My 1 1/2 year old Sulcata has red swollen eye.

stevepz

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My 1 1/2 year old Sulcata has a red swollen eye, started yesterday she was fine before this. I’m not sure what to do. I also have 3 Russian tortoises but they are not kept together. I could use some help. This is my first post although I follow the forum regularly.
 

Maro2Bear

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My 1 1/2 year old Sulcata has a red swollen eye, started yesterday she was fine before this. I’m not sure what to do. I also have 3 Russian tortoises but they are not kept together. I could use some help. This is my first post although I follow the forum regularly.


How often have you been soaking? If not regularly, first thing i would do is to start daily soaks for a good 30 minutes.

Try to take a good picture of that red eye.

Best of luck
 

Markw84

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A picture would be needed. Need to see if it is conjuctivitis or inflamation of the eyelids, etc.

A picture of the enclosure would be helpful. What type substrate? What is the diet composed of? What type of lighting? Any possible exposure to outside insects?
 

Jules321

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I haven't seen this in my sulcata but when it happened to a baby box turtle my mom had it was because the turtle wasn't getting enough uv. Lamps often lose their uv after about 6 months but is easy to forget to change them since the light bulb still works. By the time its causing swollen eyes its pretty serious so you may want to consider going to the vet. In the meantime make sure shes getting some basking time outside.
My 1 1/2 year old Sulcata has a red swollen eye, started yesterday she was fine before this. I’m not sure what to do. I also have 3 Russian tortoises but they are not kept together. I could use some help. This is my first post although I follow the forum regularly.
 

Markw84

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I haven't seen this in my sulcata but when it happened to a baby box turtle my mom had it was because the turtle wasn't getting enough uv. Lamps often lose their uv after about 6 months but is easy to forget to change them since the light bulb still works. By the time its causing swollen eyes its pretty serious so you may want to consider going to the vet. In the meantime make sure shes getting some basking time outside.
A lack of UVB cannot cause this. Extremely strong UVB exposure can.
 

stevepz

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She or he soaks 3 times a week, she’s been doing fine I’ll get a picture and post it.
 

stevepz

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Ok thankyou, I’ll check her lights, this came on very quickly. She’s sleeping now which is unusual for this time of day and didn’t eat much, I’m really worried. Thanks for your help I’ll post how she’s doing later today.
 

Jules321

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Based on what mark said maybe do more research on the lights- I'd hate to have given you wrong info! Especially since what happened to the box turtle looked different from these pictures. More like his eyes were swollen shut but no redness.
Ok thankyou, I’ll check her lights, this came on very quickly. She’s sleeping now which is unusual for this time of day and didn’t eat much, I’m really worried. Thanks for your help I’ll post how she’s doing later today.
 

TammyJ

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See if you can get some better, clearer pictures please? Its shot too close and out of focus to see anything really. We would very much like to help!
 

EllieMay

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Can you include a picture with the whole head in it. Maybe a bit more focused?
 

stevepz

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5758DC8F-5690-4595-9E28-538E688B7F62.jpeg Hi, I bought an eye drop / eye rinse and used it an hour ago and she seems to feel better and her eye looks much better I added more humidity and soaked her a few times today. She had been outside yesterday befor I noticed the eye, I try to give her some time out everyday while the weather still is warm enough, she has two uvb t8 fluorescent lights in her enclosure. She eats a mixture of greens, green leaf lettuce, kale, grass, clover and dandelions and am trying her on tortoise pellets. I do add reptical to her greens once a week and she loves eating her turtle bones . She only ate a few bites of food today. I am using a Zilla bark blend in her enclosure.
 

EllieMay

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It doesn’t look look too bad in the full picture. Maybe the rinse flushed it out... it sounds like your doing a good job. I hope she is much improved for you. Keep us posted.
 

chartle

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Ok thankyou, I’ll check her lights, this came on very quickly. She’s sleeping now which is unusual for this time of day and didn’t eat much, I’m really worried. Thanks for your help I’ll post how she’s doing later today.
I was told by an Ezotic Pet Vet to rinse eyes with Saline Soution!
 
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