HELP RT EYE PROBLEM!!!!

[Madeleine M]

Im very new to this group, have had my male RT for over a year now.. for the past couple of months ive noticed his eyes being puffy, redish and swollen.. i would soak him .. and it would be very on and off... recently i feel as though its constant.. if i soak him he will open his eyes for a bit and close them again... i did soak him in water and carrot today but he did the same thing...
he is eating and drinking.. and i do not notice anything else different but his eyes!!
please help!

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. Give us a run down of the enclosure. The temps, humidity, type of lighting and bulbs you are using. Are any of the bulbs new? What kind of substrate, etc.

 

[Madeleine M]

i have a 3 lights, one nightime only, one for the heat and one for the UVB i think its called. all new
i used the eco bark for the bedding some rocks and some lighter stuff for digging.. (i like it because i never notice it getting in his eyes)

 

[Madeleine M]

here is a picture of the enclosure

 

[Mr Buster]

Some timber is toxic to RTs. What is the gold stuff you use for digging ? It looks like something used for hamsters. He could be allergic to it. For instance, never use cedar or pine.

 

[Jodie]

If your UVB bulb is a CFL, turn it off immediately. These are the coil or short tube bulbs that screw into regular socket. For UVB use mercury vapor bulbs or the long tubes.

 

[Yvonne G]

Are the shavings new? It could be what is irritating the eyes. We don't like to use shavings for tortoises.

Also, it will be much easier for him to eat and drink if you use clay plant saucers sunk down into the substrate instead of those reptile bowls.

 

[Madeleine M]

he eats just fine! ill change that bedding! but this eye problem started before that!
what should the humidity be at ?

 

[dmmj]

eye problems in tortoises are usually one of three reasons diet (low vitamin A) respiratory infection, or CFL bulbs

 

[Madeleine M]

i dont have the box anymore for the bulb.. how can i tell?

 

[Jodie]

If it screws into a socket, and is any kind of coil or tube shape, it is a CFL. Post a pic of it, and we can tell you.

 

[Madeleine M]

Like this ?

 

[Mr Buster]

carrot = vitamin A. just don't over do it.

 

[phebe121]

Like this ?

Coil bulbs can cause blindness or eye problems

 

[Jodie]

Like this ?

Yep. That is a CFL. Turn it off ASAP.

 

[Jodie]

You can replace it with a florescent tube light.

 

[Madeleine M]

can you guys send me pictures of the lights you use just so i can be safe about this

 

[Yvonne G]

These are the lights I like to use. I don't use both at the same time, only one type per enclosure, one OR the other:

 

[dmmj]

I like the power Sun

 

[phebe121]

I use this one