# Young Sulcata can't open eyes!!



## Maka (Nov 18, 2015)

So I have two sulcata hatchlings one that will be around a year old in December, and one that I do not know the age of but is younger. I haven't had any serious health issues with my oldest but not even three days after getting my youngest (I've named him Squirt) from the reptile expo here in Mesa, AZ his eyes have swollen shut. To add onto that he won't eat!

I noticed the issue Monday night and panicked. Tuesday morning I did a lot of research and have tried a few methods. I take Q-tips and warm water and rub around his eyes which I'm guessing is soothing because he goes very still and allows it. I'm trying to soak him 2-3 times a day to help possible rinse his eyes more, and I soaked him in an organic carrot and baby food and water mixture to help him possibly eat(he did for a second then soaked). 

Today he was still rubbing them and actually made the one I can tell hurt more bleed slightly so once again I rubbed it with the Q-tip. Magically he opened them halfway and I was happy he could finally move them but I noticed a really ugly white substance in the one that he rubs. I called the place we had purchased him from and after asking me about what his new environment was like said they had received similar calls and that the wooden box they had them in may have hurt their eyes. He told me to put neosporin on his eyes and another person said their are special eye drops that can push the blockage out of his eyes from him. 

If anyone has any advice please help. Even though I know this isn't my fault my baby is sick and I'm sure miserable and I want to help him out.


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## dmmj (Nov 18, 2015)

the eyes of a tortoise arw an overall indicator of its health. any number of things could be causing it could be a respiratory infection could be the type of lightbulb you're using. since more than one tortoise has gotten it I would suspect that the breeders fault. pictures of the enclosure please what type of light are you using & temperatures will help us and the humidity please.


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## Maka (Nov 18, 2015)

I'm sorry for such poor quality photos I can try and take more tomorrow. This is the set up of the enclosure right now. The sick baby is in the corner under a heat lamp I leave running all day. On the other side of the hide I have a plain UVB running that doesn't give off heat and I'll attach a picture of the bulb. At night I put in a purple bulb that has a 150 wattage so it can give off a heat source for them because it can get around 70 or a little less. During the day the temperature stays around 80 degrees. The basking area stays around 100-105. If any of this is a mistake or could be the cause let me know and I'll correct myself immediately!


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## Tom (Nov 18, 2015)

Hello and welcome.

Those UV bulbs sometimes burn their eyes. I would recommend returning it.

They can also have eye problems from the dry routine that most of the babies sold at shows are subjected too. This is not a desert species. They hatch during the African rainy season when its hot, humid, rainy, marshy, and there are puddles and green growing food everywhere.

They also should not be housed in pairs and they need it dark at night, but still warm.

I'm very glad you found us and took the time to ask these questions, but I'm sad that there is still so much mis-infrormation circulating around out there.

Read these to get caught up:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

This one might offer some insight into your problem, if your babies were started dry:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/


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## wellington (Nov 18, 2015)

Great help already given. Getting rid of that coil bulb and getting a mercury vapor bulb or a tube flourescent will most likely get the eyes to clear up. A ceramic heat emitter or two is better for night heat. They give off heat but no light. Please read the thread links Tom gave you, they will help you and your torts a lot.


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## Yvonne G (Nov 19, 2015)

Your baby's problem is more than likely the bulb. Those bulbs cause a painful eye condition similar to snow blindness. Once the bulb is gone the condition will clear up over time. One of these two products will be soothing. You can buy this one at a feed store:




And pet stores sell this one:







You don't necessarily have to get it on the actual eyeball, but on the lid will be just fine.


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## Maka (Nov 21, 2015)

Thank you everyone for your help I did remove the light permanently and I also switched to a ceramic light for night. I got my baby some eye drops and within two days of all these changes Squirt opened their little eyes! I am so grateful to this forum because for a second it seemed like a worse case scenario. The day their eyes opened they also got their appetite back and now looks/acts so much healthier.


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