RUNNY EYE! New to RF torts and torts in general.

[Nonameredfoot]

Ive had my tort for 5 days now. I just hooked up the reptifogger the night before last, humidity has been between 60 and 75 since using it off and on...before I used the fogger it was hard to get it past 50. Tort seemed more active hungry and looked healthier before the reptifogger was added, since using the reptifogger and raising the humidity in general the tort has been hiding not as interested in food or coming out of hiding under its log and this morning its eyes (more one eye that the other) was super runny (thick clear)..what is this caused by, should I be concerned? If this is a problem how can I change it? thank you!

 

[SulcataSquirt]

Have you checked your temps since you installed the new fogger? it maybe lowering the temps making him hide. i would check your temps all around your cage. what substrate are you using? not quite sure on the eye possible if the night time temps are dropping to low with the new humidity intoduced it could have caused him a little cold. i would check your temps and bump them up as needed. I would also check the nighttime temp and see what the low is also, and add a CHE if needed. nighttime temps i like to have around 75-80.

 

[Nonameredfoot]

thanks Sulcata...my temps have only lowered 5 degrees since using the fogger so now its at 75 pretty much constantly even at night because im keeping it covered with a towel. I just pulled it out and put it infront of its salad bowl and it began eating, I also just ran the fogger again and actually got it to 80! im impressed I havent gotten it that high yet. I sprayed the tank heavily and also the tort. Hopefully it doesnt have a cold ...

 

[SulcataSquirt]

Whats the Temp of your Basking spot?

 

[bikerchicspain]

Red foots will get runny eyes if there habitat is to dry, Don't forget these are tropical torts so the temps are in their 90s, make sure that it is dry where the hide is,

When a reptile refuses to eat, the first thing to do apart from panic Is check the habitat, nearly always it's because something is wrong in the habitat too cold, too hot, to dry, no uv etc. When you have the habitat at the optimal conditions and the rep still refuses to eat then a trip to the vet is a good idea, sooner rather than later, a couple of days makes a difference.

 

[Nonameredfoot]

I believe its about 80 but he never goes near it.

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Thanks bikerchicspain! He did eat half of his salad so that must be a good sign. I got the hum up to 80 but have to keep running the humidifier and spraying the tank. I just put the basking light back on (it tends to dry out all of my humidity in no time so ive been running it off and on which is prob another reason the heat went down by 5 degrees. I bought an anolog stick so I could run all fo this stuff at the same time but it didnt work and I have to return it so right now im using a 2 plug outlet and switching everything around about every hour...PAIN in the butt! should have time to return the analog stick today and hopefully they will have another although I bought the last one that day.

 

[SulcataSquirt]

if your basking spot is only 80 degrees that is not right. your tortoise need to be atleast 85 degreen internally to digest his food. i would make your basking spot atleast 95-100 degrees. and on the cool side about 75 degrees. you will see a major improvement in activity with the correct temps.

 

[Nonameredfoot]

The runny eye went away and now hes eating normally...guessing it was too dry over the night period when it didnt have anything on? I am going to get the analog with the timer today if they have one so it can run throughout the night.

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Do I use a heat coil to help get the temps up? the whole tanks temp is a bit low.

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also...do u think installing one of those small water falls with help with the himidity?

 

[SulcataSquirt]

i would use a ceramic heat emitter to raise to temps up. You do have a mercury vapor bulb for uvb/a rays right? i would try the fogger first b4 the waterfall. that will be alot of maintence, you would need a pump, pond liner and a little pound type deal for the water to recirculate. if the fogger doesnt raise the humidty enough i would cover the top with plexiglass until you get the right humidity. just remember humidty and too cold= disaster.

 

[Nonameredfoot]

i have a heat emiter but its 60 watt and really doesn emit much :/ so I need a higher wattage? right now its basking on the edge of the basking light in the fogger fog and seems comfy...im going to get a new analog stick today so I can hook all of it up and run things at the same time, should I get a higher hear emitter while im there?

 

[Tortoise]

Heat emitters are good, they are supposed to be a real deep penetrating heat so nice for tortoises-like the sun would heat them.

In my enclosure I have heat emitter and a red bulb for heat. They do occasionally sit near to the red light but mostly walking around the enclosure and hiding etc. The 100 watt seems much better than the 75 for me. I guess a lower watt bulb would need to be lower to generate the heat.