# My baby sulcata'a eye is closed



## Eleanor Ehrman (Nov 22, 2016)

I have had my sulcata tortoise named Eliott for about a month now. i just started to realize that one of his eyes arent opening. I soak him every other day and i cant figure out what is going on with him someone pls help!!! one pic is his eye open the other is his eye that is bothering him


----------



## cmacusa3 (Nov 22, 2016)

You should soak him daily he looks extremely dry. Tell us about the enclosure and the temps. Have you read the care sheets on the site?

I also wouldn't let him roam the floor


----------



## cmacusa3 (Nov 22, 2016)

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/forums/sulcata-tortoises.88/

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-45180.html

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/


----------



## dmmj (Nov 22, 2016)

how is your tortoise's appetite,still eating?


----------



## Tom (Nov 22, 2016)

Eleanor Ehrman said:


> I have had my sulcata tortoise named Eliott for about a month now. i just started to realize that one of his eyes arent opening. I soak him every other day and i cant figure out what is going on with him someone pls help!!! one pic is his eye open the other is his eye that is bothering him



We'll need more info to be able to help you.

From the photo, it looks like you've been housing him on some dry substrate in an open topped enclosure. Am I right?

Are you using a coil type bulb for UV?
What are you using for night heat?


----------



## Tidgy's Dad (Nov 23, 2016)

Hello, Eleanor, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum to you and Eliott.
Please read the care sheets and then ask if you have further questions. 
The answer probably lies in your temperature, humidity, substrate or choice of bulb as has been suggested.
Or something from the floor.


----------



## Gillian M (Nov 23, 2016)

Hi @Eleanor Ehrman and a very warm welcome to the forum.

Please post pics of your tort's enclosure.


----------



## Yvonne G (Nov 23, 2016)

Hi Eleanor, and welcome to the Forum!

Your baby is lucky you found us. He needs attention - now! Please answer the questions posed above, and I'm especially interested in the answer to the light bulb question. The coil-shaped UVB bulbs have caused eye problems in the past and we don't recommend using them. It's a shame, because they're so much cheaper than the good UVB bulbs.


----------



## Fredkas (Nov 23, 2016)

Damn old fashioned care sheet.
$×*£";"&€/;"*!"$×£&;*$×!&*×


----------



## Eleanor Ehrman (Nov 23, 2016)

the light bulb is one of the zoo med's repti basking spot lamp. His cage is all in repti bark and the temperature of his enclosure is 90 degrees. And by the way i just put him on the floor to take a picture of him


----------



## Yvonne G (Nov 23, 2016)

You need a UVB light. Calcium doesn't do it's job inside the tortoise, working to make strong shell and bones, unless it is coupled with UVB, which in turn causes the body to make vitamin d3. Vitamin d3 and calcium make strong bones and shell. Also, when the tortoise is kept under a UVB light you will notice more energy and activity.

Do you moisten the substrate?

Here's what you do to get the eye open, but remember, this is only a band aid, you still need to know why this happens or else it will just keep happening:

Mix up a batch of half Gerber strained carrots and half warm water in a bowl with tall sides and a small foot print. You want the water to come up to the middle of the baby's sides. Leave him soaking in this mixture for at least a half hour, and longer is even better. After doing these soaks for three days you will see a marked improvement in the eye.

It may be that the repti basking spot is too intense for his eyes, I'm not sure. At any rate, you need to get a light that provides UVB and stop using the spot.

Can we see a picture of the baby's habitat?


----------

