Jess748
New Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2016
- Messages
- 2
I bought my first baby Russian tortoise hatchling a week ago, after having wanted one since I was a little girl. Needless to say I was super excited when he came and I fell in love instantly! But, to my dismay, I listened to a petco employee while buying supplies and bought what I now see is the dreaded coil UV bulb. Within two days of using it on my baby I noticed a little swelling... Woke up the third day and they were both completely swollen shut! So I panicked and did lot of research, found this forum and sadly saw what these bulbs have done to many torts' eyes.
So, my questions is- is this something that a two month old hatchling can recover from? And if so, what's the average recovery time?
I had him in a tortoise table, but I could only keep the humidity around 50% and so for now moved him into a 30gal tub for recovery. I bought a black night light so he still has heat but no light at the moment, so nothing it shining on his eyes. Temps stay around 80 degrees, 70 in his hide, and humidity is at 70%. He's still eating, having bowel movements, and seeming like he wants to be active, but I can tell he's in so much pain
most of the time he just limply burrows in a corner I think trying to soothe his eyes.
I've been giving him 20-40 minute carrot juice bathes, a warm water soak in the middle of the day, flushing his eyes with turtle/tort saline drops, and smearing a light layer of Neosporin on his eyes whenever I get the chance.
Is there anything else I should be doing? I'm willing to change anything up to help him recover if it's still possible! I am going to go out and buy the right UV TUBE bulb this weekend, any suggestions on the best one?
Thanks in advance!
So, my questions is- is this something that a two month old hatchling can recover from? And if so, what's the average recovery time?
I had him in a tortoise table, but I could only keep the humidity around 50% and so for now moved him into a 30gal tub for recovery. I bought a black night light so he still has heat but no light at the moment, so nothing it shining on his eyes. Temps stay around 80 degrees, 70 in his hide, and humidity is at 70%. He's still eating, having bowel movements, and seeming like he wants to be active, but I can tell he's in so much pain
most of the time he just limply burrows in a corner I think trying to soothe his eyes.
I've been giving him 20-40 minute carrot juice bathes, a warm water soak in the middle of the day, flushing his eyes with turtle/tort saline drops, and smearing a light layer of Neosporin on his eyes whenever I get the chance.
Is there anything else I should be doing? I'm willing to change anything up to help him recover if it's still possible! I am going to go out and buy the right UV TUBE bulb this weekend, any suggestions on the best one?
Thanks in advance!