RF Eye is Running (clear) ???

[llamas55]

I got a starving RF a year ago and gradually got her to eat and grow. however, for a few months her eye has been running. She gets greens, veggies, fruit, and protein weekly and lately I added Calcium with D a few times, as she is indoors with spectrum lights.
What do you suggest? Usually eye problems go to other ailments?
one day the one eye would not open, and this is scary. I put on some eye ointment, but I'm wondering if she is lacking vitamins or something nutrional. She is about 3 years old and now weighs 1.5# up from the 9 oz when I got her and she was almost dead.
thoughts please on the eye?
THANK YOU
Patricia MN

 

[Yvonne G]

My first thought was that the habitat isn't moist enough. Can you give us some information about how you have the tortoise set up?

Yvonne

 

[Candy]

What kind of substrate are you using? What does the enclosure look like? Can you post some pictures of the tortoise and the enclosure? Yvonne's right it might not have enough humidity. Redfoots like it that way. Do you soak him/her?

 

[fishtanker]

I'm with these guys too, heat and humidity should help. Good work getting her weight up!

 

[llamas55]

First of all, it's the bthrm and MN for ready humidity (except winter)
She is soaked 2-3 x a week
I just changed out of chips and soil, to soil and a tiny bit of peat moss
she is in a stock tank maybe 48"by 30" no cover
bottom flat heater she can sit on, and does, 3 light sources, and a water dish
in my childhood when the red earred sliders got eye problems it was nutrition or temp and the beginning of a long death cuz I was young and stupid
this eye runs, but clear. for about 8 wks now.
she doesn't get sun often.
I have not turned on the overhead ceramic heater yet
she eats readily now. boy, when I got her at 9 oz. and fairly long already she only ate a few bites after a warm soak. took months of that before I ever saw her walk.
don't see where to attach a photo?
thanks for suggestions, appreciate it

 

[Yvonne G]

You don't mention if your substrate is moist. Soaking isn't good enough. They need to be on a moist, not wet, substrate.

Yvonne

 

[Kadaan]

If you click on "New Reply" instead of using the quick reply box at the bottom, there's a form to add attachments to your post.

 

[llamas55]

yes I keep the substrate moist but not mucky moist.
this is her shell, mostly dissolved, when she arrived, that is now growing normally...and a photo of the new growth a few months ago.

I will try moistening with sphagnum or some such (seemed like she was thinking about eating that at one point tho) and see if the eye running stops.

---

If you click on "New Reply" instead of using the quick reply box at the bottom, there's a form to add attachments to your post.

thanks, Kadan, I gave it a try and got two links to create photo attachments (the actual photo doesn't come in?)
appreciate it

 

[llamas55]

I got a starving RF a year ago and gradually got her to eat and grow. however, for a few months her eye has been running. She gets greens, veggies, fruit, and protein weekly and lately I added Calcium with D a few times, as she is indoors with spectrum lights.
What do you suggest? Usually eye problems go to other ailments?
one day the one eye would not open, and this is scary. I put on some eye ointment, but I'm wondering if she is lacking vitamins or something nutrional. She is about 3 years old and now weighs 1.5# up from the 9 oz when I got her and she was almost dead.
thoughts please on the eye?
THANK YOU
Patricia MN

---

I found it, you guys were RIGHT
quote
If your redfoot tortoise looks like it's "crying" all the time..
it's because it's too dry!!!
it was right on http://www.turtletary.com/redfootcare.htm
yay yay
now to get the peat moss/sphagnum mixed in better
I think I have slight pyramiding going on, so am carefully reading the tip sheets.
What fun to have an on line RF peer group.
THANKS

 

[tortoisenerd]

How bright is it in there? You say you have several lights. Not sure this would contribute to any runny eyes, but Redfoots like low light. Most just use ambient lighting, no additional bulbs, with CHE, and some people use UVB tubes (it varies). If you up the moisture and humidity the pyramiding should settle down, as long as she also has good exercise and diet. Best wishes.

 

[llamas55]

YAY her eyes stopped running. added a ton of sphagnum into her soil, put a clear shower curtain over the top, and humidity says it is 85% now. BUT the ceramic 60 watt heater melts the shower curtain and on line I found some 40 Watt ones, does anybody know if they are significantly less to not melt a shower curtain? the bulb has a wire mask surrounding it. I am racking my brain for a support she can't tip over to prop the curtain up. She is in a black 40" long plastic stock tank, sort of like an oblong wading pool. Currently the 2 light fixtures and walls support the walls. Concern 3: she has very mild pyramiding: eats greens, a small amt. of veggies and fruit and once a week a piece of egg yolk or one piece of dog food wet, or something similar (small piece of fish, and I mean small). the greens are maybe 2 dandelion leaves and a couple others from my garden (soon to die, we are MN)....so I must be overfeeding but it doesn't seem much to me. Are people actually weighing food? she is 1.5# and maybe 3-4 years old her bottom shell is 5" long.

 

[tortoisenerd]

What about attaching weight to the pieces of the shower curtain hanging over the sides? That way you don't have anything in the enclosure. I worry that you have the CHE close enough to the shower curtain as to melt it. This is a hazard. They should be at a distance from each other. The wattage of the bulb should be appropriate to maintain the temperature you want. Pyramiding has been found to primarily be caused by lack of humidity. Poor diet (I have not heard of too much food as a cause) and lack of exercise are secondary causes. I would focus on keeping the humidity high and hopefully you will see some smooth new growth soon. I do not know of anyone that weighs food. I have heard of a set amount as to maintain slow and steady growth (you can weigh and measure SCL for example monthly to keep track), 20 minutes of eating, etc. It is very difficult to say a tortoise should have X amount of food. Too many variables.

 

[Yvonne G]

I went back and skimmed the previous posts, but I couldn't see if you told us the size of the enclosure you're trying to cover with the shower curtain. If the habitat isn't too big, you can use foil. I tear off a couple strips of aluminum foil a little longer than the length of the habitat, then lay then one on top of the other on a flat surface. On one of the length edges (as opposed to the width edge) fold the two pieces together using a thin fold. Fold it several times. Then open the two pieces and flatten the folded part, and now you have a large piece of foil. You can use this to cover the habitat. I cover over the top of the lights and everything. I crimp three edges around the habitat, but leave the fourth edge un-crimped for air transfer.

Yvonne

 

[Redfoot NERD]

READ everything.. links too.. in links in my signature.

If you haven't seen the results on other threads.. here's an '05 hatchling of mine..

Let us know...

NERD

 

[llamas55]

It's a stock tank maybe 43x30" with black plastic sides. the clear shower curtain I can fold back at the end to let out some humidity.
This set-up just doesn't cut it for the humidity and also beauty that many of you have. I think I'll move to a lot of plants and a 4' full spectrum light hanging above it, or similar, and/or look for a 75 gal. used tank. At 5" plastron tho she is getting bigger and likes to move around, checking the cave, and heat pad place, thru the water dish, see if any food appears etc.

still wondering if people think 2 are better than one or they really do NOT care about company. Call me crazy, but I leave the bathroom radio on because I think she needs some kind of mental stimulation (which tortoise #2 same breed would provide somewhat)
I went back and skimmed the previous posts, but I couldn't see if you told us the size of the enclosure you're trying to cover with the shower curtain. If the habitat isn't too big, you can use foil. I tear off a couple strips of aluminum foil a little longer than the length of the habitat, then lay then one on top of the other on a flat surface. On one of the length edges (as opposed to the width edge) fold the two pieces together using a thin fold. Fold it several times. Then open the two pieces and flatten the folded part, and now you have a large piece of foil. You can use this to cover the habitat. I cover over the top of the lights and everything. I crimp three edges around the habitat, but leave the fourth edge un-crimped for air transfer.

Yvonne

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You are so right, I have taken out the Ceramic heat for the time being and wonder if the 40 instead of the 60 would make it much different.
as it is, the shower curtain is draped over the current 2 lights and seems to just be under melting temperature.
you are envisioning the CHE inside the set-up (which it was) not over, right?
loving all the ideas. thanks
What about attaching weight to the pieces of the shower curtain hanging over the sides? That way you don't have anything in the enclosure. I worry that you have the CHE close enough to the shower curtain as to melt it. This is a hazard. They should be at a distance from each other. The wattage of the bulb should be appropriate to maintain the temperature you want. Pyramiding has been found to primarily be caused by lack of humidity. Poor diet (I have not heard of too much food as a cause) and lack of exercise are secondary causes. I would focus on keeping the humidity high and hopefully you will see some smooth new growth soon. I do not know of anyone that weighs food. I have heard of a set amount as to maintain slow and steady growth (you can weigh and measure SCL for example monthly to keep track), 20 minutes of eating, etc. It is very difficult to say a tortoise should have X amount of food. Too many variables.

 

[llamas55]

OK been working half a day, and the orchidarium/redfoot habitat is 2/3 finished, which WILL raise the humidity, has darkened areas at the bottom, the T-Rex heat pad. I still need to figure out how to get the ceramic heat in, without cooking nearby areas. I will likely drop the bulb to a 60 watt for starters. Her eyes stopped running within 24 hours of going on line with you guys. I will put in a different plastic to cover more, but one end will be open for air circulation. I think the orchids will like the set-up as well, and ....I have reclaimed about half my kitchen counter space formerly with orchids: win/win.

 

[Yvonne G]

OMG!!! What a lucky little RF tortoise...living in the orchid jungle! Your plants are gorgeous! He lives in his own little greenhouse.