Eye Issue

[JamieLJ]

I have a sulcata tortoise that is about 7 to 8 months. When Tyson (Thats its name) was about 3 months he couldn’t open his eyes. The problem got better. Now he is having the same problem again. I got him eye drops, because they’ve worked before, but it doesn’t seem to help. I’ve also tried rubbing his eye gently with water and a cotton ball. Is there anything I can do to help? He walks around in his inclosure but with his eyes closed and hasn’t been able to eat for a couple of days.

I'm having a similar issue with one that I just started to watch, I've been soaking him for a few days now in baby food and he did open his eyes after the first soak but hasn't since. Mind you, he isn't mine, he's my roommates who hasn't been home since last weekend so I've been taking care of his babies. His left eye looks like it is trying to open but he keeps rubbing both. What type of eye drops did you use? He's about 5 months old and hasn't eaten in quite a few days also. Oh and I also changed his light and enclosure, he had just a heat bulb and I gave him my geckos bulbs to use(the red light one). Sorry I really don't know much about these guys I'm just trying to help so any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[TortillaTheTortioise]

I'm having a similar issue with one that I just started to watch, I've been soaking him for a few days now in baby food and he did open his eyes after the first soak but hasn't since. Mind you, he isn't mine, he's my roommates who hasn't been home since last weekend so I've been taking care of his babies. His left eye looks like it is trying to open but he keeps rubbing both. What type of eye drops did you use? He's about 5 months old and hasn't eaten in quite a few days also. Oh and I also changed his light and enclosure, he had just a heat bulb and I gave him my geckos bulbs to use(the red light one). Sorry I really don't know much about these guys I'm just trying to help so any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

So if he had a heat bulb doesn't he have a UVB bulb? Don't change anything until u are sure what the light was for, because that might of been a heat and UVB bulb. I do know that a red bulb is not recommended for a tortoise as red means food and they can eat there substrate. How old is the tortoise? Can u post a picture of the set up and light that was in the enclosure before the red one?

 

[JamieLJ]

he is 5 months old.

So if he had a heat bulb doesn't he have a UVB bulb? Don't change anything until u are sure what the light was for, because that might of been a heat and UVB bulb. I do know that a red bulb is not recommended for a tortoise as red means food and they can eat there substrate. How old is the tortoise? Can u post a picture of the set up and light that was in the enclosure before the red one?

I asked my roommate and he said the bulb was only for heat. I've added a photo of the bulb. I stopped using using the white bulb at night and have the red one on so the temperature doesn't drop, I can get a different bulb, just need to know what one to get. For his enclosure he was in the tank he's currently in up until about 3 or 4 weeks ago when he was put in a huge tank. I'll post photos of each. I have a temperature gun and tested the bottom of the large tank and it was only 70 degrees and my roommate would keep the white light on 24/7(not sure if that is good or not?). So last week I switched him back into his old, smaller enclosure which is maintaining 80-85 degrees at the bottom. I've been keeping clovers, dandelions, grass, lettuce and other greens right in front of him when he's in the tank just incase he wants to eat its right there for him.

 

[TortillaTheTortioise]

View attachment 273709 he is 5 months old. View attachment 273710 View attachment 273711 View attachment 273712 View attachment 273713
I asked my roommate and he said the bulb was only for heat. I've added a photo of the bulb. I stopped using using the white bulb at night and have the red one on so the temperature doesn't drop, I can get a different bulb, just need to know what one to get. For his enclosure he was in the tank he's currently in up until about 3 or 4 weeks ago when he was put in a huge tank. I'll post photos of each. I have a temperature gun and tested the bottom of the large tank and it was only 70 degrees and my roommate would keep the white light on 24/7(not sure if that is good or not?). So last week I switched him back into his old, smaller enclosure which is maintaining 80-85 degrees at the bottom. I've been keeping clovers, dandelions, grass, lettuce and other greens right in front of him when he's in the tank just incase he wants to eat its right there for him.

Don't keep the white light on 24/7, tortoises need to sleep in darkness, the best would be a ceramic heat emitter because they give off no light so it's suitable for night time use. But u can have a small drop in temperature at night. Keep the white light on for 12-14 hours to mimic daylight. The most crucial part is that the tortoise has a UVB light which they use to make d3 to absorb calcium.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

We are talking on someone else's thread but if u want to u can start ur own and get more answers from diff ppl

Don't keep the white light on 24/7, tortoises need to sleep in darkness, the best would be a ceramic heat emitter because they give off no light so it's suitable for night time use. But u can have a small drop in temperature at night. Keep the white light on for 12-14 hours to mimic daylight. The most crucial part is that the tortoise has a UVB light which they use to make d3 to absorb calcium.

Sulcata Tortoises need to be at 80 degrees and above at all times

 

[Yvonne G]

It looks like this baby is being kept in conditions that are too dry.

 

[_Sulcata_tortoise_]

I'm having a similar issue with one that I just started to watch, I've been soaking him for a few days now in baby food and he did open his eyes after the first soak but hasn't since. Mind you, he isn't mine, he's my roommates who hasn't been home since last weekend so I've been taking care of his babies. His left eye looks like it is trying to open but he keeps rubbing both. What type of eye drops did you use? He's about 5 months old and hasn't eaten in quite a few days also. Oh and I also changed his light and enclosure, he had just a heat bulb and I gave him my geckos bulbs to use(the red light one). Sorry I really don't know much about these guys I'm just trying to help so any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

I bought repti turtle eye drops. And the brand is zoo med. Tyson’s eyes are still closed but he still eats a bit. He likes to drink the baby food when I bathe him in it and I’ll get a bunch of grass/flowers on a plate, place him in it and he’ll try to eat some. Usually he just bites the air so I’ll move the food by his mouth so he can eat some. You should also try this so be too hungry. Also I’m not an expert but this is just something that should help

 

[JamieLJ]

Ok, so I got a uvb bulb, a blue bulb for heat a new light fixture, eye drops and I've begun adding powdered calcium into the baby food soaks, so far. I didn't realize how expensive these things are.. Have been bringing him out into the sun everyday for at minimum of an hour and have also been trying to do the soaks outside whenever possible. I've been putting the soak under the lamps to try and maintain the temperature, any suggestions on how to keep it warm? He still isn't eating and hasn't opened his eyes.

 

[JamieLJ]

I bought repti turtle eye drops. And the brand is zoo med. Tyson’s eyes are still closed but he still eats a bit. He likes to drink the baby food when I bathe him in it and I’ll get a bunch of grass/flowers on a plate, place him in it and he’ll try to eat some. Usually he just bites the air so I’ll move the food by his mouth so he can eat some. You should also try this so be too hungry. Also I’m not an expert but this is just something that should help

I've been placing food in front of him, when his eyes were open he would only eat while outside with fresh grass/clovers/flowers etc. How long have you been using the drops for?

 

[_Sulcata_tortoise_]

I've been placing food in front of him, when his eyes were open he would only eat while outside with fresh grass/clovers/flowers etc. How long have you been using the drops for?

The drops would work right away. But in this case, for my tortoise, his eyes have more layers covering his eye so the drops didn’t help. But it used to help when he had less covering his eye. But I did take my tortoise to the vet to see if they could help, they gave me some eyedrops and this powder I have to mix with water and then try to get my tortoise to eat it. Its like vitamins. The vet also said it would take time for its eyes to open again. If you do take your tortoise to the vet though, don’t let the vet give it a shot because it will harm it.