Help please?! (closed eyes)

[Yvonne G]

I posted the temps (above) it’s like a flaky brown substrate. She gets kale and dandilions and nettles and pellets. She has a pinch of vit a powder twice a week and a sprinkle of calcium powder too. The bulb is not cooled and securely fastened and the vet recommended it. Her eyes were closed when I bought her

You really need to know the type of substrate you're using. Quite a few brands that are sold for tortoises are actually harmful to the babies eyes. Also, veterinarians are not a good source for getting information on how to take care of a new baby tortoise. Some lights are too strong for baby tortoise's eyes.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hey! Thanks I’m a bit of an amateur crafter. Yeah it’s a lamp with a clamp but it’s very secure. The vet recommended it as I had a higher wattage bulb and lamp. It’s not a coiled bulb and is high enough from her that she can’t touch it.

It needs to be no closer than 12" away from the top of her shell.

 

[Kells Bells]

Hi from a fellow country woman I hope you get your tort sorted. As Yvonne said it could be the substrate some aren't good for their eyes. A lot of people use coco coir and have great success. I tried it and it irritated my torts eyes. He couldn't open them and had an infection I got some drops and changed to orchid bark he's now a happy chappy. Anyways fingers crossed

 

[Mambo]

Hi from a fellow country woman I hope you get your tort sorted. As Yvonne said it could be the substrate some aren't good for their eyes. A lot of people use coco coir and have great success. I tried it and it irritated my torts eyes. He couldn't open them and had an infection I got some drops and changed to orchid bark he's now a happy chappy. Anyways fingers crossed

Hey thanks for ur lovely words. Where did u get the orchid bark. I just checked what I’m using and it’s coco block (attached photo) and it’s what she had in the vivarium in the pet shop too and her eyes were swollen there

 

[Kells Bells]

Your welcome I first got it from my local Pets at Home Store. I think they sell it as Repti Bark. If you can get the fine grade stuff instead of the coarse ( smaller torts can find the coarse bark a little tricky to walk over). I now order bags of orchid bark from amazon as it is cheaper. You can get big bags of bark from garden centres but make sure it's organic no pesticides and NO cedar or pine chips. My local garden centre had big containers of bark but couldn't tell me what it was made with so I didn't touch it.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

What kind of UVB lamp are you using? Does it look anything like thisIf it does get rid of it, that's probably your problem.
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/coil-bulbs.166917/

 

[Mambo]

What kind of UVB lamp are you using? Does it look anything like thisView attachment 266912If it does get rid of it, that's probably your problem.
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/coil-bulbs.166917/

No it’s a bulb that looks like this

 

[Mambo]

Your welcome I first got it from my local Pets at Home Store. I think they sell it as Repti Bark. If you can get the fine grade stuff instead of the coarse ( smaller torts can find the coarse bark a little tricky to walk over). I now order bags of orchid bark from amazon as it is cheaper. You can get big bags of bark from garden centres but make sure it's organic no pesticides and NO cedar or pine chips. My local garden centre had big containers of bark but couldn't tell me what it was made with so I didn't touch it.

did U get medicated drops from the vet?

 

[Kells Bells]

did U get medicated drops from the vet?

Yes I did I'm sorry I don't know what they were called it was a few months ago. I just know I used them for a week, kept it in the fridge and I had to discard it after a month. If I find out what the were called I will let you know

 

[hollyandT]

Yes I did I'm sorry I don't know what they were called it was a few months ago. I just know I used them for a week, kept it in the fridge and I had to discard it after a month. If I find out what the were called I will let you know

Hi! Are these the medicated drops you got?

 

[Kells Bells]

View attachment 267086
Hi! Are these the medicated drops you got?

I'm sorry I really don't know I just know it was some kind of antibiotic. Thankfully it worked. The vet is actually a friend of mine I have sent her a text but she's on holidays and I think ignoring everyone.

 

[Kells Bells]

View attachment 267086
Hi! Are these the medicated drops you got?

I don't think it was those though

 

[Kells Bells]

How's Mambo?

 

[Mambo]

How's Mambo?

Hey
She’s grand. I got her the bark and she ended up hiding in a corner instead of walking around in it so I swapped back to the coco she seems happier in it. I have been struggling to get a vet appointment as the only exotic vet is quite a while away and he only works two hours on a Saturday. She’s eating and drinking and generally getting on well despite her still having closed eyes.

 

[6strings]

Hey
She’s grand. I got her the bark and she ended up hiding in a corner instead of walking around in it so I swapped back to the coco she seems happier in it. I have been struggling to get a vet appointment as the only exotic vet is quite a while away and he only works two hours on a Saturday. She’s eating and drinking and generally getting on well despite her still having closed eyes.

Hi there,
Just wanted to fill you in on what happened to me in case it helps:
1. If you are using a separate UVB bulb (looks like you are using a UVB/heat bulb, but if I am wrong, read on..) I was using a compact UVB lamp in a dome, but I did not like the focused light and all of the warnings by experienced keepers. I changed to a T5 HO bulb and fixture by Arcadia (lightyourreptiles.com). I made a PVC pipe bracket (I can send you details, very sturdy, won't tip over) and suspended the fixture from there. Much better, more area-effective UVB setup, tortoise has no troubles at all.
2. Vets know how to treat diseases, etc, but not all vets necessarily know specifics of husbandry of a certain species. The most knowledgeable people when it comes to reptile husbandry are the keepers with lots of experience successfully maintaining a species in question. That could be a vet as well but not all vets are reptile keepers persay. This forum is awesome. Lots of specific experience here.
3. I was using a clamp lamp like you are for a heat emitter, but I did not like the possibility of it falling or being bumped and getting close to the wood sides of my indoor enclosure (because it happened.) My remedy was to buy some ceramic tile to prop up the tort enclosure so I could slip a ZooMed lamp stand under the enclosure floor. I screwed in a screw-eye next to the lamp stand vertical bar and zip-tied it. I can bump against the lamp stand quite hard without it tipping at all. I also zip-tied the lamp cord so there is no chance of the lamp dome slipping down. Just a suggestion because with very hot bulbs, you want to play it safe and remove the chance of the bulb surface resting on the enclosure or substrate.

The best of luck to you. You are in the right place for help.