# Ivory Sulcata with red eyes will he go blind?



## sessionsh12 (Jul 13, 2013)

*Will my sulcata tortoise go blind?!*

I have a baby ivory sulcata. Cutest thing in the world. He was bred through a reputable breeder. He has red eyes but is not 100% albino. Just because the fact that he has red eyes will that give him problems? Or since he is not 100% albino will he be fine in the Florida sun? He seems to know where he is going when walking, but when he's eating he bites at stuff that is not there. He had a long flight and is young so I'm assuming he is okay. Just a few red flags for me and I am worried.


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## sessionsh12 (Jul 13, 2013)

I have a ivory sulcata with red eyes. Normally the ivories are supposed to have the black pigment in the eye but this one seems more red. I just am worried about him going blind. He is a hatchling so is still pretty young. Reputable breeder. He seems fine when walking but when he's eating he nibbles sometime where there in no

food. He is not 100% albino, so I just am wondering can he still have red eyes but not be susceptible to the sunlight?


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## Tom (Jul 13, 2013)

If it has red eyes its not an ivory, its an albino.

Some say they will go blind in the sun. One member here says they won't.


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## Tom (Jul 13, 2013)

*RE: Will my sulcata tortoise go blind?!*

It's either an albino if it has red eyes or an ivory if it has dark eyes. It can't be kind of an ivory with red eyes.

The answer to your blindness question would have been maybe, but if it is already biting at the air, then my answer becomes probably. Sorry.


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## N2TORTS (Jul 13, 2013)

There are different types of â€œEYEâ€ Albinism. Some further reading should shed some light. 
Ocular albinism
It involves the eyes only. Skin colour is usually normal or slightly lighter than the skin of other family members. 
Eye colour may be in the normal range but there is no pigment in the retina. 
There are three main subtypes.
Ocular albinism type 1 (OA1)
This is an X-linked ocular albinism and so affects predominantly males.[5] 
There is the albino red pupillary reflex with depigmented fundus and prominent choroidal vessels, nystagmus, photophobia and impaired vision with normal skin pigmentation. 
Carrier females have a mosaic fundal pigmentation.
Ocular albinism type 2 (OA2)
This is also an X-linked ocular albinism. 
There is an albino fundus with foveal hypoplasia, marked visual impairment, nystagmus, myopia, astigmatism and colour blindness. 
Female carriers may have abnormal colour vision.
Autosomal recessive ocular albinism
The mutation is on chromosome 6. 
Features are similar to those of males with X-linked ocular albinism. 
The hair is blond but not completely white. 
The iris is grey. The pupils are red due to reflection of the flashlight back from the retina. This is a common finding in normal subjects with flash photography when there is a dilated pupil and it is called 'red-eye'. It is more common with albinism. 
Light is reflected from the centre of the left pupil but above and medial to the centre on the right. This may suggest strabismus


REF:
Lin SY, Chien SC, Su YN, et al; Rapid genetic analysis of oculocutaneous albinism (OCA1) using denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) system. Prenat Diagn. 2006 May;26(5):466-70.


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## Yvonne G (Jul 13, 2013)

*RE: Will my sulcata tortoise go blind?!*

It helps if you turn down or off the lights when you feed him. The bright lights make it hard for him to see.


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## EricIvins (Jul 13, 2013)

You either have an Albino or an Ivory. Lately there have been a select few that have been confused on what animals they offering. An Ivory is not going to have a red Cornea. It will be black with a very dark red pupil. 

Either way, an Albino will not go blind in the sun. I have a few different types and they do just fine outside...


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## jaizei (Jul 13, 2013)

N2TORTS said:


> There are different types of â€œEYEâ€ Albinism. Some further reading should shed some light.
> Ocular albinism
> It involves the eyes only. Skin colour is usually normal or slightly lighter than the skin of other family members.
> Eye colour may be in the normal range but there is no pigment in the retina.
> ...



The actual source for the above is:
_http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/albinism_

If you are going to copy something word for word, you should provide the source. As in the actual source that you got it from. It really isn't that hard. Just use the URL of whatever webpage you're on when you're copying something and post that as the source. Don't copy part of the author's bibliography and list it as your reference. Because you aren't referencing it, the author is. If you had read what you listed as your REF, then you would know that it has nothing to do with what you copied. Notice the numbers in brackets? Those citations tell you where specific references are utilized. See the [5] I highlighted in red? The reference for that is as follows:
_Trebusak Podkrajsek K, Stirn Kranjc B, Hovnik T, et al; GPR143 gene mutation analysis in pediatric patients with albinism. Ophthalmic Genet. 2012 Sep;33(3):167-70. doi: 10.3109/13816810.2011.559651. Epub 2012 Apr 9._

It would also be prudent to note that the source pertains to humans. Does the following apply to tortoises? _ This is an X-linked ocular albinism and so affects predominantly males.[5] _ hmmm


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## N2TORTS (Jul 13, 2013)

Hey J'....here some more info ...ya wanna check my incuabtors too?
Albinism occurs in mammals (including humans), fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. It is a hereditary condition; the principal gene which results in albinism prevents the body from making the usual amounts of the pigment melanin. An animal inherits either a single trait or set of traits that interrupt melanin production.
http://www.webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/7I.html



Your one strange Dude following me around .....Do you even own a tortoise? Or just some bored fruitloop that sits behind a computer and stalks people all day long? I have never seen you post one subject about a tortoise?????


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## DeanS (Jul 13, 2013)

EricIvins said:


> You either have an Albino or an Ivory. Lately there have been a select few that have been confused on what animals they offering. An Ivory is not going to have a red Cornea. It will be black with a very dark red pupil.
> 
> Either way, an Albino will not go blind in the sun. I have a few different types and they do just fine outside...



As they mature, larger specimens of ivory will develop color in the iris...generally light brown or hazel.


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## Team Gomberg (Jul 13, 2013)

I have an albino RES with eyes as red as it gets. 

People tell me she isn't blind but I notice her swim smack into things. She bites at food, obviously missing it, then eventually gives up.
I tried some silly test where she is in a bucket of shallow water. I point one finger towards her face as her head is above water looking around. As i get closer and closer she has no reaction. She keeps "looking around" until just before/as I touch her head. Then she sucks her head in. 
I honestly have no clue what I'm doing. I'm just trying to figure her out, really.
And I have no real advice for you either. I, too am trying to figure out the red eyes/blind stuff. 

I'll watch this thread to see What kind of answers surface.

Good luck 

Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app


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## jaizei (Jul 13, 2013)

N2TORTS said:


> Hey J'....here some more info ...ya wanna check my incuabtors too?
> Albinism occurs in mammals (including humans), fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. It is a hereditary condition; the principal gene which results in albinism prevents the body from making the usual amounts of the pigment melanin. An animal inherits either a single trait or set of traits that interrupt melanin production.
> http://www.webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/7I.html
> 
> ...



I suppose it's easier to insult rather than answer questions. I'll break it down further for you.

_ This is an X-linked ocular albinism and so affects predominantly males.[5]_

This is saying that it is sex linked. It is related to the X chromosome and thus affects males more than female (humans). Tortoises are _temperature sex dependent_ (TSD). How does what you posted apply to tortoises?


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## sessionsh12 (Jul 13, 2013)

it's hard to see with this picture but I believe his eyes are red in the center then fade to black. Does that mean he is less susceptible to sun? I live in FL and he will eventually be outside so he is going to receive it regardless I just want to know if he will be okay.


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## jaizei (Jul 13, 2013)

N2TORTS said:


> Hey J'....here some more info ...ya wanna check my incuabtors too?
> Albinism occurs in mammals (including humans), fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. It is a hereditary condition; the principal gene which results in albinism prevents the body from making the usual amounts of the pigment melanin. An animal inherits either a single trait or set of traits that interrupt melanin production.
> http://www.webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/7I.html
> 
> ...



I thought it was a rather direct question but I'll break it down further for you.

_ This is an X-linked ocular albinism and so affects predominantly males.[5]_

This is saying that it is sex linked. It is related to the X chromosome and thus affects males more than female (humans). Since tortoises rely on _temperature-dependent sex determination_ (TSD), how does what you posted apply to tortoises? Is ocular albinism in tortoises linked to sex? 


I'm sorry you feel as though I'm following you around, but reality does not support that accusation. Or is it a wish? If I were following you around, I'm sure that there would be many more instances where I had to provide links/sources for your copy/pasting. Perhaps an exercise for another day when I'm less busy.


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## jaizei (Jul 13, 2013)

N2TORTS said:


> Hey J'....here some more info ...ya wanna check my incuabtors too?
> Albinism occurs in mammals (including humans), fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. It is a hereditary condition; the principal gene which results in albinism prevents the body from making the usual amounts of the pigment melanin. An animal inherits either a single trait or set of traits that interrupt melanin production.
> http://www.webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/7I.html
> 
> ...



I thought it was a rather direct question but I'll break it down further for you.

_ This is an X-linked ocular albinism and so affects predominantly males.[5]_

This is saying that it is sex linked. It is related to the X chromosome and thus affects males more than female (humans). Since tortoises rely on _temperature-dependent sex determination_ (TSD), how does what you posted apply to tortoises? Is ocular albinism in tortoises linked to sex? 


I'm sorry you feel as though I'm following you around, but reality does not support that accusation. If I were following you around, I'm sure that there would be many more instances where I had to provide links/sources for your copy/pasting. Perhaps an exercise for another day when I'm less busy. With that said, the topic of the thread is albinism/ivory sulcatas. If you wish to discuss anything else pertaining to me, do it elsewhere.


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## Team Gomberg (Jul 13, 2013)

I can't tell from that picture how red the eye is. 
Look at my picture and compare it to your sulcata. Is this what his eyes looks like??

I think that's interesting what deans said about the eyes getting darker with size/age in the ivory sulcata.

Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app


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