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wonderfull news!
congratulations.

I am so happy for Fredrick and you Blair.

Another update

A few days ago i started giving Fredrick codliver oil drops in his eyes once a day... as they were now healing with alot of dry skin and getting stuck...

I cleaned out his enclosure, got the new UVB light working with a custom made ballast.

and for the last 2 or 3 days, he wakes up within 20 min of the lights coming on in the morning, both eyes open without need for eyedrops , he roams for a long while , eats some, nakes a nap and repeats... He's picking a variety of places to hang out in his enclosure now.. and he even uses his hide!

So.. I'm confident we found and solved the problem. ExoTerra Repti-Glo 10.0 florecent tubes are baaad for mr tortoise !

Well,

Its with sad news that I have to report that my poor freddy has yet again taken a turn for the worse..

after introducing his new UV light to his enclosure, and with eyedrops his eyes cleared up and became healthy looking.. his activity level went up considerably for 2 - 3 days afterwards..

but in the last 2 days his health has declined to worse then it was prior.

He is no longer waking up, will not open his eyes even during a bath.
He is limp to be held.. has no reaction when we tug on his legs.

He just gives a slight head bob now and again.

Does not move from where he is placed.

His first sign of decline was when we took him out for a bath and a feeding
he was unable to hold his weight up as he walked.. and would stumble down onto his front as he attempt to walk toward his food.. "acting drunk" as my fiance called it.

very distressing to see him in such a way.

the very next day he was limp and unresponsive.

Last trip to the vet came back with healthy test results.. no paracites or the like.

He has gained a gram or two of weight since we got him.. his appetite was strong even throughout his eye issues...

now he seems to just barely be clinging to life.

I'm so upset about this. So much time and effort put into our attempts to rehabilitate him and just when things were looking up.. he's crashed to a new low.

All we can do is wait and see now. I will attempt to rouse him awake to tempt him to eat and give him a bath 2x a day..

but im at the limits of my efforts for this guy. Im at a loss as to what else I could possibly do.

poor freddy. Its amazing how much he's become a part of our family in the month we've had him. Right from the start he was not a strong little guy , we have only tried our best to make him well.

perhapse it just isnt meant to be.

Im just not sure what else can be done.

I hope he pulls through, but ive never seen an animal look so weak and disoriented in my time with keeping various reptiles.

Here's a video of him attempting to walk when we first realized he was slipping back into his ailment.. 2 days ago before he declined to the total inactive state that he's currently in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jg9jvHALcM

I am so so sorry to hear Freddy has made a turn for the worst. My thoughts and prayers are with you and Freddy at this time. Are you planning another trip to the Vet?

sad sad outcome.
I don't know what to say.
it sometimes happens this way, I guess...
I remember reading a similar account somewhere on this forum of a tort gone really sick for no apparent reason.

he was weak and lethargic when we first got him,
has some decent pyramiding going on.. was not kept by a knowledgable reptile keeper..

so from the get go it was a battle to correct whatever was wrong..

up and down like a rollercoaster.

I hate acting like ive given up.. but i feel so defeated.. emotionally defeated anyways..

he's still hanging in but i cant imagine him turning around from the way he's been last few days.. only sign of life is the occasional breath taken in or a head bob.

Arg!
I dream of a day when We can have a happy tortoise.

I realize these may be too many and too late but thought it might help somewhat or somehow.
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/viral.html
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/Emergency.htm
http://www.klsnet.com/sickturt.html
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/articles.html

Im sorry to hear Freddy is worse. I don't know where you are located, but is it possible to get him outside a bit? The natural sunlight might do him some good. Just a thought. My thoughts are with you.

Sorry to hear this. I think he was ill from the beginning and this was just a natural progression of his illness. He was probably not properly taken care of and maybe past saving when you got him.....:o(. Happened to me two years ago with a redfoot.

Paula

How is Freddy doing today. Has he moved? Has he eaten? Please give an update.

Paula

How is he? I was checking out Freddy cam and all I can see is the UV light? Any updates?

So what lights should you use?

Many thanks for posting your article, which I read this evening.

Having purchased two three year Spur thighed tortoise's a few weeks ago, within three days, one of the tortoise's eyes had become swollen and the tortoise became ill. I have had several diagnosis from two different vets including a respiratory problem (though the tortoise is making no noise) and swollen eyes. The course of antibiotics, antibiotic eyedrops and some other type of eyedrops finishes tomorrow and the tortoise seems worse than ever, now refusing to eat or move (and barely opening its eyes). Having read your article today, I am now convinced that the problem lies with the Repti Glo 10.0 UVB bulb that I was recommended at the pet shop. I will not be switching it back on tomorrow.

Thanks again for your article - it may save my tortoise.

bdoyle Wrote:Thanks to Tortania pointing out the posts regarding the hazardous UVB florecent bulbs on the market right now

My bulb is one of the worst ones listed, the Exo-terra Repti-GLO 10.0 standard florecent tube. Along with a dozen other bulb types ( mostly compact florecents and the bulbs from Zilla )

Apparently they are emitting UVB at such a low end of the spectrum its dipping into UVC radiation and causing burns to the Eyes of reptiles.

The 2 main symptoms of the effects are reluctance to open their eyes, and severe lethargic behavior..

which anyone who's read my repeated posts would know thats my tortoise's issues described perfectly..

so the UV light is OFF.

will remain off for a few days to allow Freddy to heal up, and the eyedrops will continue to make it easier on him. Poor guy.

I will keep everyone updated but PLEASE visit

http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor.htm to learn more about this potential hazard and what specific lights are found to be at fault.

I am So thankful to have this forum here! and Im very thankful to Tortania for bringing this to my attention. It could have very easily slipped by and He would be worse off then he is now.

Its only been 13 days exposed to this light, and there are records of other reptiles like Bearded dragons being exposed to these lights for 3 and 4 months.. within 2 days of the lights being removed a noted improvement has been observed.

The illness is called photo-kerato-conjunctivitis

here is a quick rundown of what it is:

This is a painful eye condition caused by excessive exposure to UV radiation.

It is exactly the same as "snow blindness" in skiers, from excessive UV reflected from snow, and "arc welder's flash" experienced by people working with metal welding equipment, who have not worn protective glasses. It is very painful - like having sand in your eyes - and it is caused by damage to the delicate transparent cells on the surface of the eye (the cornea) and the lining of the eyelids. Fortunately, only the superficial layers of the eye are affected; the lens and retina are not damaged (the UVB does not reach the deep structures of the eye) and so it does not cause permanent blindness.

The pain is protective (it makes sufferers close their eyes) and healing begins at once, when the harmful UV light is removed. Unless there have been serious burns, the eyes heal remarkably quickly. The damaged cells are replaced within days and the pain disappears.

Most cases open their eyes again within 2 - 3 days and all symptoms are gone within a week or so, with no medication being necessary. If there has been skin damage to the eyelids this may take a little longer and veterinary examination is essential in case the damaged skin has become infected. We have heard reports of some cases with a sticky discharge from the eye and/or peeling of the skin around the eyelids.

------------------


Now obviously dont jump to conclusions that just because your tortoise wont open his eyes that this is what it must be..

consult your vet, make sure he's otherwise healthy and no infections are present ( fecal tests are a good idea to rule out other potential reasons )

But be diligent in seeking a resolution!

I have been up and down every site on the net actively searching for potential reasons for his behavior..

After vet visits and all clear results... I am positioned to think this is the cause of my freddy's issues.

I will post daily progress reports.


On a Side note, Does anyone know how long its ok to go without any UV in the enclosure?

Its suggested 2 - 3 days to allow time to heal.
I assume this is no going to throw him off, as in nature, there are times when its cloudy for a few days at a time, am i correct?

The ReptiSun 10 long fluorescent tube is safe. It needs to be 6"-10" from your tort & in a fixture. I get fixtures at Walmart or Home Depot cheaper than at pet stores. The ReptiSun 5 is OK but the UVB doesn't last as long as the 10. None of the coils or compacts are safe. Also the Mercury Vapor Bulbs...Megaray & T-Rex Active are safe at 12". The ReptiSun 10 tube needs to have a bright white light (household bulb is fine) right beside it so he gets benefit from both lights at the same time.

Anybody using the ReptiGlo 10 should turn it off now. Don't wait til you see symptoms that could kill your tort. Because of their slow metabolisms, they don't show symptoms til it is usually too late.

Patsy