White rings around eyes?
- Thread starter ashdon17
- Start date
Alex and the Redfoot
Well-Known Member
Hello! These look like stains from tears or hard bathing water.
Your tortoise looks dry on these photos... Can you tell more about his enclosure (size, substrate, heats and lights), temperatures (day/night in the coldest spot and under basking lamp) and daily routines (bathing, diet, outdoors time)?
Your tortoise looks dry on these photos... Can you tell more about his enclosure (size, substrate, heats and lights), temperatures (day/night in the coldest spot and under basking lamp) and daily routines (bathing, diet, outdoors time)?
The white you worried about may be nothing but @Alex and the Redfoot has pointed out a real issue "to dry." Hope to hear more about your enclosure/setup/temperatures.
His enclosure is 4x2x2 ft, substrate is tortoise life
(https://internetreptile.com/products/prorep-tortoise-life-bio-10-litre ) there’s a uvb tube light, and a 100w heat lamp, (I’ll post all the temperatures in the morning)
I soak him every other day, I feed ( https://amzn.eu/d/3EfDDAV ) romaine lettuce, clover, spinich and put calci dust each time, and not been outside as it’s freezing in England rn I got told the humidity should be low then I saw more on this forum that they should have a high humidity so I’ve started to spray the substrate once in morning then again at night
Alex and the Redfoot
Well-Known Member
Thank you for the details!
The substrate you use (soil + coco fibers) doesn't serve well to maintain high humidity (it will be muddy at the bottom and dry and dusty from the top). Coco coir (soil-like fine ground coconut shells), orchid (fir) bark or cypress mulch are better options. Sprinkling water over substrate is not very effective (it dries quickly and humidity drops again), pouring water in the corners of the enclosure to wet lower substrate layers has more prolonged effect (humidity stays high about 1 week). Target humidity level is around 80%.
100W may be too powerful for a 2ft vivarium (basking zone should be 95-105F and temperature in the cold part should be 80F). Also it should be a flood type or regular ("pear-like") incandescent bulb to avoid extreme hot-spots.
Calcium powder can be given once or twice a week to ensure sufficient intake and not to interfere with intake of other microelements. His diet needs more variety, you can add broadleaf plantain, dandelions (if they grow already). Out of grocery greens: kale, endive, rocket (ruccola), collard and mustard greens, radicchio, cilantro. None of the plants is a "super balanced nutrition", so they should be rotated and fed in moderation.
I think once you sort out temperatures and humidity in the enclosure his eyes will be fine. Also, if the water is hard in your area, you may rinse him with filtered water after bathing.
P.S. - consider removing hay as well. In high humidity environment it will mold and baby sulcatas should not eat it anyway.
Okay I’m gonna order the new substrate now, will it be a shock if I up the humidity in that way straight away or should I gradually do it?
The 100w bulb is for a 4ft long tank
So reduce the calcium powder to 2 days a week instead of each time and will start buying more or a range of vegtables
The 100w bulb is for a 4ft long tank
So reduce the calcium powder to 2 days a week instead of each time and will start buying more or a range of vegtables
Alex and the Redfoot
Well-Known Member
You can bump the humidity in one step. Just make sure, that temperatures are correct. Damp and cold enclosure is as bad as hot and dry.
100W of heat are fine to heat the whole 4ft long viv, however area under the bulb maybe to hot and dry. And it's harder to control temperatures if basking bulb is a sole heat source, even with a dimming thermostat. A combination of a lower-wattage basking bulb and a ceramic heat emitter works better. I admit, you might have correct temperatures with your current setup, but you haven't posted them yet.
On diet, yes. And, please, check this thread as well: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/ As sulcatas are grass eaters, they should get some high-fiber foods (grocery greens are not of them).
Alex and the Redfoot
Well-Known Member
Temperature under the basking lamp seems fine. Cold side is too low, I guess it falls lower than 74F at night. You might add a ceramic heat emitter with a thermostat to ensure that cold side stays no lower than 80F day and night.
@Alex and the Redfoot ... Another happy tort owner with the information they needed to feel better but most of all, a tort living a more comfortable live. Great job.
Alex and the Redfoot
Well-Known Member
You can go with 100%. Mixing is absolutely not necessary.
Alex and the Redfoot
Well-Known Member
Thank you! I hope to see that situation has improved in the next update from the thread starter.
Alex and the Redfoot
Well-Known Member
Thank you for the update! Any improvement with his eyes?
You can check if your vivarium has any vents and put sticky tape on them (especially on those closer to the top) - this should help to retain humidity and temperature.
And just a reminder that cold side should not be colder than 80F. With higher humidity it's even more important.
Alex and the Redfoot
Well-Known Member
Nice to know that!
Cool side should stay over 80F and under 85F day and night.
You can also check this care sheet if you haven't seen it already: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181504/
