# Eyes buldging



## tortoisecrush (Mar 5, 2012)

Ok. New mommy again... I need to know!! So a lot of the time when I take Crush outside to roam around or take him out of his enclosure to soak him he makes these squealing noise and sucks his head back a bit and his eyes bulge way out as if his skin behind his eyes are coming out and covering them. It'a very weird and freaks me out. Is this something I need to be concerned with?


----------



## ascott (Mar 5, 2012)

This means you are likely approaching too fast....lol

Imagine if your world was ruled by slow and steady...for the most part...

you are minding your own tortoise business and B A M a big head and huge eyes pop up right in your face....AAAAAAAA! 

or, you are minding your own tortoise business and AAAAAAAA! a huge grabby thing snatches you up and brings you right up to that big head and huge eyes and you just were not ready for such treachery......

LOL...when a tortoise is surprised, startled or scared they will try to bring their head and arms in quickly which forces the air in their lungs out in a rapid fashion....which will give you that noise or a hissing type noise....approach a little slower and let your tortoise have a line of sight on you...this will reduce the AAAAAAAAAA!!!!


----------



## tortoisecrush (Mar 5, 2012)

ascott said:


> This means you are likely approaching too fast....lol
> 
> Imagine if your world was ruled by slow and steady...for the most part...
> 
> ...



But it happens even after I have had him with me for a bit. So it's normal for his eyes to bulge out like that???


----------



## ascott (Mar 5, 2012)

yes....if he suddenly pulls his head in it creates a sudden pressure...so a bit of bulge at that moment would be understandable....

even if you have been with him awhile if you move out of his line of sight and then boo show back up in a quick or sudden moment (to him) he will still be startled....also, after time that will reduce...but not ever disappear totally if you move like a ninja....LOL


----------



## Blakem (Mar 5, 2012)

My Russian did this ALL THE TIME the first few months (not to mention I have only had him since November) that I had him. I knew I was startling him so I try different means of approaching him. Just recently in the past few weeks he has calmed it down a lot.


----------



## lisalove (Mar 5, 2012)

It's normal-he's just feeling insecure.
How secure would you feel if the roof of your bedroom got peeled back every so often by a giant who picks you up and puts you outside??!!!!!!!!! 
More than just my eyes would bulge!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Yvonne G (Mar 6, 2012)

Hi Kirsten:

I'm not sure, but I THINK you are talking about the nictitating membrane swelling up. In dogs this is called cherry eye. Some tortoises and turtles will do this when they are stressed. Sometimes it is something that requires treatment by a vet. In your case, I think its just a fear/stress related incident. ONce the tortoise becomes accustomed to being in a new place and settles down, it will be ok. 

I had a gulf coast box turtle here that the people gave up because of on eye doing just what you are saying. Almost the whole time I had him here he had that eye problem. But when I gave him to another member here on the forum who had tons of experience with turtles and tortoises, and he was put into a permanent home, the eye never swelled up again.


----------



## Utah Lynn (Mar 6, 2012)

All of the above.


----------

