Sick Sulcata

[lindseyjordan10]

I got my baby sulcata a few weeks ago and from the very first day I got him he had been itching one of his eyes and he does it often. When i went to pick him up tonight he would only open one eye and isn't acting like himself. Any help would be greatly appreciated. ( i am not using a coil bulb for uvb. I am using a power sub bulb for uvb

 

[EchoTheLeoTort]

What kind of substrate are you using? If its something such as coco coir he/she might if gotten a particle of it in the eye causing irritation. Be checking for swollen eyes, "tears", stuffy or runny/crusty nose, gasping for air, wheezing etc. this could be signs of a ri. I know some people put things in the torts eyes sometimes but i cant recall what they use so i hope someone else helps with that

 

[mtdavis254817]

What kind of substrate are you using.. how does he act after soaks..and there are turtle eye drops that you can get at petsmart or Petco... how old is he..


Sent from my HTC first using TortForum mobile app

 

[sibi]

what substrate are you using? Can you give us some details on temps, humidity, etc. Btw, when torts eyes are shut for whatever reason, they kind of shut down too. They will usually not eat and move about as freely as before. This is mainly because it's a survival instinct to protect them from predictors while in their weakened state.

 

[lindseyjordan10]

I think I use the same thing as the coco coir. He had a little something on his eye but i wasnt sure how i would go about getting it off and also i dont really think that would explain him itching his eye since i got him. He just hasn't been as active today as he usually is. He's slept most of the day

---

He is usually fine during baths and likes to dunk his head in the water but tonight he just seemed uninterested. He is about 4 months and i am not using coul bulbs

---

Under his basking spot it has been 100 and in the shade around 80's. i use a ceramic heat emmiter at night to keep it at 80. I am using a 25 watt basking bulb and a 125 watt power sun basking and uvb bulb

---

The humidity ive been having a rough time with. It is at 50 at night when i turn the basking bulb and power sub bulb off but during the day its been around 40

 

[mtdavis254817]

Whatare the temps and humidity in his cage.. has he eatin any. Or has he had a decrease in his appetite that you can notice

Sent from my HTC first using TortForum mobile app

 

[lindseyjordan10]

this is his enclosure

---

I keep a lid on it halfway at night and during the day

---

He didn't eat as much today as he usually eats. I explained temps and humidity above

 

[mtdavis254817]

Might want to get the turtleeyedrops for pet smart etc... Change the substrate... Try a peatmoss mix for him. The most important thing you can do is keep him warm and humid.. keep substrate moist.... sulcatas are a strong tort
Sent from my HTC first usipeatmossng TortForum mobile app

 

[sibi]

Your basking bulbs of 25 w and UVb of 125w may be too hot. If you are using both bulbs during the day, what is the ambient temp? It should be 80-85 degrees. If it's hotter than that, try just using the powersun bulb only. But, unfortunately, that may not be his eye problem. I think his eye is irritated by some particle of his substrate, whether it was before or after you got him. Try using a eye dropper with warm water and squirt it directly into his eye even if it's closed. Keep us posted. Also, you really need to get that humidity up to 80%. If possible, you can keep the lid almost completely closed while using a fogger or misting machine. Even a humidifier with the hose affixed into the container would be better than what you're doing now. Let us know how we can help you achieve these things.

 

[Tom]

If its just one eye, then it sounds like you have an injury of some sort. If it was like that the day you got him, it's likely something that happened at the breeders.

I would recommend a vet check to rule out a foreign body, or eye infection. The vet can prescribe the appropriate eye meds, if needed. I would decline any "vitamin shots" if they suggest one.

Did the breeder use a coil bulb? Just trying to rule out more possibilities. Did the breeder use any sand of dry hay as a substrate?

Your substrate looks like cypress mulch, BTW.

 

[mtdavis254817]

Do you have a heatpad

Sent from my HTC first using TortForum mobile app

 

[lindseyjordan10]

My thermometer is under my 25 watt basking bulb. Should i put it under the 125 watt uvb? When its under the 25 watt it says it is 100 degrees. If i turn that one off and only keep the uvb bulb on it might drop. The temperature i have across from the basking and uvb bulb says 82 degrees

---

I got him from a pet store called allans aquarium. I dont think they were using a coil bulb. Im pretty sure they had the long strip one and there was no hay or sand in there with them although when i had gone there previous times i had seen hay in there. Where do i get the coco coir? What i got was from petsmart and it was really moist in the bag when i got it.

---

I dont have a heating pad. I wasnt sure it could go under what i have and i already have a CHE so i didnt think i really needed a heating pad also

---

is this the coco coir?

---

i have been using this

---

Im also confused where my thermometers should be

 

[sibi]

The best way best to measure temps is with a temp gun. That can be purchased at Lowe's or HomeDepot and it's not expensive. Temps then should be measured first, directly under the bulb on the substrate or ideally when your tort is under it. This way you can know how hot his shell gets when under it. Do the same with the night temps, cool temps and overall temp of enclosure. Temps should never fall below 80 degrees. After measuring the 4 temps, if there needs to be any adjustments, then do that. You may have to measure temps a few times thereafter just to make sure. Until you make an appointment for the vet, gently squirting warm water into the eye would still be a good thing to do.

 

[mtdavis254817]

How is he doing

Sent from my HTC first using TortForum mobile app

 

[lindseyjordan10]

He got worse to the point where he wouldn't open either eye and stopped eating. The place where I got him told me to bring him in and they had someone there who knew a lot about tortoises. The guy could tell he was really sick and told me I was doing everything right. He took my tortoise and told me they would get him help and they gave me a new one. It was a very sad day. It just isn't the same now. I got very attached to my first one

 

[mtdavis254817]

I am so sorry... I know that is hard.. I adopted two 5yyears ago that had severe pyramiding.. one of the brothers just gave up on me.. he didn't get sick he just stopped.... Broke my damn heart... I did every thing I could to get him to get well.

Sent from my HTC first using TortForum mobile app

 

[lindseyjordan10]

Thank You. I'm sorry to hear about yours too. Thank you for checking up on him though. I wish there was something I could have done for him, but I guess it was better to take him back and get him help. I just hope thats what they were really going to do

 

[mtdavis254817]

Me to.. if it was a breeder and not a chain store then they probably will.. how is the new one doing

Sent from my HTC first using TortForum mobile app

 

[lindseyjordan10]

I got him from a place called alans aquarium. I just hope they are helping him. I wanted to keep him and try and help him but I know the professionals would do a better job. The new one is doing fine. He's still scared of me which makes me sad, but I know it takes time. He has just been sleeping a lot. I built a enclosure for him and it has helped keeps the temps and humidity perfect for him. I was told before to get the coco coir so i did for my old tortoise but i think i got the wrong thing. I was using the coco husk and since my new baby has been trying to bury himself i went to the store to get more bedding and realized i was supposed to be using the eco earth coconut fiber substrate which is the right one right? I was wondering why everyone liked the old stuff i was using because it was so rough and hard to walk around on and he was starting to eat it, but now i know. I am slowly learning more and more everyday on this forum and spend lots of time researching on here. I just want to do the best i can for my new baby

 

[mtdavis254817]

I prefer the fiber for young torts. it holds moisture a lot better.. it will take some time for him to get settled... Give him a luke warm bath everyday.. that will keep him hydrated and help him get use to your presence.. at the first stage of his rehomeing just watch him from a distance so he feels safe.. young torts are going to be shy for a little while.. their instinct tells them not to be seen bye predators....

Sent from my HTC first using TortForum mobile app

---

This forum is the best place to get help and I'm sure you will do fine when both of you get accustomed

Sent from my HTC first using TortForum mobile app