Bad eye

[Babytortmom]

I’ve taken over caring for this tortoise after my husband kept forgetting to soak him and/or let him outside in the nice days for some sun. I’ve notice his eye a few weeks back was getting puffy and wouldn’t open. I would gently rub it with a wet q-tip after his soak. I’ve tried soaks with baby carrot food. I ordered the veterictn gel after reading some posts and it finally arrived. I live in the middle of Iowa and have had a hard time finding a vet here that knows tortoises. Any suggestions? Oh and because it doesn’t show, the corner closest to the heat lamp is around 85 and we use clean fill dirt and cypress mulch.

 

[katieandiggy]

Thank you for taking care of this little guy.
What kind of build are you using?

 

[katieandiggy]

Sorry that should say Bulb

 

[Babytortmom]

Sorry that should say Bulb

It’s a ceramic bulb and the other is a long tube.

 

[katieandiggy]

Ok I see a few issues with your set up:

Open top enclosures don’t work well for babies especially sulcata that need higher humidity. You need to try and find a way to cover the enclosure. Try to have your humidity at 80+%

I’m not sure what that substrate is but it doesn’t look good for a young tortoise. Too many sharp looking bits. Use orchid bark or maybe even a coir mixture (it’s a little messy)

Your temperature is not warm enough. You need the basking spot directly under the lamp to be 95-100 and the rest of the enclosure should not fall below 80 day and night. Which is why it is difficult to keep those temperatures with an open top.

Do you soak your tortoise? It should be soaked daily for 20 mins in warm water. Due to the eyes, I would now add baby carrot food to the water to allow the tortoise to soak up some nutrients.

Can you confirm what you are feeding?

 

[Babytortmom]

I do soak him twice a day and at night I add the baby food. We do have a thick plastic top that we put over the opening to the enclosure. We let him roam outside and eat weeds- but also give him the mazuri pellets ( I’m at work so I’m not sure what the brand is, but you soak them first and he eats them after that).
The substate is cypress but I will look into the ones you suggested. The humidity has been an issue. It’s hard to keep it above 60- but I bought a different enclosure that should work better.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Greetings.

I don’t really think the cypress mulch is an issue at all. Cypress holds moisture well, doesnt mold or mildew. Id be more concerned about your temperatures, especially overnight and ambient all over 24/7. Minimum should be 80F. The gauges u are using are notoriously inaccurate and only provide readings where you have it - above tort level. There are many better digital thermometers out there with a probe. Check AccuRite - one example - https://www.homedepot.com/p/AcuRite...ure-Sensor-Probe-and-Humidity-02042/206876276

Soaking daily in nice warm water is crucial. Has to be done. Good you are on that.

Good luck with new enclosure...and careful at your torts age with outside exposure.

Good Luck

 

[katieandiggy]

Sorry I didn’t know that was Cyprus mulch, we don’t have that in the UK. In that case it’s ok.

How long have you been doing the carrot soaks?

 

[katieandiggy]

I’ve tagged @Tom to see if he has any other suggestions

 

[Tom]

I’ve tagged @Tom to see if he has any other suggestions

I think you and Mark have hit all the high points that I would have mentioned, and Babytortmom seems to get the idea already. I'm happy to help if anything else is needed, but you two already did a fine job!

 

[Babytortmom]

I really appreciate all your suggestions. I have been doing the soaks for a week. He was a lot more active outside today. I think there’s old skin/shed that’s covering that eye but I’m nervous to try and remove it after a soak. We might have a lead on an exotic animal vet in our area. We do have two digital thermometers, that cheap one we just put at the other end so we get an idea of how that side is doing. I’m going to try and find a way to amp up the heat and humidity - hopefully moving him to the plastic tub with cover will do it.

 

[katieandiggy]

The heat is really really important.
95-100 under thE lamp minimum.
You said you were using a ceramic lamp, maybe swap it out to a basking bulb. And use the ceramic heater at night only.
Don’t let it drop below 80 at any time.

 

[Babytortmom]

Any suggestions on brands for basking lights/bulbs? I see so much talk on here about how the wrong light can damage them- so I just want to make sure I get a brand and type that is safe.