Could lighting change be affecting my tort

Mum2Shelly

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Hi, I'm new to this site and am looking for some advise please.
My daughter has a Horsfield Tortoise around 2yrs old but we've only had him just over a year and he's (don't really know if he's a he but we always refer to him as such) very small for his age.
He's been perfectly healthy since we've had him until about 2-3 weeks ago when he looked like he had problem with his eye - one shut up almost overnight and when he did open it, it looked sore with white soft area visible.
We've been bathing his his eye with warm water, which now looks much better but he now is reluctant to open either of his eyes, he's a bit lethargic and although I have seen him eat, his appetite which was never great has now slowed significantly.
I took him to a specialist pet store for advise a couple of weeks ago, where I showed pics of his enclosure and explained his habitat and they advised all was ok but my concern his his lighting. His old bulb was also a heat lamp and thats all he had for 12 months, we changed it about 4/5 wks ago to a UVB light with seperate ceramic heat plate - Could the change to his lighting be causing his problems?

For info, he is housed in a table top enclosure, temp under light area is approx 32 and other end is approx 22.
 

Yvonne G

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Does the new light look like this:

CFL.jpg

If so, that's your problem. Sometimes those new compact fluorescent bulbs are harmful to young tortoises' eyes. All you have to do is stop using that light. My favorite UVB light to use is the tube type fluorescent bulb, like this:

T-5 fluorescent bulb.jpg
Your young tortoise would benefit from some soothing eye cream. You can buy this one online:

eye ointment b.jpg
 

Mum2Shelly

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2CE9562C-776C-4389-B169-005DBE25F120.jpeg DF485E6A-934C-4F24-A310-33D0ABD7F6DC.jpeg
Thank you for your replies, this is the light that we,ve had for about 5 wks. The guy In the specialist pet store said it is the right light but the change to lighting is the only change we’ve made so I wondered if it was coincidence or if this could be causing the problem
 

Toddrickfl1

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View attachment 281201 View attachment 281202
Thank you for your replies, this is the light that we,ve had for about 5 wks. The guy In the specialist pet store said it is the right light but the change to lighting is the only change we’ve made so I wondered if it was coincidence or if this could be causing the problem
That's is a coil light and most likely the cause of your torts eye problem. Get rid of it and change it out with a regular incandescent light bulb till you can get a tube florescent and I bet your Tortoises eye problems will improve.
 

Markw84

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I doubt the light is the cause of the eye problem. Sounds like an irritation since only one eye was affected. However, the light does indeed sound like the cause of the lethargy and decline in activity. That bulb puts out very little actual light. (also very little UVB for a tortoise's needs) Tortoises need bright light on for 14 hours a day to keep their activity levels up. This can be even more dramatic with hibernating species. Your tortoise needs more light!
 

Mum2Shelly

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Hi everyone, just following up on my earlier post. The new light arrived and has been in place since Monday and I've already seen an increase in activity from Sheldon, he's still not as lively as he was but his movement has increased since the new light was introduced and he is beginning to open his eyes a little more. My concern is that he is still not eating enough, is this normal after a problem with lighting? We weighed him last night and he has now lost weight down from 67g to 63g in the last 2 weeks - I'm thinking I may take him to Vets to be checked over
 

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