Eye issues... any ideas?

[BahrBarn]

Hello All, first time tortoise owner... Our Hermanns tortoise is not wanting to open his eyes. He is eating well and does not seem lethargic. We are soaking for about 30min each day. After his soaks, his eyes seem to open up a bit more often, then eventually they are back to being closed the rest of the day. We have noticed lately, that he does seem to try and scratch them and there may be a bit is swelling, zero discharge.

Any thoughts on the issue, or is this something that will require a trip to the vet?

Thank you for any ideas...

 

[JoesMum]

What type of UVB lamp are you using?

The immediate suspicion is that it is a compact type that looks like a low energy light bulb. We have seen these cause eye problems time and again.

If it is, Turn off the UVB bulb and see if things improve. There is usually a noticeable improvement in a few days and your tortoise will be fine without it while you order a fluorescent tube UVB fitting and bulb to replace it.

Photos of your enclosure and loghting will help us to spot if there’s anything else going on.

 

[BahrBarn]

Thank you so much, we were using a heat lamp for a few hours a day over his open enclosure to keep it warm.

This makes total sense!! So I should have a fluorescent tube UVB light correct?

I have read a lot about people soaking theirs in carrot baby food and warm water, should we be doing this?

 

[Yvonne G]

you only use the carrot soaks for a tortoise that isn't eating. Your tortoise's eyes are being harmed by the bulb.

 

[JoesMum]

Thank you so much, we were using a heat lamp for a few hours a day over his open enclosure to keep it warm.

This makes total sense!! So I should have a fluorescent tube UVB light correct?

I have read a lot about people soaking theirs in carrot baby food and warm water, should we be doing this?

Your tortoise is cold blooded and so must have external heat to be active, eat and digest food. The basking lamp must have 95-100F directly underneath and be on for 12-14 hours a day. Use a timer; it makes life easier for you.

Replace the compact UVB with a fluorescent tube, also on for 12-14 hours a day, and all should be well with its eyes.

 

[Tom]

The most common causes of eye problems are:

• Mechanical injury. Typically in one eye only. Often caused by sand or sharp objects like thorns or substrate.
• Cold temps that cause RI.
• Long term malnutrition.
• Overly dry dusty substrate.
• Wrong bulbs, or the right bulbs used incorrectly, such as a HO UV tube mounted too close.

If you have damp substrate with no sand, feed correctly and have sufficient heat sources, then the cfl is the most likely cause of the issue. We've seen many cases of this.

 

[BahrBarn]

The most common causes of eye problems are:

• Mechanical injury. Typically in one eye only. Often caused by sand or sharp objects like thorns or substrate.
• Cold temps that cause RI.
• Long term malnutrition.
• Overly dry dusty substrate.
• Wrong bulbs, or the right bulbs used incorrectly, such as a HO UV tube mounted too close.

If you have damp substrate with no sand, feed correctly and have sufficient heat sources, then the cfl is the most likely cause of the issue. We've seen many cases of this.

Thank you for the reply.

I had him in cypress mulch for bedding and we did have a heat lamp on his area.

I have since taken mulch out in case that was causing any issues, replaced with hay and removed heat lamp. He is getting about 8-10 hours of uvb and I have put a heating pad under his home for heat. I would think the heat factor has been taken care of. We are soaking him daily and waking him up to eat daily as well.

Do you have any suggestions on bedding I read so many mixed things.....

 

[Tom]

Thank you for the reply.

I had him in cypress mulch for bedding and we did have a heat lamp on his area.

I have since taken mulch out in case that was causing any issues, replaced with hay and removed heat lamp. He is getting about 8-10 hours of uvb and I have put a heating pad under his home for heat. I would think the heat factor has been taken care of. We are soaking him daily and waking him up to eat daily as well.

Do you have any suggestions on bedding I read so many mixed things.....

Go back to the cypress mulch, or use fine grade orchid bark, but get rid of the dry hay ASAP. Keep the mulch damp.

No heat mats for small tortoise in indoor enclosures. Those are dangerous. Use the incandescent flood bulb for basking. Not a spot, not a halogen, not a mercury vapor. They need basking light for 13-14 hours a day if you don't want him to hibernate.

What type of UV bulb are you currently using? What distance over the tortoise is it?

 

[BahrBarn]

Go back to the cypress mulch, or use fine grade orchid bark, but get rid of the dry hay ASAP. Keep the mulch damp.

No heat mats for small tortoise in indoor enclosures. Those are dangerous. Use the incandescent flood bulb for basking. Not a spot, not a halogen, not a mercury vapor. They need basking light for 13-14 hours a day if you don't want him to hibernate.

What type of UV bulb are you currently using? What distance over the tortoise is it?

Ok, changed bedding to orchid bark, he is eating butter lettuce and green squash after his soak.

I did mist the bark before placing him back in, his UVB bulb is 13 watt and is about two feet off of his enclosure. His basking light is 50W 75% intense kept at same height.

Question - UV light 13-14 hours a day and how many hours for the basking light?

Also, any thoughts on if I should run a humidifier near him?

 

[BahrBarn]

Go back to the cypress mulch, or use fine grade orchid bark, but get rid of the dry hay ASAP. Keep the mulch damp.

No heat mats for small tortoise in indoor enclosures. Those are dangerous. Use the incandescent flood bulb for basking. Not a spot, not a halogen, not a mercury vapor. They need basking light for 13-14 hours a day if you don't want him to hibernate.

What type of UV bulb are you currently using? What distance over the tortoise is it?

Ok, changed bedding to orchid bark, he is eating butter lettuce and green squash after his soak.

I did mist the bark before placing him back in, his UVB bulb is 13 watt and is about two feet off of his enclosure. His basking light is 50W 75% intense kept at same height.

Question - UV light 13-14 hours a day and how many hours for the basking light?

Also, any thoughts on if I should run a humidifier near him?

 

[Tom]

Ok, changed bedding to orchid bark, he is eating butter lettuce and green squash after his soak.

I did mist the bark before placing him back in, his UVB bulb is 13 watt and is about two feet off of his enclosure. His basking light is 50W 75% intense kept at same height.

Question - UV light 13-14 hours a day and how many hours for the basking light?

Also, any thoughts on if I should run a humidifier near him?

The 13 watt UV bulb is likely the cause of your problem. That is called a cfl, or coil type bulb, and those are know to burn tortoise eyes. Turn it off ASAP and don't use it any more. They are not effective UV sources anyway.

If you need indoor UV (some people do and some people don't), then get the HO type T5 tubes from Aracadia or ZooMed. Run them on a timer for 1-3 hours mid day. That is all the UV that is needed. The expensive bulb will last for years if you use it this way.

There are four elements to heating and lighting:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. You'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night.
3. Light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html

Please give this a read too:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[BahrBarn]

The 13 watt UV bulb is likely the cause of your problem. That is called a cfl, or coil type bulb, and those are know to burn tortoise eyes. Turn it off ASAP and don't use it any more. They are not effective UV sources anyway.

If you need indoor UV (some people do and some people don't), then get the HO type T5 tubes from Aracadia or ZooMed. Run them on a timer for 1-3 hours mid day. That is all the UV that is needed. The expensive bulb will last for years if you use it this way.

There are four elements to heating and lighting:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. You'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night.
3. Light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html

Please give this a read too:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Also, any thoughts on if I should run a humidifier near him?

 

[Tom]

Also, any thoughts on if I should run a humidifier near him?

I don't like to run humidifiers for tortoises. I don't think breathing micro-droplets of water is good for them and its not the same as humidity. If you need more humidity close in the top, or make your life really easy and switch to a closed chamber.