Eyes!

[Tracey Hansen]

I had a tortoise for 9 years. I looked at photos and he was a Hermanns. I do really well w him. But, my friend gave me a box turtle 3 weeks ago and I have already messed it up. He has an eye infection. He reaches up and scratches sometimes. My question is , is there something available on line for this or do I take him to the vet.I know this is my fault because I let him run around my house and he may have gotten a dog
Dog dander in his eyes. I don't want to put him in a box. I also keep water for him but I've been changing it 2x a day; should I do it more often? One bath tub trip a day, enough? Also does he need vit A on his food w the calcium? Could someone on here tell me exactly what to do and I will do it. But is there any way I can keep letting him run around my house til spring? Then my yard is great for him

 

[TheLastGreen]

Hi, @maggie3fan @DoubleD1996! @Yvonne G @ZenHerper are the experts

Box Turtle Hatchling Care Sheet

BOX TURTLE HATCHLING CARE INTRODUCTION: Box turtles are native to North America. They are also known as box tortoises, although box turtles are terrestrial members of the American pond turtle family, and not members of the tortoise family. The species commonly kept as pets in the US are the...

www.tortoiseforum.org

Box Turtle Care Sheet

This was typed up with the intent for the care of Eastern Box Turtles with them being the primary box turtle I have had the experience of working with over the years. Box Turtles all have enough similarities that this guide will cover them. This is just meant to set up a frame work on how to...

www.tortoiseforum.org

Please read those, turtles should have a pond, tank, basking area etc etc.
Can you send images of the tort, the affected or irritated area, and his habitat?

 

[DoubleD1996!]

I had a tortoise for 9 years. I looked at photos and he was a Hermanns. I do really well w him. But, my friend gave me a box turtle 3 weeks ago and I have already messed it up. He has an eye infection. He reaches up and scratches sometimes. My question is , is there something available on line for this or do I take him to the vet.I know this is my fault because I let him run around my house and he may have gotten a dog
Dog dander in his eyes. I don't want to put him in a box. I also keep water for him but I've been changing it 2x a day; should I do it more often? One bath tub trip a day, enough? Also does he need vit A on his food w the calcium? Could someone on here tell me exactly what to do and I will do it. But is there any way I can keep letting him run around my house til spring? Then my yard is great for him

I had a tortoise for 9 years. I looked at photos and he was a Hermanns. I do really well w him. But, my friend gave me a box turtle 3 weeks ago and I have already messed it up. He has an eye infection. He reaches up and scratches sometimes. My question is , is there something available on line for this or do I take him to the vet.I know this is my fault because I let him run around my house and he may have gotten a dog
Dog dander in his eyes. I don't want to put him in a box. I also keep water for him but I've been changing it 2x a day; should I do it more often? One bath tub trip a day, enough? Also does he need vit A on his food w the calcium? Could someone on here tell me exactly what to do and I will do it. But is there any way I can keep letting him run around my house til spring? Then my yard is great for him

I wouldn't say pro, I'm learning more and more as I work with my animals ?.Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with letting him run around from time to time if he is being monitored, but it should be kept in a secure enclosure. The enclosure should have a basking light, this can be a regular incandescent light bulb or flood light bulb, it needs a uvb light, I recommend the zilla tropical or dessert fixtures, it needs a water dish it can soak and drink in, and it needs substrate such as eco earth and cypress mulch. And also maybe a heatmat underneath the enclosure. As far as the eye, if they are both puffy and swollen, and if there is discharge coming from them and the nose, this could be a respiratory infection. I have an adult female who has one who for some odd reason didn't take shelter from the cold. I brought her in. Of course you can seek veterinarian assistance, but if we're being honest it can be costly. The best way to treat this is with heat. I make sure to keep her under a heat bulb and on a heat mat to dry out the infection. I also use a product called turtle fix. I pour a cap fill in a warm bucket of water and soak once a day. If this is not the case for you. There is a product zoo med makes called turtle eye drops that works well. You could also try the oil from fish oil tablets and letting your turtle soak in carrot juice ( this one I haven't tried, hope @Yvonne G can put input on that).

 

[Yvonne G]

Actually, "putting him in a box" is the best option for him. New-to-you turtles should not be allowed to brumate the first winter with you, so keeping him up like you are, is the best option. But he really does need a dedicated enclosure. I like to use the Christmas tree storage bins mfg'd by Iris:



It's about 4' long and plenty big enough for a box turtle. Then I add about 4" of fir bark mixed with clean potting soil and lots of plants:



This one is divided because I had three different sub species of box turtle babies in it, but you wouldn't divide it for your one turtle. And then I add the light framework and cover the whole thing with plastic. Or you can figure out how to use the container's lid as a cover with holes cut for the lights.

If you keep your turtle warm enough with a slight drop in temperature at night, he should eat. Unless they're warm enough (and on the floor in your house isn't warm enough) they won't eat because they need the heat to digest their food. Feed him a nice wiggly worm. They can't resist something that wiggles.

 

[DoubleD1996!]

Actually, "putting him in a box" is the best option for him. New-to-you turtles should not be allowed to brumate the first winter with you, so keeping him up like you are, is the best option. But he really does need a dedicated enclosure. I like to use the Christmas tree storage bins mfg'd by Iris:

View attachment 337127

It's about 4' long and plenty big enough for a box turtle. Then I add about 4" of fir bark mixed with clean potting soil and lots of plants:

View attachment 337128

This one is divided because I had three different sub species of box turtle babies in it, but you wouldn't divide it for your one turtle. And then I add the light framework and cover the whole thing with plastic. Or you can figure out how to use the container's lid as a cover with holes cut for the lights.

If you keep your turtle warm enough with a slight drop in temperature at night, he should eat. Unless they're warm enough (and on the floor in your house isn't warm enough) they won't eat because they need the heat to digest their food. Feed him a nice wiggly worm. They can't resist something that wiggles.

I love the Christmas tree bins and they're affordable.

 

[Tom]

I had a tortoise for 9 years. I looked at photos and he was a Hermanns. I do really well w him. But, my friend gave me a box turtle 3 weeks ago and I have already messed it up. He has an eye infection. He reaches up and scratches sometimes. My question is , is there something available on line for this or do I take him to the vet.I know this is my fault because I let him run around my house and he may have gotten a dog
Dog dander in his eyes. I don't want to put him in a box. I also keep water for him but I've been changing it 2x a day; should I do it more often? One bath tub trip a day, enough? Also does he need vit A on his food w the calcium? Could someone on here tell me exactly what to do and I will do it. But is there any way I can keep letting him run around my house til spring? Then my yard is great for him

Your turtle should never be loose on the floor. That is a recipe for any number of disasters, eye problems being just one. Dog mauling is another. Your turtle needs a large enclosure with the proper heat and moisture for a box turtle. Yvonne's example is great, ad the care sheets explain in even more detail.

Eye problems in a box turtle are indicative of a problem. Wrong temps, wrong environment, wrong lighting, wrong diet, can all be contributors. When something isn't right with a box turtle, often the eyes go first. This is your only warning. They can go down hill fast if the problem isn't corrected. Dog dander does not cause eye problems in turtles. Most wild animals do not suffer from allergies the way humans and domestic animals do. Read those care sheets and get your turtle set up correctly ASAP, and the eye problem will likely correct itself.

 

[Maro2Bear]

I see you are in good hands with the information that Tom & Yvonne & others have already provided.

Scratchy/irritated eyes - temps too high, substrate too dry, incorrect lighting. Boxies live in foliage covered areas, out of direct sunshine unless basking. That’s the type of enclosure you want to create.

Good luck