uv light and a heat lamp .
I recently noticed an eye problem with one eye and all of a sudden both it's eyes are shut and swollen , it has been bathed regular before but at the moment I'm bathing it with warm water everyday sometimes twice a day to try and soak it's eyes. Her plastron it also quite soft?
She feeds on a variety of leaf, kale, rocket etc.

Can anyone suggest anything else to help? Il get some photos uploaded tomorrow .
 

Heather H

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what type of bulbs are you using? I am sure someone will be on with experience soon :)
 

tinkerbell1189

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What uv light are you using? If it's a coil they are well known for causing many eye problems. If not, hopefully someone else has some advice for you
 

dmmj

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Diet sounds good, you got light, what temps is it being kept at?
The eyes and shell together worry me, but only if the shell is going soft, or is it naturally soft, because it is still young/ The eyes could be a vit a def. though the diet sounds good so not likely, irratant from substrate or an RI. I would take it to a vet, a tortoisse vet, start baby food soaks, and maybe increase the heat a little, dep. on the vurrent temps.
 

Yvonne G

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Can you please post a picture of the tortoise's habitat, including the lights/heat?
 

mattyd

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It's a fluorescent tube light but obviously it's uv, as for the heat light its just a 60w heat lamp, have not had chance to post a picture as if just finished work, if you look at my profile picture that's the habitat it's in.
 

Yvonne G

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It's a fluorescent tube light but obviously it's uv, as for the heat light its just a 60w heat lamp, have not had chance to post a picture as if just finished work, if you look at my profile picture that's the habitat it's in.


that picture isn't big enough for me to really see what's going on in there. I can't help unless I can see how you're caring for the tortoise. Sorry.
 

mattyd

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The heat is at around 82 degrees Fahrenheit 12 hours a day and at night the temp doesn't drop any lower then 60F , the enclosure is big enough as she is only small at the moment , as for the shell it's nice and hard only the plastron is a little spongy .
 
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