White bubbles in eyes just appeared after putting tortoise outside!

CleoTheLeo · Mar 29, 2019

My tortoise just got a bunch of foamy tiny bubbles in the corners of both eyes, I appeared not more than 30 minutes ago. She did not have it when I brought her outside and now she does. She positively did not have it yesterday. The other thing about her that was abnormal was her eating habit. She hadn’t eating for a week and hadn’t pooped and then she started eating and pooped a few days ago. I just wanted to add that in if it’s relevant. Do you think it’s a respiratory infection. There’s nothing coming from her nose. Everything is blooming and pollen is super high, could that possibly just be irritating her eyes? Her enclosure, is a greenhouse, ranged 80-85, (Che and electric heater) substrate is moist orchid bark, bottom of it is always wet underneath. A humidifier runs for 30 minutes intervals 4 times a day. She has a basking spot that ranges 95-105 She eats dandelion greens and sage, researched, non fertilized weeds. Please help, I’ve lost a tortoise to respiratory infection, my very first one when it was a month old, due to open enclosure. I’ve had Cleo for almost five years and love her so much, please let me know what you guys think and if I should call a vet or if it could just be something irritating her eyes. This is the first time she’s been out since winter! It’s 72 and sunny.

CleoTheLeo · Mar 29, 2019

It’s not wet underneath but damp, she doesn’t sit on wet orchid bark. So no risk of shell rot just to clarify. Sorry for any grammar or spelling mistakes. I wrote this in a rush/concern.

TriciaStringer · Mar 29, 2019

I would give her a good long soak.

wellington · Mar 29, 2019

I notice this sometimes when my torts go out for the first time after a long stay inside. I have never had any problems develop because of it. I have no idea why it happens.

CleoTheLeo · Mar 29, 2019

TriciaStringer said:
I would give her a good long soak.

Alright, she’s soaking right now. I hope that helps. Thanks for your help!

CleoTheLeo · Mar 29, 2019

wellington said:
I notice this sometimes when my torts go out for the first time after a long stay inside. I have never had any problems develop because of it. I have no idea why it happens.

Oh, that’s interesting. That makes me feel better to know that it happened to yours too and nothing developed. I felt like it had something to do with being outside for the first time in a long time. I think it might have been because of the pollen and dirt blowing around and they just got a little irritated. When brought her back and then left her for about 30 minutes before soaking her, she was drinking water and I think she was probably trying to submerge her eyes to help wash them out. I poured some warm water over her head while she was soaking and that got the bubbles out and hopefully flushed whatever was in there. I guess I’ll see in a few hours if it comes back. Thank you for your help!

CleoTheLeo · Mar 29, 2019

TriciaStringer said:
I would give her a good long soak.

I poured some warm water over her head while she was soaking and it flushed the bubbles out, so I’m hoping it flushed maybe some allergen out as well. Or maybe it’s just something that happens the first few days a tortoise is back outside after a long period of staying in based on what Wellington said. I hope they stay gone. Thank you again for your help!

ZEROPILOT · Mar 29, 2019

Is it possible that the tortoise may have overheated?
I ask because today I dealt with someone who placed their tortoise outside to get some sun.......In a glass aquarium.
They sun killed the tortoise within an hour.

CleoTheLeo · Mar 29, 2019

ZEROPILOT said:
Is it possible that the tortoise may have overheated?
I ask because today I dealt with someone who placed their tortoise outside to get some sun.......In a glass aquarium.
They sun killed the tortoise within an hour.

Oh my gosh, that’s terrible! Are you asking about overheating while she was outside? I don’t think she did. She has two hides she likes, ones nestled into the ground and the other one is a burrow. They’re damp and cool. There’s also a big tree in the pen that gives shade. I’m thinking about her indoor enclosure though and how accurate the thermometers are. I always worry whether it’s too hot or too cold. It’s usually 86/84-84/82 during the day, and 84/82-82/80 at night and very humid. Although this very cheap hygrometer doesn’t read it that way, I think it’s broken.

KarenSoCal · Mar 31, 2019

ZEROPILOT said:
Is it possible that the tortoise may have overheated?
I ask because today I dealt with someone who placed their tortoise outside to get some sun.......In a glass aquarium.
They sun killed the tortoise within an hour.

Heartbreaking! That poor tortoise! [emoji26]

But then it makes me angry. How could somebody be SO STUPID??

Dizisdalife · Mar 31, 2019

My sulcata get those bubbles in his eyes whenever there is a wind. Doesn't take much of a blow to get his eyes all watery.

domalle · Mar 31, 2019

CleoTheLeo said:
My tortoise just got a bunch of foamy tiny bubbles in the corners of both eyes, I appeared not more than 30 minutes ago. She did not have it when I brought her outside and now she does. She positively did not have it yesterday. The other thing about her that was abnormal was her eating habit. She hadn’t eating for a week and hadn’t pooped and then she started eating and pooped a few days ago. I just wanted to add that in if it’s relevant. Do you think it’s a respiratory infection. There’s nothing coming from her nose. Everything is blooming and pollen is super high, could that possibly just be irritating her eyes? Her enclosure, is a greenhouse, ranged 80-85, (Che and electric heater) substrate is moist orchid bark, bottom of it is always wet underneath. A humidifier runs for 30 minutes intervals 4 times a day. She has a basking spot that ranges 95-105 She eats dandelion greens and sage, researched, non fertilized weeds. Please help, I’ve lost a tortoise to respiratory infection, my very first one when it was a month old, due to open enclosure. I’ve had Cleo for almost five years and love her so much, please let me know what you guys think and if I should call a vet or if it could just be something irritating her eyes. This is the first time she’s been out since winter! It’s 72 and sunny.

Tortoise eyes are very sensitive because they are the one feature of the anatomy exposed to the air that is washed by fluid.
I believe what you observed was the sudden change in relative humidity and temperature your tortoise experienced on its venture outside from indoors.
And may I add that your previous loss has likely predisposed you to worry too much. You have kept your tortoise alive and healthy for five years. That is a pretty good indication that you are providing excellent care and culture to your turtle's benefit. The fact that it began eating and passing waste after exposure to sunlight and time outside after a long winter confinement is also no surprise. As a response to stimulation by sunlight and natural conditions, optimum functioning is reactivating.

CleoTheLeo · Apr 11, 2019

domalle said:
Tortoise eyes are very sensitive because they are the one feature of the anatomy exposed to the air that is washed by fluid.
I believe what you observed was the sudden change in relative humidity and temperature your tortoise experienced on its venture outside from indoors.
And may I add that your previous loss has likely predisposed you to worry too much. You have kept your tortoise alive and healthy for five years. That is a pretty good indication that you are providing excellent care and culture to your turtle's benefit. The fact that it began eating and passing waste after exposure to sunlight and time outside after a long winter confinement is also no surprise. As a response to stimulation by sunlight and natural conditions, optimum functioning is reactivating.

I know, I do worry to much!! Thank you for your response. Sorry I got back to you so late, usually I get an email when someone replies. I think it was the change in conditions to but I just like to double check on here.

White bubbles in eyes just appeared after putting tortoise outside!

CleoTheLeo

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CleoTheLeo

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TriciaStringer

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wellington

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CleoTheLeo

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CleoTheLeo

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CleoTheLeo

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ZEROPILOT

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CleoTheLeo

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KarenSoCal

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Dizisdalife

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domalle

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