Leapard Tortoise Eye Issue

[Rio&ZimZim]

Hey! I was hoping this group could help me out. From reading elsewhere on here, I think ZimZim has a third eyelid issues. Can anyone confirm this? I've done the Carrot soak for 3 days. He is still eating, but isn't a good pooper. He maybe goes once every 3 days. I have seen him go in the water in their enclosure and I soak them at least once a day in dechlorinated water. He is only about 3 months old. Anything else I can do to help him?

 

[Ink]

Can you post a picture of the enclosure please? Also what are the temperatures and size? How many tortoises are in the same enclosure? Tortoises should NOT be in pairs. He is probably getting bullied by the other one.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hello and welcome!

Some more information on how you’re keeping them will definitely be helpful

What’s are your temperatures? Ie basking temp(directly under the bulb) overall day temp? Night temp?
What kind of lighting/heating are you using? Packaging photos are good if you have any
What kind of indoor uv?
What’s your humidity levels? And what are you using for substrate? The hay isn’t an ideal choice

A photo of your full set up would be great along with any answers to those questions

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Can you post a picture of the enclosure please? Also what are the temperatures and size? How many tortoises are in the same enclosure? Tortoises should NOT be in pairs. He is probably getting bullied by the other one.

I didn’t see them mention they have multiple in the same enclosure?

 

[_The_Beast_]

Agree with what folks have already said. The eye does look like it's irritated but without information about lighting, substrate, temps, and humidity it's impossible to pinpoint possible causes and next steps.

 

[zovick]

Hey! I was hoping this group could help me out. From reading elsewhere on here, I think ZimZim has a third eyelid issues. Can anyone confirm this? I've done the Carrot soak for 3 days. He is still eating, but isn't a good pooper. He maybe goes once every 3 days. I have seen him go in the water in their enclosure and I soak them at least once a day in dechlorinated water. He is only about 3 months old. Anything else I can do to help him?

Get some Neo-Poly-Dex Veterinary Ophthalmic Drops (Neomycin, Dexamethasone and Polymyxin-B Sulfate) and put a drop into the affected eye(s) twice a day for about 10 days. You need a prescription from a vet to get them, though.

 

[Tom]

Hey! I was hoping this group could help me out. From reading elsewhere on here, I think ZimZim has a third eyelid issues. Can anyone confirm this? I've done the Carrot soak for 3 days. He is still eating, but isn't a good pooper. He maybe goes once every 3 days. I have seen him go in the water in their enclosure and I soak them at least once a day in dechlorinated water. He is only about 3 months old. Anything else I can do to help him?

Is it just one eye? This is often the result of a housing problem. The usual advice on how to house them from almost all sources is wrong. If you correct the husbandry issue, the problem should resolve itself. Here is the correct housing and care info:

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Look for the leopard tortoise care sheet near the bottom of this thread and questions are welcome.

 

[Rio&ZimZim]

Hey! I was hoping this group could help me out. From reading elsewhere on here, I think ZimZim has a third eyelid issues. Can anyone confirm this? I've done the Carrot soak for 3 days. He is still eating, but isn't a good pooper. He maybe goes once every 3 days. I have seen him go in the water in their enclosure and I soak them at least once a day in dechlorinated water. He is only about 3 months old. Anything else I can do to help him?

Hey everyone, thanks for the replies. His enclosure is up to spec. I've read through the care sheets here and done lots of research. He is in an enclosed cage, take temp ranges from 85 to 95, humidity is at 60ish%, but jumps to 80% when I spray, on coco coir with a layer of the coco soil stuff below it, the hay is just a little bit of timothy hay (less than half a hand full) that I add every once in a while. He has an outdoor enclosure (vented top) he goes in after his soak sometimes (I'm in East Texas so it's hot and humid right now), but just about an hour since he is still small (and his enclosure is in the shade with hiding spots). He is eating 50% grocery and 50% afraican grass and other home grown stuff (working on growing some more to supplement fully).

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

You’ll want the humidity maintained at 80+ 24/7 ideally, spraying will usually only last so long, aim for the bottom layers of your substrate to be damp, to do this pour lukewarm water into the corners, not so much that you’re making a mud bath, but enough to dampen the under layer.

When you say coco soil underneath? Do you mean some kind of top soil? Cause unless you’ve composted it yourself, there’s no way of knowing if a toxic plant has gone into it, you’d be best sticking with the coir, and perhaps some orchid bark on top

 

[Tom]

Hey everyone, thanks for the replies. His enclosure is up to spec. I've read through the care sheets here and done lots of research. He is in an enclosed cage, take temp ranges from 85 to 95, humidity is at 60ish%, but jumps to 80% when I spray, on coco coir with a layer of the coco soil stuff below it, the hay is just a little bit of timothy hay (less than half a hand full) that I add every once in a while. He has an outdoor enclosure (vented top) he goes in after his soak sometimes (I'm in East Texas so it's hot and humid right now), but just about an hour since he is still small (and his enclosure is in the shade with hiding spots). He is eating 50% grocery and 50% afraican grass and other home grown stuff (working on growing some more to supplement fully).

My intention is only to help. I'm not trying to upset or insult you in any way. If no one points out what is wrong, you won't know what to fix.

I didn't see an answer to my question: Is it just one eye or both?

The temperature range sounds good for daytime, but how low does it drop at night?

What bulbs are you using? What type of basking bulb and what type of UV bulb? Not the brands, but the type of bulbs?

Babies do not eat hay and it has no place in their enclosure. Most leopard adults don't want to eat dry hay either, and if you are going to feed hay to an adult, it should not be Timothy hay. Orchard grass hay is better, and Bermuda or teff works too.

Your humidity for a baby needs to be over 80% all the time. If you are having to spray, that tells me that your enclosure is too open and there is too much ventilation.

Most outdoor enclosures have open tops so that they can get direct sun. Can you post pics of both of your enclosures? That will help us get a better understanding of what might be going on to help you with the eye issue. With answers to these questions and some pics, we should be able to get you on the right track.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Could we get a picture of your set up?

 

[_The_Beast_]

Hey everyone, thanks for the replies. His enclosure is up to spec. I've read through the care sheets here and done lots of research. He is in an enclosed cage, take temp ranges from 85 to 95, humidity is at 60ish%, but jumps to 80% when I spray, on coco coir with a layer of the coco soil stuff below it, the hay is just a little bit of timothy hay (less than half a hand full) that I add every once in a while. He has an outdoor enclosure (vented top) he goes in after his soak sometimes (I'm in East Texas so it's hot and humid right now), but just about an hour since he is still small (and his enclosure is in the shade with hiding spots). He is eating 50% grocery and 50% afraican grass and other home grown stuff (working on growing some more to supplement fully).

I appreciate this. At the same time, no one can help you help your tortoise if you aren't open to sharing more detailed information.

The hay could have poked the eye and caused an injury.

The lights could be causing eye harm, but no one can help you here if you don't share or confirm the bulbs you're using.

There could be other irritants in the enclosure, but no one can help you spot them without more information.

It's not a judgement. It's not to insult you. You have asked for help without providing the additional information needed for folks to help. People are asking because they genuinely want to help you help your tortoise.