Tortoise Keeps Rubbing His Eyes?

[missjazzage]

Hello! I've noticed in the past few days my tortoise keeps rubbing his eyes. In addition his eyes don't look quite normal/how they usually look. I recently cleaned out his cage and used the same bedding but used a small quantity of the sand my skink uses below it but my tortoise's bedding completely covers it. The only thing I've changed than that is that I gave him a little bit of strawberry the other day and saw he might have gotten some strawberry juice in his eyes because he rubbed his eye while he was eating it.
Like I've said it's been a few days now and I'm starting to worry. I've given him some baths and he'd rub his eyes in the water. I hoped that would fix it but it hasn't. Even when I let him out he does walk as fast as he usually does. I'm afraid he has an eye infection but I'm just not sure, nor am I sure what would be the next step :/

Thank you so much! I'm very new to my tortoise; it's really my younger brother's but I've really taken to him so I've been the one working with him mostly now, as well as the skink.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

This usually comes down to incorrect lighting. Please show what type of bulbs you have.
Turn off your light until someone here can determine if it is a harmful coil type.
They have caused blindness.

 

[missjazzage]

It's definitely not a coil type. I remember when my brother first got his tortoise the vet told him and my mother to purchase a certain bulb so he can receive the vitamins or rays he needs. I can't remember what the exact type is but I know it was in the $40 range. However it is possible because I have been having trouble with my automatic timer so it's possible it could be lighting?

 

[tortdad]

It's definitely not a coil type. I remember when my brother first got his tortoise the vet told him and my mother to purchase a certain bulb so he can receive the vitamins or rays he needs. I can't remember what the exact type is but I know it was in the $40 range. However it is possible because I have been having trouble with my automatic timer so it's possible it could be lighting?

Sounds like he's got sand In his eye or maybe scratched it. Try rising it under the water or with some saline solution. Take a pic of that bulb for us.

 

[missjazzage]

Okay I will when I can. On top of my poor tortoise my mom's 6 month old puppy is in the ER and it's not going well so I will post it when I get the chance.
And thank you again so much for all your help!

 

[jaizei]

What type of sand? Since you say it's for the skink, is it calci/repti-sand or some other type with fine particles?

Any type of bulb can cause eye problems. How old is the bulb?

Trying t rinse the eyes out with saline or water like Kevin suggested would be a good first step regardless.

 

[missjazzage]

This is the link to the bulb we have: http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/heating-lighting/zoo-med-trade-powersun-trade-vapor-uvb-reptile-lamp-zid36-14892/cat-36-catid-500011?var_id=36-14892&_t=pfm=category#RatingsDetail (sorry I'm having difficulty with the picture right now but the bulb itself is on the package. I think the bulb is about 5 or 6 months old, maybe older? I can't remember when we bought our last bulb.
I will try the saline solution tomorrow, as well as cleaning out his cage with none of the sand.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Eye wash, eye wash, and more eye wash. Collirium for fresh eyes is an over the counter eyewash that is safe for tortoises. It will help with irritation but not infection. It can't hurt.

 

[Jlant85]

Try posting some pictures. My tortoises rub their face too at times but they are totally healthy. ^_^ Im no vet but at least this way we can see if there is something wrong and direct you the right way =)

 

[Jlant85]

Also take a picture of the enclosure =)

 

[missjazzage]

Hello everyone!
Thank you again for all your help! I ended up completely emptying his cage and just put the bark in; that alone seemed to help! I also scheduled an appointment for him at the vets to look at his eyes, but also because it's been awhile since he's been...and they did say he had some discharge in his eyes but nothing major so they gave us eyedrops. That was last Monday and as of now he is MUCH better and back to his old self
But I will take some pictures at some point!

Thank you once again!!