White Puffy Eyes

AKRob424

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IMG_1805.jpg Hello everyone, new russian tortoise owner here, I have had him for 3 weeks now, his name is Jerry, he has in the past week developed very puffy white swollen eyes. I have taken him to the vet, and which they said he has a vitamin A deficiency. I purchased Jerry the Herptivite multivitamin as well as giving him daily baby carrot baths, 2 days now. My question is, is there anything else I should be doing to help my little buddy? He hasn't eaten now in a few days, but he is remaining somewhat active. Thanks for all the help me and Jerry appreciate it! I attached a picture of Jerry in his carrot bath and a close up of his eye, both eyes look like this.
 
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yillt

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This looks quite bad, especially if he isn't eating. Don't get to worried though. Give him plenty of baths. Please may I see his inclosure? What bedding do you use and what temp is his tort table?? I may be able to tell then. If I can't, others will! :D
 

AKRob424

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His basking area is 90 degrees, while the cool area is 70 degrees, I'm using coconut coir as his substrate, and also a bed of timothy hay he seems to like to dig under. The humidity ranges from 50-60 percent. And actually after I posted I gave him some food to see how Jerry would react and he went on a feeding frenzy! So thats great and he is moving around quite a bit today as well as opening his eyes.
 

yillt

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His basking area is 90 degrees, while the cool area is 70 degrees, I'm using coconut coir as his substrate, and also a bed of timothy hay he seems to like to dig under. The humidity ranges from 50-60 percent. And actually after I posted I gave him some food to see how Jerry would react and he went on a feeding frenzy! So thats great and he is moving around quite a bit today as well as opening his eyes.
Well, he's on the mend. Maybe the stress of moving helped to trigger that. As tortoise owners we just have to go through these times. :D abit like parents. I'm glad he's getting better. Well done Jerry
 

WillTort2

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Could the hay be bothering his eyes?

Also, what type of lighting are you using?

And I would advise increasing the basking temperature to about 95 degrees.

Keep up the baby food carrot baths.

Good luck.
 

Tom

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Are you using a coil type UV bulb? Those can sometimes burn their eyes. If you are using one, I would go shut it off right now and return it to the store you bought it from with an explanation at your convenience. See if you can get the manager to pay your vet bills.

I would not use hay and coco coir in the same enclosure. The dampness of the coir will cause the hay to mold. Coir alone will be a great substrate.

Here is some russian care info that might help, but it sounds like you are doing pretty well:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
 

AKRob424

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IMG_1806.jpg These are the lights Im using, ones for UVA and UVB, plus I have a nighttime heat light.
 
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Tom

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These are the lights Im using, ones for UVA and UVB, plus I have a nighttime heat light.
There is your problem. Well... Jerry's problem.

Please read the care sheet and other link I posted for you. It explains which bulbs to use and why. You need to stop using the cfl (your UV bulb) immediately and return it to the store. Take your vet bill with you and talk to the manager. Your tortoise needs some indoor UV, but those types of bulbs frequently cause the problem you are seeing. You should let your vet know too, since he/she didn't seem to clue in on this either.

The blue light bulb for night heat is not good either. First of all, unless you live in a refrigerator, russians don't need night heat. Second, tortoises have better color vision than we do, so if you can see it, so can your tortoise. They need it dark at night.
 

AKRob424

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Okay, wow great information, Jerry and I are very thankful! I will keep you posted on Mr. Jerry's progress
 

Yvonne G

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In the meantime, get some soothing eye ointment to help Jerry's eyes. What he has is similar to snow blindness. It's quite painful. Continue the carrot/water soaks because as long as he's not eating, he will get a little nourishment from the carrot water. Any over the counter eye ointment is ok to use, but there's one at the pet store called vetericyn that I use.
 

AKRob424

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Jerry definitely has his appetite back so thats a great sign, eyes seem a little less swollen today, I canned my coil light and have the 65 watt light you suggested Tom, and didn't use the night time light and the temps were holding fine. Also Yvonne thanks for the suggestion for the drops I ordered them last night and they will be here tomorrow, I have been putting just plain saline solution in them, per order of my vet just to help clean them out, not sure if thats actually doing anything, but couldn't hurt I guess.
 

Tyanna

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Good luck, you've got all the right information from great people. I hope he gets better quickly. :)
 

AKRob424

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More progress on Mr. Jerry, eyes opened slightly today, and wow he had some energy. Lots of climbing and moving I could barely keep him in his soaking dish today
 

Tom

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Thank you for the update. I think I speak for all the regulars here when I say that every case of this we see is incredibly frustrating and upsetting. These bulbs should be taken off the market.

I'm really glad to hear Jerry is recovering and feeling better. Thank goodness for that!

Question: Is it AK for Alaska, or 47?
 

Yvonne G

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I read a piece about the type of bulb you have there a while back and I never could find it again, but it said that if you mount that light horizontally it doesn't cause the eye burning problem. Seems the harmful rays are concentrated out the end of that bulb, and horizontally they are dispersed rather than concentrated downward. I've never tested it, my tortoises' eyes are too precious.
 

tortdad

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Glad to hear jerry is doing better. Those stupid coil bulbs are the devil.
 

gustaf

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More progress on Mr. Jerry, eyes opened slightly today, and wow he had some energy. Lots of climbing and moving I could barely keep him in his soaking dish today
Glad hes doing better. Keep us posted please. And thanks for sharing this with us.
 
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