Sulcata eye problem

[Nelocin]

So I woke up to find my baby like this. I believe she still has vision and might have just gotten some dirt in one of her eyelids.
No behavioral changes (yet). I’m hopeful she’ll get to open it fully later in the day.

Any advice? Has this happened to anyone else??

 

[zovick]

So I woke up to find my baby like this. I believe she still has vision and might have just gotten some dirt in one of her eyelids.
No behavioral changes (yet). I’m hopeful she’ll get to open it fully later in the day.

Any advice? Has this happened to anyone else??

View attachment 322310

I hope I am wrong, but it looks as though those spots could be the yellow bumps caused by Austwickia chelonae, especially in the smaller picture. If so, that problem has a very poor prognosis and is usually fatal. Let's get another opinion or two. @mastershake @Pastel Tortie what do you think?

 

[Nelocin]

I hope I am wrong, but it looks as though those spots could be the yellow bumps caused by Austwickia chelonae, especially in the smaller picture. If so, that problem has a very poor prognosis and is usually fatal. Let's get another opinion or two. @mastershake @Pastel Tortie what do you think?

What spots? She has no bumps of any color on any part of her shell or skin. Literally just has some eye meat coming out and that’s what I’m worried about.

 

[Nelocin]

UPDATE.

I can see most of her eye now. But not fully normal yet.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

What type of substrate are you using and what type of lights?

 

[Nelocin]

What type of substrate are you using and what type of lights?

Basic cypress mulch and topsoil. UVA basking spot and T5 UVB strip. Natural sun when we can. Maybe once/twice a week for a few minutes.

Daily soaks. And grow tent full of humidity.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Basic cypress mulch and topsoil. UVA basking spot and T5 UVB strip. Natural sun when we can. Maybe once/twice a week for a few minutes.

Daily soaks. And grow tent full of humidity.

I must say, that all sounds very good.
Is the basking spot an MVB type? If so, how long have you been using it and how close is it to your tort?

 

[Pastel Tortie]

So I woke up to find my baby like this. I believe she still has vision and might have just gotten some dirt in one of her eyelids.
No behavioral changes (yet). I’m hopeful she’ll get to open it fully later in the day.

Any advice? Has this happened to anyone else??

View attachment 322310

Where did you get your little one from? How long have you had her?

 

[Nelocin]

I must say, that all sounds very good.
Is the basking spot an MVB type? If so, how long have you been using it and how close is it to your tort?

I don’t think so? https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zoo-med-repti-basking-spot-lamps-100-watts that’s the one I use. 100w.

Is there a better one you recommend? And maybe about 6 months. Every lighting/heating item is a decent 9-10inches above them.

 

[Nelocin]

Where did you get your little one from? How long have you had her?

I got her August 31, 2020 from a breeder in Orlando. best $40 I spent.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

I got her August 31, 2020 from a breeder in Orlando. best $40 I spent.

Do you happen to know if the breeder in Orlando actually hatched the little one there? Sometimes breeders get livestock from elsewhere and then resell. Hopefully that isn't an issue here.

Admittedly, we're a little paranoid about Austwickia chelonae, but not without good reason. If you look through the Yellow Bumps in Tortoises subforum (under Tortoise Health), you'll see why. There were several cases that showed up in August 2020. This isn't looking to me like a yellow bumps issue from the pictures, but I defer to @mastershake who has seen many yellow bumps cases in person.

 

[zovick]

What spots? She has no bumps of any color on any part of her shell or skin. Literally just has some eye meat coming out and that’s what I’m worried about.

Maybe it's just the lighting in your photo, but in that smaller picture in your first post there appears to be a raised spot just above the right eye and a second one just below the right eye in what one might call the "cheek" area. Looking head on, as the tortoise is in that photo, both of those areas appear to be raised and also look more yellowish in color than the surrounding areas.

As I said, maybe it's just the lighting accentuating those two spots, but they looked suspect to me, so I said something about them.

 

[Markw84]

Since it is just one eye, I would think it very well could be an irritation or scratch that is causing the eye issue. Watch it carefully and see that it improves in a few days. Otherwise start looking for a possible infection of some type. The eyes are often the first signs of a problem. Just one eye - normally injury/irritation.

The bulb you are using is not the best for a young tortoise. The spot type bulbs focus the hot spot too much and creates too much intense short IR in a very small area. I recommend a flood type bulb (BR30) or a standard "light bulb shape" (A19) to help spread out the light and heat better and create a wider, gentler basking zone. I use anything in the 50 watt to 75 watt range depending upon mounting height in your enclosure.

The growth on your sulcata looks very good. You are doing a great job with most things it would appear by the growth. However I would expect a sulcata to have much more growth after 7 months in the conditions you seem to be providing. Have you been tracking weight to see if it is consistent or perhaps periods it stalled? Perhaps a picture of your enclosure plus diet info, and we can offer some advice on any possible improvements.

 

[Nelocin]

Do you happen to know if the breeder in Orlando actually hatched the little one there? Sometimes breeders get livestock from elsewhere and then resell. Hopefully that isn't an issue here.

Admittedly, we're a little paranoid about Austwickia chelonae, but not without good reason. If you look through the Yellow Bumps in Tortoises subforum (under Tortoise Health), you'll see why. There were several cases that showed up in August 2020. This isn't looking to me like a yellow bumps issue from the pictures, but I defer to @mastershake who has seen many yellow bumps cases in person.

Yes, she has two adults that have given her other clutches before mine. She incubates them and sells when they’re old enough

So far no bumps on any of my babies thank goodness! But I will def do my research now and see how to further prevent that issue. Thank you so much!!!

 

[Nelocin]

Since it is just one eye, I would think it very well could be an irritation or scratch that is causing the eye issue. Watch it carefully and see that it improves in a few days. Otherwise start looking for a possible infection of some type. The eyes are often the first signs of a problem. Just one eye - normally injury/irritation.

The bulb you are using is not the best for a young tortoise. The spot type bulbs focus the hot spot too much and creates too much intense short IR in a very small area. I recommend a flood type bulb (BR30) or a standard "light bulb shape" (A19) to help spread out the light and heat better and create a wider, gentler basking zone. I use anything in the 50 watt to 75 watt range depending upon mounting height in your enclosure.

The growth on your sulcata looks very good. You are doing a great job with most things it would appear by the growth. However I would expect a sulcata to have much more growth after 7 months in the conditions you seem to be providing. Have you been tracking weight to see if it is consistent or perhaps periods it stalled? Perhaps a picture of your enclosure plus diet info, and we can offer some advice on any possible improvements.

I have been meaning to buy a proper scale to track weight!!! And I’m not worried because there’s plenty growth. She has actually tripled in size since I got her. I don’t need her growing too fast now either. She was a tiny little thing. And she def loves to eat and isn’t shy.

I will def look into that better lighting.
Her eye right now is open. A 75% improvement from earlier this morning. She’s soaking again. And I’ve literally been her nurse all day lol. Checking in and annoying her. But this ruined my morning. I couldn’t even finish a small breakfast I made.

I think it was debris honestly. Fingers crossed for a full recovery. Thank you all!!! ?

 

[Nelocin]

The day I got her. ?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Walmart has excellent digital scales that are perfectly well suited for a small tortoise in the household goods area by the pots and pans.
I don't think mine was over $10.

 

[Nelocin]

Walmart has excellent digital scales that are perfectly well suited for a small tortoise in the household goods area by the pots and pans.
I don't think mine was over $10.

Beautiful. Def going to buy one before the weekend ends.
Baby girl is out right now on a walk. Eye fully open.

 

[mastershake]

i dont think this is austwickia i see where in the smaller pic in the first post it may have been suspect. to me it looked more like they prob scratched the eye. i am still a small bit suspect of that one bump in that pic. just keep an eye on them in case you do end up seeing any type of bumps then def let us know here. sorry for late reply i had surgery and wasnt able to see much the past few days as they worked on both eyes at once at my request

 

[Nelocin]

i dont think this is austwickia i see where in the smaller pic in the first post it may have been suspect. to me it looked more like they prob scratched the eye. i am still a small bit suspect of that one bump in that pic. just keep an eye on them in case you do end up seeing any type of bumps then def let us know here. sorry for late reply i had surgery and wasnt able to see much the past few days as they worked on both eyes at once at my request

No worries mastershake. She’s fully healed and after seeing how she burrowed herself that night, I see how she got dirt in that eye. Hopefully she learns to not be so crazy with it. Lol But here’s to your full eye recovery now!!!!!!

Happy Wednesday morning to all. ☀️ ☕️ ☀️