Hermann’s eyes

[Lyydbain]

Around 2 days ago I have noticed my 2 year old girls eyes are very strange and she can’t see properly as she is walking into the sides of her viv. I will attach a photo. Since noticing this she has been off her food but still eating some small amounts which have been held in front of her.
she is in a indoor viv with another 2 year old. They have a closed section where their night time bulb goes on for them to sleep and their basking temperature is 85. Substrate I am using is top soil.
I have been soaking her twice a day and making sure her eyes are washed. Does anybody have any suggestions?

 

[Yvonne G]

Some (not all) tortoises are very susceptible to the harsh rays those newer coil shaped compact fluorescent bulbs put out. What kind of lighting are you using? The conditions is quite painful, and is similar to snow blindness.

On another note, quite often we get posts about things wrong with a tortoise and we find out the tortoise is being kept in the same enclosure as another tortoise. It's very stressful for tortoises to live in pairs. Tortoises are not herd type animals, but rather are solitary in nature. They have a territory and they don't want other tortoises in that territory. It might be that the stress of always being told to get out of the territory is causing the nictitating membrane to cover the eye like you see.

In the meantime, you can buy a soothing eye ointment and put some on the eye several times a day. This is what I use, and I have to buy it online because pet stores in my area don't carry it:

 

[Lyydbain]

Some (not all) tortoises are very susceptible to the harsh rays those newer coil shaped compact fluorescent bulbs put out. What kind of lighting are you using? The conditions is quite painful, and is similar to snow blindness.

On another note, quite often we get posts about things wrong with a tortoise and we find out the tortoise is being kept in the same enclosure as another tortoise. It's very stressful for tortoises to live in pairs. Tortoises are not herd type animals, but rather are solitary in nature. They have a territory and they don't want other tortoises in that territory. It might be that the stress of always being told to get out of the territory is causing the nictitating membrane to cover the eye like you see.

In the meantime, you can buy a soothing eye ointment and put some on the eye several times a day. This is what I use, and I have to buy it online because pet stores in my area don't carry it:

View attachment 284781

Thank you for that, they have been together all their life so I thought they would be okay. I will keep bathing it and order some of the ointment. Thank you very much for your help

 

[TammyJ]

I hope she is getting better, but they need to be separated, especially if they have been together all their lives. They do not like or need each other, and only see each other as a nuisance or a threat. Each one will be healthier and happier on its own.

 

[Lyydbain]

I hope she is getting better, but they need to be separated, especially if they have been together all their lives. They do not like or need each other, and only see each other as a nuisance or a threat. Each one will be healthier and happier on its own.

Thank you. I’m going to put a separation in their viv as it’s plenty big enough to be split x

 

[TammyJ]

Thank you. I’m going to put a separation in their viv as it’s plenty big enough to be split x

I hope that works OK then. Sometimes they will try to get at each other over the barrier, and cause more problems anyway, but I guess you will see soon enough.
Let us know how it goes!