# Tortoise keeps rubbing her eyes



## Lucy1233 (Mar 12, 2019)

Hi, I have a female Horsefield Tortoise who is nearly 1, had her for a few months now, but I’ve noticed recently she is rubbing her eyes a lot with her arms and I don’t know why. Everything else seems to be fine, I’m just not sure why’s she’s doing it and if it’s something I should be worried about.


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## Yvonne G (Mar 12, 2019)

Yes, you'll need to give your enclosure a very close inspection. What light are you using? Is the substrate irritating the eyes? Do the eyes open all the way? Is there something stuck over the nasal openings?


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## Lucy1233 (Mar 12, 2019)

I’m using dust free wood pellets, I’ve used these since I got her and she seems fine with them. I’m looking into getting new UV light as the compact one isn’t good to use, I’ve turned it off for now and she seems to have stopped it a bit. She’s gone back to bed now so when she wakes up later I’ll have a closer look at her eyes and nose.


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## Yvonne G (Mar 12, 2019)

Well, that's the culprit. Some of those compact fluorescent bulbs are harmful to tortoise's eyes.


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## Lucy1233 (Mar 12, 2019)

I’ll get a new one as soon as possible and I’ll bring her to the vet to check her eyes too.


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## Yvonne G (Mar 12, 2019)

There's no need for a vet visit. Once you stop using that light the eyes will start to heal. It's something like snow blindness. It gets better over time. You can buy some ointment to sooth. I like to use this one that I buy online:


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## Lucy1233 (Mar 12, 2019)

Thank you, I’ll buy that to help her eyes


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## ZEROPILOT (Mar 12, 2019)

Get yourself a strip florescent lamp.
(The long tube type)
An 18" fixture is about $20.
An 18" tube is also about $20.
You can also find them together at pet shops for a few bucks more.


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## Lucy1233 (Mar 13, 2019)

Thanks, I’ve been having a look into getting those ones


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## Tom (Mar 13, 2019)

I'd also look into getting some substrate that can be kept a little damp. Dry substrate in a dry heated indoor enclosure leads to un-naturally low humidity. I prefer fine grade orchis bark, but coco coir or cypress mulch also work. No soil. No sand. No Pets At Home stuff with the sand, soil, and limestone bits in it.


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