Russian Tortoise swollen eyes/lethargy

[Boxy2013]

My husband and I inherited a Russian tortoise, who we've named Boxy, after a family member passed away. We knew very little about tortoises when we took him in - having named him "Boxy" since we thought he was a box turtle - and are slowly learning and trying to set up a good, healthy habitat for Boxy.

Boxy came to us as a full grown adult male who had basically been living in a shoebox and eating tomatoes and nectarines dusted with vitamins. We got him into a 29 gallon aquarium (which we now realize is less than ideal) with a basking light and reptile carpet and started feeding him leafy greens exclusively - endive, radicchio, radish leaves, red leaf lettuce and spring mix, mostly. (With the occasional apple slice sprinkled with a calcium and d3 supplement.) He was doing great for a few months! We would take him out to let him run around and explore the living room, which we hoped would make up for the small space he lives in, and he seemed very happy and healthy with a hearty appetite.

We've been concerned about his lack of UVB light, so about a week ago, we bought a hood and ReptiSun 5.0 uvb tube light. (I had brought a compact coil uvb light home once, and it clearly hurt his eyes, so we stopped using it immediately... but I thought the tube would be safe.) As soon as we turned it on, he crawled into his hiding space to get away from it - and has been mostly hiding from it ever since.

The last few days, though, he's been very lethargic and he hasn't been eating or defecating. He usually crawls into his water bowl himself to drink, soak and poop, but hasn't done that either. And his eyes are clearly bothering him - they're reddish and swollen and one eye has a little clear watery discharge, and he's rubbing at them with his "elbows." We've been soaking him in warm water, but it doesn't seem to be helping. I'd rather avoid a trip to the vet if possible - that uvb setup was expensive - but we will definitely take him if he needs to go! But before making an appointment, I wanted to know if you guys think this might be something we can address at home - by removing the uvb light or adding a moister substrate, which we definitely intend to do - or if a vet visit really is the best thing to do here. Thanks so much in advance!

 

[Boxy2013]

Also, his nostrils are clear and he doesn't seem to be wheezing or gulping, which makes me hopeful that it's not a respiratory infection. His tank is about 70 degrees, with a warmer spot under the basking light (not UV light) and a heating pad under the tank in his hide area. We have reptile carpet in there right now, along with a shallow bowl of water that he can get into and out of on his own, though I'm reading up on substrates now so I can get something appropriate at the pet store tomorrow.

Attached is a picture of his eye. (Sorry for the sideways picture!)

 

[cemmons12]

I think u would be better off with coco coir for substrate, zoo med power sun uvb light, and he needs day temps in the mid 80's. Also i would bath him at least every other day while he is acting like this. I think the right temps will help. I hope someone else chimes in. But this is how my russian is set up except she is in a huge rubber maid tub. Also they sell eye ointment but i dont know the name. And i keep her bath water at 85 or so.

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome Sorry, I can't help with your situation. However, I do wish you good luck.

 

[Boxy2013]

I think u would be better off with coco coir for substrate, zoo med power sun uvb light, and he needs day temps in the mid 80's. Also i would bath him at least every other day while he is acting like this. I think the right temps will help. I hope someone else chimes in. But this is how my russian is set up except she is in a huge rubber maid tub. Also they sell eye ointment but i dont know the name. And i keep her bath water at 85 or so.

Thanks! Do you know how we could raise the temperature? The basking light seems to create a warm area, and so does the heating pad, but I can't figure out how to make the whole tank warmer! A larger heating pad, maybe?

 

[mainey34]

Try covering the tank or enclosure with foil or something like plexiglass. That will help keep the warmth and humidity. In.

 

[cemmons12]

I cover mine with towels over the screens, and the Zoo Med Power Sun bulbs heat the areas up and under tank heaters. So far thats all I have had to do to get the heat how I need it.

 

[biochemnerd808]

Congrats on your tortoise - even if you weren't planning on getting one, they do grow into a family...

I doubt that the UVB tube light has caused the eye irritation. What kind of substrate are you using? Cedar e.g. can cause allergic reactions in tortoises, often resulting in swollen, puffy, red, itchy eyes.
Moistened coconut coir ("Eco Earth" at the pet store, sold as bricks) is really good. You add water to the brick(s) and it expands. Then you put that in the enclosure. You can keep the dust down by misting it every few days. Too dry an environment can cause itchy eyes, too.

You can also gently wash your tortoise's eyes out while it is soaking. You can take 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt (no iodine) and dissolve it in 1 cup of warm water. Then with a spoon or eye dropper, just drip it into the eyes from above, letting it run down and over the eyes.

My husband and I inherited a Russian tortoise, who we've named Boxy, after a family member passed away. We knew very little about tortoises when we took him in - having named him "Boxy" since we thought he was a box turtle - and are slowly learning and trying to set up a good, healthy habitat for Boxy.

Boxy came to us as a full grown adult male who had basically been living in a shoebox and eating tomatoes and nectarines dusted with vitamins. We got him into a 29 gallon aquarium (which we now realize is less than ideal) with a basking light and reptile carpet and started feeding him leafy greens exclusively - endive, radicchio, radish leaves, red leaf lettuce and spring mix, mostly. (With the occasional apple slice sprinkled with a calcium and d3 supplement.) He was doing great for a few months! We would take him out to let him run around and explore the living room, which we hoped would make up for the small space he lives in, and he seemed very happy and healthy with a hearty appetite.

We've been concerned about his lack of UVB light, so about a week ago, we bought a hood and ReptiSun 5.0 uvb tube light. (I had brought a compact coil uvb light home once, and it clearly hurt his eyes, so we stopped using it immediately... but I thought the tube would be safe.) As soon as we turned it on, he crawled into his hiding space to get away from it - and has been mostly hiding from it ever since.

The last few days, though, he's been very lethargic and he hasn't been eating or defecating. He usually crawls into his water bowl himself to drink, soak and poop, but hasn't done that either. And his eyes are clearly bothering him - they're reddish and swollen and one eye has a little clear watery discharge, and he's rubbing at them with his "elbows." We've been soaking him in warm water, but it doesn't seem to be helping. I'd rather avoid a trip to the vet if possible - that uvb setup was expensive - but we will definitely take him if he needs to go! But before making an appointment, I wanted to know if you guys think this might be something we can address at home - by removing the uvb light or adding a moister substrate, which we definitely intend to do - or if a vet visit really is the best thing to do here. Thanks so much in advance!

 

[Boxy2013]

Thanks everyone!

We kept the uvb light off today and he seems like he is improving a bit and opening his eyes more. I did the warm salt water wash for his eyes, too, and he seemed to enjoy it, at least! But he still isn't eating, his eyes are very swollen and he's pretty sluggish. I'm going to add the coconut coir bedding tomorrow and hopefully that will help, too. He is currently on one of those green "reptile carpets."

When do you think it's time to go to the vet? If its not better in a few days? A week?

 

[Laura]

Vitamin A.. get the liquid bird vitamins and mix in his water soaks. If you think the bright lights are hurting his eyes.. use a CHE for heat and leave bright lights off. However,, don't make it dark. make sure there is plenty of room light.. sunshine is great if you got it!
He needs to be plenty warm to eat.. since he cant see well, you might need to give him something he can smell to entice him to eat..
Also,, new enviroments tend to make them hide for a bit.. they need to get used to new things.

 

[Edna]

My husband and I inherited a Russian tortoise, who we've named Boxy, after a family member passed away. We knew very little about tortoises when we took him in - having named him "Boxy" since we thought he was a box turtle - and are slowly learning and trying to set up a good, healthy habitat for Boxy.

Boxy came to us as a full grown adult male who had basically been living in a shoebox and eating tomatoes and nectarines dusted with vitamins. We got him into a 29 gallon aquarium (which we now realize is less than ideal) with a basking light and reptile carpet and started feeding him leafy greens exclusively - endive, radicchio, radish leaves, red leaf lettuce and spring mix, mostly. (With the occasional apple slice sprinkled with a calcium and d3 supplement.) He was doing great for a few months! We would take him out to let him run around and explore the living room, which we hoped would make up for the small space he lives in, and he seemed very happy and healthy with a hearty appetite.

We've been concerned about his lack of UVB light, so about a week ago, we bought a hood and ReptiSun 5.0 uvb tube light. (I had brought a compact coil uvb light home once, and it clearly hurt his eyes, so we stopped using it immediately... but I thought the tube would be safe.) As soon as we turned it on, he crawled into his hiding space to get away from it - and has been mostly hiding from it ever since.

The last few days, though, he's been very lethargic and he hasn't been eating or defecating. He usually crawls into his water bowl himself to drink, soak and poop, but hasn't done that either. And his eyes are clearly bothering him - they're reddish and swollen and one eye has a little clear watery discharge, and he's rubbing at them with his "elbows." We've been soaking him in warm water, but it doesn't seem to be helping. I'd rather avoid a trip to the vet if possible - that uvb setup was expensive - but we will definitely take him if he needs to go! But before making an appointment, I wanted to know if you guys think this might be something we can address at home - by removing the uvb light or adding a moister substrate, which we definitely intend to do - or if a vet visit really is the best thing to do here. Thanks so much in advance!

Any fluorescent UVB bulb, whether coil or tube, comes with manufacturer's directions for burning it in. These bulbs have to be on for some hours before the light they give is appropriate/safe for any use. For now, turn off the UVB and don't expose him to any other UVB source, including the sun. If his eyes have been damaged by a bulb that wasn't burned in, they need time to heal.