Eye infection and now white cloudy skin in eye

Joined
Apr 18, 2019
Messages
12
Location (City and/or State)
Scotland
1855C37F-AFF1-49FC-8979-615CE03A8C0B.jpeg Hello,

This is a picture of Master Oogway my tortoise, please ignore the mud around his eye, he had just had a booth/soak and then I put him back in his table and then brought him out again to take this photo. You might have to zoom in on the photo but it’s very small on his upper eyelid towards the right, it kind of looks like two little lumps of something, they come into his eye from his upper lid if you can just about see it.

He has recently had an eye infection (as diagnosed by the vet as bacterial conjunctivitis (he kept his closed all the time and then they became swollen)) which is still being treated with antibacterial eye drops. His eyes are much less swollen and pretty much back to normal. The vet just said that these little bits in his eye are build up of skin cells, but after 2 weeks with the eye drops they haven’t budged and I would’ve thought that it would’ve cleared them out.

Has anyone else’s tortoise ever had this and if so did it go away on its own or was it a more serious problem that needed further investigation? Any advice, I’m thinking I will take him back to the vets if it is still there in a week or so, it doesn’t seem to be causing any issues but it is troubling me, seeing as it definitely wasn’t there before the eye infection (I always am checking his eyes, nose, mouth and legs etc.).

Thank you in advance for any insight :)
 

Yvonne G

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What kind of light are you using? Those compact fluorescent bulbs (the curly shaped bulbs) have been known to bother young tortoises' eyes.

I really don't see any cause for concern with that eye. To me it just looks like a bit of debris at the edge of the eye. Does he constantly rub his eye with his front leg? That would show that it bothers him. Just soak him in warm water daily for about 15 minutes each time (in a bowl/tub he can't climb out of) and it will help to soften that bit of skin and hopefully it will drop off. The eye is just fine. Stop worrying.
 
Joined
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Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
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What kind of light are you using? Those compact fluorescent bulbs (the curly shaped bulbs) have been known to bother young tortoises' eyes.

I really don't see any cause for concern with that eye. To me it just looks like a bit of debris at the edge of the eye. Does he constantly rub his eye with his front leg? That would show that it bothers him. Just soak him in warm water daily for about 15 minutes each time (in a bowl/tub he can't climb out of) and it will help to soften that bit of skin and hopefully it will drop off. The eye is just fine. Stop worrying.
I’m using a long Arcadia bulb not one of those curly ones. He does rub his eyes quite a bit. Okay, thank you for the advice, will do the soaks and hopefully it will just disappear as you say.
 

Ben02

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Oct 21, 2018
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Brighton, Southcoast, UK
View attachment 270199 Hello,

This is a picture of Master Oogway my tortoise, please ignore the mud around his eye, he had just had a booth/soak and then I put him back in his table and then brought him out again to take this photo. You might have to zoom in on the photo but it’s very small on his upper eyelid towards the right, it kind of looks like two little lumps of something, they come into his eye from his upper lid if you can just about see it.

He has recently had an eye infection (as diagnosed by the vet as bacterial conjunctivitis (he kept his closed all the time and then they became swollen)) which is still being treated with antibacterial eye drops. His eyes are much less swollen and pretty much back to normal. The vet just said that these little bits in his eye are build up of skin cells, but after 2 weeks with the eye drops they haven’t budged and I would’ve thought that it would’ve cleared them out.

Has anyone else’s tortoise ever had this and if so did it go away on its own or was it a more serious problem that needed further investigation? Any advice, I’m thinking I will take him back to the vets if it is still there in a week or so, it doesn’t seem to be causing any issues but it is troubling me, seeing as it definitely wasn’t there before the eye infection (I always am checking his eyes, nose, mouth and legs etc.).

Thank you in advance for any insight :)
Is it possible that the soil substrate is too dry and dusty? This will cause their eyes to become irritated.
 

Ben02

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That is possible, I use the Komodo tortoise eco terrain off of Amazon - what do you use/would you recommend?
I use coco coir but I see nothing wrong with your substrate aslong as it’s kept slightly damp (not soaking wet) then firmly press it down so it’s all compact. You can do this whenever it gets messy or it starts to dry.
 

lymcBoris

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Apr 12, 2019
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Hi Anya, I just noticed you're from Scotland! Me too, west coast. I'm Lynne and we have a Russian 18month tortoise called Boris. I'm very new to the amazing world of tortoises, so every day is a new thing to learn. How do you manage with food for master oogway in Scotland? Plenty weeds just now but what do you feed in winter? We've only had Boris for a month, so thinking ahead. We've planted some seeds. Happy Tortoising and hope master oogway's eye clears up. I can't see the photo. Looks like link has broken. Lynne.
 
Joined
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Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
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I use coco coir but I see nothing wrong with your substrate aslong as it’s kept slightly damp (not soaking wet) then firmly press it down so it’s all compact. You can do this whenever it gets messy or it starts to dry.
Ahh okay, thank you will try this from now on
 
Joined
Apr 18, 2019
Messages
12
Location (City and/or State)
Scotland
Hi Anya, I just noticed you're from Scotland! Me too, west coast. I'm Lynne and we have a Russian 18month tortoise called Boris. I'm very new to the amazing world of tortoises, so every day is a new thing to learn. How do you manage with food for master oogway in Scotland? Plenty weeds just now but what do you feed in winter? We've only had Boris for a month, so thinking ahead. We've planted some seeds. Happy Tortoising and hope master oogway's eye clears up. I can't see the photo. Looks like link has broken. Lynne.

Hi Lynne! Me too! Love the name Boris! In the winter he tends to get primarily romaine lettuce, pack Choi, and things from a ‘tortoise seed collection’ I grow indoors as well as the occasional slice of courgette and sometimes a little bit of grated carrot. You too, thank you! Anya.
 

lymcBoris

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Joined
Apr 12, 2019
Messages
129
Location (City and/or State)
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Hi Lynne! Me too! Love the name Boris! In the winter he tends to get primarily romaine lettuce, pack Choi, and things from a ‘tortoise seed collection’ I grow indoors as well as the occasional slice of courgette and sometimes a little bit of grated carrot. You too, thank you! Anya.
Hi Anya. My son named him/her. Maybe Bo if it's a girl [emoji4] We have a bet on in our house if boy or girl. I say girl, my son says boy of course. She is a bit hissy when you disturb in the morning, so girl crabby. [emoji38]That's really helpful about the food, thanks. Master Oogway is lovely. And a great name too! Lynne.
 
Joined
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Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
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Hi Anya. My son named him/her. Maybe Bo if it's a girl [emoji4] We have a bet on in our house if boy or girl. I say girl, my son says boy of course. She is a bit hissy when you disturb in the morning, so girl crabby. [emoji38]That's really helpful about the food, thanks. Master Oogway is lovely. And a great name too! Lynne.
Hi Lynne, aww haha, Bo is cute too. Bless. No problem, hope all goes well!! Anya
 

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