Baby Hermann with eye infection... Help

[Kholloman]

So I bought a baby Hermann from tortoisesupply.com and it arrived Thursday. Named it Little Foot and calling it a he for the time being. I'm a new tort owner, but did tons of research prior and had everything set up for its arrival (set up details and pics below).

I'm concerned because Little Foot hadn't opened his left eye much for the past few days, only for a bit after his morning soak. Unfortunately, this morning he won't even do that much and his right eye isn't looking so well. Also he's not wanting to move or eat, very lethargic. Any advice?


SET UP-
I've got him in a tortoise table with detachable ramp. The bottom has coconut coir, tops soil, and play sand while his hide has a little moss in it. On top is the basking area, it's also where I place his feeding dish. The humidity sits at around 70%, but has gotten down to 40% up top. I do lightly mist throughout the day to keep things moist. Under the lamp is between 96-99•F and the remainder of the closure around 76•F, hide stays around 83•F.

I soak him in the morning for 25mins and straight after give him food. Since he was previously eating a spring mix I've been giving him that mixed with collard greens, hawk's bit and dandelion leaves which are soaked and rinsed well before rough chopping.

 

[wellington]

Are you using the coil type bulbs? If so turn it off and don't use them. If you are not using them, what kind are you using?

 

[Kholloman]

Currently using Zoomed

 

[ascott]

Currently using Zoomed

I would turn that uv bulb off, that bulb also causes issues....they are designed to be housed in a horizontal fixture but most folks place them in a cone hood which does not allow the bulb to properly work...instead of a more even distribution of the uv rays in a horizontal fixture if placed in the cone hood then the uv rays are literally random and can be intensely focused and can be causing eye ball burns....I would remove that uv ray bulb and get either the long single tube uv ray bulbs or a mercury vapor bulb.....but I would allow that tort a few days of no uv rays and daily eye ball gentle water flushes...

 

[Yvonne G]

Well, there's your problem. Get rid of that Zoo Med Reptisun bulb immediately.

 

[Kholloman]

Thanks for the info changing out the bulb and making sure this little one gets the correct bulb. Feel so awful that this happened, hopefully Little Foot starts feeling better soon.

 

[THBfriend]

Well, there's your problem. Get rid of that Zoo Med Reptisun bulb immediately.

You have no evidence that the lamp is the problem here other than your personal bias.
Incorrect use of the lamp might be a problem, but Kholloman gave no details about that.
Kholloman, is a reflector used or not (if so, which type?), what's the lamps orientation, what's its closest distance to the tortoise...

 

[ascott]

Thanks for the info changing out the bulb and making sure this little one gets the correct bulb. Feel so awful that this happened, hopefully Little Foot starts feeling better soon.

As the little tort comes around and the eyes cool down a bit (for a lack of a better descriptive right now) you will also give yourself a break . Please do understand that there are a lot of products in the market place...and each has their own designed application, when ever I hear about a new thing or gadget I will take a bit of time and check the manufacturer site and get their jargon on what it is intended for, then I will research anything about the product and I make certain to find all of the pro and con teams to then figure what I find worth the time....just my take is all.

Oh yeah, I also wanted to share that when I read your temps can drop around 76 and you hold high humidity I also noted that if I were you, I would be sure that the temps either not fall below 80 at night if the humidity is going to be kept up in the area that drops to the 76 mark....or be sure to not keep high humidity in the cooler section and use that as a cool down dry area....a healthy tortoise shell also benefits from the opportunity to be dried out from time to time....

Also, since you have now only had the tortoise since Thursday, that would make today only day three in your care....have you contacted the seller and shared with them what it taking place? I still believe there is likely an issue with the uv bulb, but it is still a pretty rapid issue for only in your care for day three????