Russian eyes seem slightly red and little puffy

RussianTortxo

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My russian has new powersun 100w at 90f and coconut coir and Cyprus mulch and coconut chip for substrate. I have been keeping coir moist but each day that I hold him to make sure he's doing okay, his eyes seem to an issue. He keeps closing them and usually takes a minute for him to open them when I hold him. I am worried that when I wake up he won't be able to open his eyes at all. What is the best product to help with this. I thought I was doing everything right but am running out of what I can do.

Thanks for all your help. ImageUploadedByTortForum1396495421.548646.jpgImageUploadedByTortForum1396495433.049634.jpgImageUploadedByTortForum1396495443.815538.jpgImageUploadedByTortForum1396495454.550915.jpg
 
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wellington

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Did this just happen when you got the new bulb? How close is the bulb to the top of your torts shell? Do you soak him and how often?
 

Tom

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What are your four temps? Warm side, cool side, basking spot and night?

What is the origin of this tortoise?

How long have you had it?
 

RussianTortxo

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It's slowly been happening since I brought him home and hold him everyday. The bulb is new, arrived this morning powersun uv 100w and is 14" from the top of his shell to the light. My thermometer says 91.3F I haven't had him long so I wouldn't be surprised if it was from the reptisun that the shop employee said to get. I can tell something just isn't right with his eyes and I want to do everything I can. Someone not on the forum recommended vetericyn eye wash which I bought and used twice, only a drop in each eye. I don't know how accurate the person was but I'm so desperate to make him better. At first I thought the new coir substrate was the issue but it must be the lighting I used before or the possibility of being sick when I bought him and barely recognizing an issue with his eyes. He's basically the only family I have so I just don't want to lose him. I don't take seeing animals pass away very good..had to put down two dogs who had cancer and watched a stray cat be killed by a dog this past month so I would rather not see Arnold pass away if you could suggest something safe that can help with slight redness and possible puffiness. Thank you.


The powersun spot is 91.3F. I haven't been able to take him outside due to crummy weather. The cooler side is room temperature and I have a wood panel on top as a shelter. I wanted to make a box type house but would be nervous about not being able to keep an eye on him while I'm worried about his health. He's in an open table that I put together using two dresser drawers.

I got him from an exotic pet shop in st.petersburg and got him February 6th 2014 so only two months but his conditions before I got him were really bad, they were feeding him bad stuff and was with a larger tortoise in a tank. The employees knew their products well and knew he was a russian and a male (I can tell from tail) so they were correct about those things.


I soak him generally every two days but have switched to everyday for 20-30 minutes. I'm going to time it exactly using a timer for 30 minutes and increase to twice a day from now on if you think that would help?

Is there medicine I can definitely use on his eyes and if there's something else I should do about the lighting? I just feel so lost right now. I appreciate everyone's help.


I forgot night time

night time I have just room temperature throughout the room he is in. I used to turn on my floor fan for me while I sleep but stopped using it thinking it would effect his temperature. Also the ac is generally on in the 70's range every night and the vent is on the same wall as his enclosure. Dunno if I should move his enclosure to the opposite side of the room ?
 

Tom

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1. Your temps sound okay, but at 14" your basking spot is only 91 degrees? How are you measuring that? What type of thermometer and where is it placed? Is there a screen top between the bulb and the tortoise? What was the basking temp prior to getting the Powersun and what were you using to get that?

2. So this tortoise was under a coil type UV bulb prior to the Powersun which just came yesterday? That seems like the most probable cause of your issue right now. If there was eye damage from that bulb, it will take a little while to heal.

3. Your night temps sound fine for a russian, but I would not want an AC vent blowing into or near my enclosure.

4. Soaking every other day should suit your tortoise just fine, and keep him hydrated. Dehydration does not appear to be your issue.
 

Levi the Leopard

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Are you still wrapping your tortoise in a blanket and having him sleep with you in bed at night?
Maybe he got some blanket fibers in his eye???
 

RussianTortxo

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I have a zoomed digital thermometer with the probe. I made a mistake with measuring with a ruler of the height it was a lot lower than 14". It seemed to have bothered him being low so I raised the height of the light and he seems to like where it's at now because he keeps wanting to bask.

I have to wait until next paycheck until I can get an actual light stand because I just spent 100 on powersun and veterinarian eye wash yes the light is over a screen cover but have no other way to have it above enclosure.

I'm a newbie so I know I am not perfect with all of this but I appreciate the feedback to help me make things right.

No he is not next to me at night anymore, that was when I first got him and was worried about sharp edges of cypress mulch worried they would hurt his eyes but learned from reading another members post that the cypress mulch is used a lot and everyone seems to do well with it. I've added coco coir but have gotten feedback so he is doing well at night even with the added new substrate.

He was a little slow this morning with wanting to open his eyes but since then they have stayed open and even basking more than he used to. He used to just hide away. I previously did not have a coil UVB light, it was the reptisun 10 with the straight bulb that goes in a dome, not the kind that goes in the strip light (if that makes sense)

Tom which thermometer do you recommend and where may I purchase it? I was iffy about what one to get and don't trust the temps of the zoomed probe digital but wasn't as educated with my russian when I first got him so just went with one at petsmart.. In store or online, either would be okay.


I had to move furniture around in my room including the location of thermometer but I am going to do a reading with the one I have now to get an idea but he seems to really like the basking distance but let me check the temp
 

ascott

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I have to wait until next paycheck until I can get an actual light stand because I just spent 100 on powersun and veterinarian eye wash yes the light is over a screen cover but have no other way to have it above enclosure.

The tortoise is not getting the affect of the uv rays when separated by a standard meshy type of screen...perhaps since you have the enclosure against a wall, you can use something cheap like this to hang the light from;

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Richelie...Shelf-Bracket-8-In-x-10-In-496WI8BC/202205514

Also, there are some discount stores (.99 cent stores) that carry pretty wall plant hangers for like, well, .99 cents....I have a few of those as well....both work well and are so inexpensive....you mount it on the wall in the appropriate place and then drape/hang the light from it--this way you can raise lower the height a little if you find you need to and I love zip ties, you can zip tie the cord (variety of zip tie colors for decor) to assure it does not move or come off of the hanger....

I also noticed that you say you keep the enclosure moist and that you then allow night temps to fall into the 70 area (perhaps even cooler since you have a/c running) --to me that is a bad situation in the making....I would be sure to offer a warm humid hide for night so he has a choice or I would be sure to not let the night temps fall that low--due to you keep the substrate moist...how old/large is the tort?

What type of diet do you offer him? What type of items do you offer that are substantially balanced with vitamin A?


One other thing that I noticed, this tortoise has light color skin around HIS right eye versus the darker coloring around HIS left eye, the lighter color if compared to the darker color will always make the eye appear different than the other....just does.
 

RussianTortxo

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I will try to go to Home Depot today to get that, I never thought of something like that, thank you! In the meantime, I just cut a large hole in the screen top for the light lol I only keep the substrate moist during the day, it drys out by the time he goes to bed so when he wakes up that's when I start misting it again and do so quite frequently throughout the day. He has a hide away spot that is room temperature.

I am currently growing marigolds, petunias, collards, arugula and artichoke. I've been trying to find good prices for other things online so I will be growing more very soon. While that stuff is growing I sometimes give him some spoutings but generally do spring mix and pick out spinach, and add grassland tort food, offer pieces of artichoke and other greens that are on the safe list. I have found areas with different weeds and flowers that are safe (I checked with tort table plant list) but I live in Florida and am never sure about car exhaust and or chemicals used so I never go to pick from outside. My best option until I move into my own house which should be this year, I will grow even more and learn about him being allowed outside once time period for any previous chemicals are on outback, etc.

What would you suggest for vitamin A? Also does that mean something is wrong with the different skin coloration? To me in person it looks the same, I even put my glasses on to look, but you guys are the experts, I'm only a newbie. :)

I sprinkle rapashy calcium with vitamins in it twice weekly but he also had access to cuttlebone but never had interest so I replaced it with a zoomed tortoise block which he seems interested in but is still trying to figure out how he can bite into it.


I definitely know he's not a baby, you know how exotic pet shops are, they don't know much haha. I will measure his shell before I go do errands. My guess is 6-10 years old, but I will get measurement in inches in a few.
 

ascott

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http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2626/2

Spinach can be a balanced part of the tortoise diet...just not a huge chunk...it has some good value to it as part of a diet...Good Vitamin A and also Calcium.

You can also mix in once a week or so some of these; sweet potato --heat a little to soften, kale, carrots, butternut squash--heat a little to soften, romaine lettuce, bell peppers....now, don't offer all of these every day for every meal...lol...but you can mix some of each in with a balanced diet (lets say one with some of the spring mix you offer now--and leave some of the spinach as well---not alot but some)

The hole in the screen works...as long as you can get proper height that way then go with it :D

Artichoke sure is yummy, but not ALOT of nutritional value...

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2782/2

And no, there is nothing wrong with the coloration being lighter on one side vs the other side....just the way the tortoise coloring is---I only pointed that out because it can visually make something look different is all....the tortoise is beautiful....

Look at this, this is what I mean;

http://sciencelakes.com/data_images/out/1/8767129-bulldog.jpg

Both eyes are healthy, however the one that is outlined in the white/lighter fur allows just the right color contrast to see the red/pink more in the eye than the eye that is outlined in the darker fur/color--the darker lined eye gives an "appearance" of a healthier looking eye when in fact both are great....did that make sense?

Since you are not dealing with a baby tort, may I ask why you spray the enclosure several times a day?
 

RussianTortxo

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I had a worry about the coconut coir since I've never used it before in my lifetime so was not sure how Arnold would do with it because I tried him with the natures care potting mix to try as a substrate but he took a bite so I had to remove all of that so I finally thought I'd give the coir a try since a lot of members have good reviews about it. I thought it might irritate his eyes while digging so another member recommended to keep it moist so that it doesn't become dry to irritate his eyes.

Arnold likes Kale and when I feel like he doesn't drink enough water I will give him a slice of a cucumber and cut it up into pieces for him. I always cut up his food because I get nervous he will choke! He tends to go for another bite even with a little still in his mouth which makes me nervous.

I'm not feeling too well today so I didn't get to go do errands but will ask my boyfriend to stop at Home Depot after work for the fixture that I can attach to the wall to hang the light.

I've worked with endangered sea turtles and other aquatic turtles but also have experience with different lizards and bearded dragons (not personally owned although I did help take care of my friends and family members along with in animal hospitals) and tortoises are so different! I love how every different kind of animal is unique and different like we are as people. They each need different things and eat different things and all that. I just think it's so fascinating. I'm glad I chose veterinary technology as my major for college. Sadly I can only afford to get my associates degree right now but hopefully a few years later I will be able to get my bachelors.
 

ascott

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You may want to leave the dark leafy greens in whole or larger pieces, a tortoise can use their front legs to hold items down while they tear off pieces....this is good to help them maintain their beak as well :D

Once you wet the substrate initially (pour water into the substrate to moisten it---then hand pack it down really hard with your hand...keep warmth going while the substrate dries out most of the way, this will help to eliminate alot of dust and kick up of the material....without keeping the substrate wet....

Just some suggestions is all :D
 

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