Hi everyone. For the past few days, I noticed Luna's eyes has been forming some sort of white membrane and some substrate (coconut fiber) in the corner. The white membrane seems to be growing more over her eyes and I don't know what to do =/ I tried flushing her eyes but neither of them would go away. I haven't seen it bulge out or become red. Here's a few pictures of what it looks like.
substrate and white membrane in eye
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Give more info. All Temps, humidity, is it in both eyes or just the one?
wellington said:
It's in both eyes. Temp is between 90-100 at the basking, cold end is 70, warm is 80. Humidity in her hide was at 40 but after changing the substrate, it is up to 60-70 in the hide alone. There's sphagnum moss in her hide to keep the humidity up.
I had it like that since October and just recently her eyes became like that so I don't know what happened. She's still pretty active at times...mainly when there's food or when she's out of her home.
Only thing I can tell ya is check the moss. Has it been changed since October? I stopped using moss as it got moldy. That could be a possible cause.
What is the diet offered? The membrane is not growing, but it is swelling....
How often does your tort get soaked in warm water soaks? Where did you acquire the tort from....?
How often does your tort get soaked in warm water soaks? Where did you acquire the tort from....?
ascott said:
She is currently eating spring mix everyday. kales and dandelion greens from time to time. Apples and squash (forgot the name of it) once every two weeks. I soak her for 20-30 mins every day. I got her from tortoise shack I think. Don't remember. I didn't find out about how bad they treat their tortoises until a month after I got her.
The only time I see her rub her eyes is when she wakes up, to clear her eyes from substrates. Other than that, it's usually wide open for food, bathes, and freedom.
I would get that eye looked at by a vet
the substrate was just a stain she said. She had given me eye drops and it Luna hasn't been getting better. We even giving her baytril and her eyes are still not getting better. Now it seems like a white tissue is growing over her eyes opposite from where the white membrane is. She still active and eat a lot. I don't want her to go blind. Poor girl can't see where she's walking. She can only open them once in awhile. Once a day if she can crack her lid open a bit for me to put eye drops in.
I'm wondering what light bulb you're using. Many eye problems have been thought to be caused by coil lights.
I'm also thinking you should try making half of your substrate very damp. Scoop out the substrate in one half of your enclosure and put it in a pan of warm water. Then squeeze out all of the water that you can and put it back into the enclosure. Split the enclosure down the center of your basking spot to give your tortoise a choice of moist substrate or dryer substrate.
You may also want to soak in a mix of warm water and baby food with a high content of vit A. (like carrots)
Just to be safe take Wellington advice and get rid of the moss. Mold is not always easy to see.
Good luck.
I'm also thinking you should try making half of your substrate very damp. Scoop out the substrate in one half of your enclosure and put it in a pan of warm water. Then squeeze out all of the water that you can and put it back into the enclosure. Split the enclosure down the center of your basking spot to give your tortoise a choice of moist substrate or dryer substrate.
You may also want to soak in a mix of warm water and baby food with a high content of vit A. (like carrots)
Just to be safe take Wellington advice and get rid of the moss. Mold is not always easy to see.
Good luck.
Yes. I had followed his advice and got rid of the moss but no luck =( I dont think it's coil but I attached a picture of her home and lamp. Let me know if it's wrong. Her lamp is the powersun uva/uba heat lamp. I just switched her big home to the small one she was in before. Since she cant see. I will try the baby food bath. I just got her substrate changed so they are all still moist., just not tue top layer. Will try your advice once it dries out. Thank you.
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Do you have a temperature gun? If so, please get the range of temperatures in the enclosure. I suspect that there is not enough distance from the lamp to allow a low temp of 70 to 75 degrees.
As a temporary measure move the enclosure slightly so that the light is closer to one end of the enclosure. For longer lasting cure for the temperature range you will need a longer enclosure.
I don't think you have a coil bulb. What wattage is your bulb?
In reading back through your posts I see the temperature ranges you posted; but I still wonder if the 70 degrees is when the basking light is on?
You might want a dark piece of slate or tile to absorb heat under the basking light. That will allow the tort to heat up easier and allow you to raise the height of the lamp. Hopefully giving a larger temperature range.
I also noticed that there is no water dish in the picture. Most of the members on the forum use a terra cotta planter base. It only needs to be about 1 inch deep and wide enough for your tort to turn around and dance while doing a self soak.
Any deeper would have a flipping and drowning risk.
As a temporary measure move the enclosure slightly so that the light is closer to one end of the enclosure. For longer lasting cure for the temperature range you will need a longer enclosure.
I don't think you have a coil bulb. What wattage is your bulb?
In reading back through your posts I see the temperature ranges you posted; but I still wonder if the 70 degrees is when the basking light is on?
You might want a dark piece of slate or tile to absorb heat under the basking light. That will allow the tort to heat up easier and allow you to raise the height of the lamp. Hopefully giving a larger temperature range.
I also noticed that there is no water dish in the picture. Most of the members on the forum use a terra cotta planter base. It only needs to be about 1 inch deep and wide enough for your tort to turn around and dance while doing a self soak.
Any deeper would have a flipping and drowning risk.
Can you just have a change of substrate for sometime? Maybe trying putting her on towels or newsprint papers?
It might be rare cases, but I think I read somewhere, coir sometimes does irritate their eyes...
It might be rare cases, but I think I read somewhere, coir sometimes does irritate their eyes...
The bulb is 100 watt. And her home that I orginally had her in is 3x longer than the one in the picture. I just switched her over yesterday to smaller one because of her trouble opening eyes. I'll switch back to it. I dont have a temp gun. Her enclosure is 70-75 without the light. I check it every night in the middle of the night. Her enclosure is 80 at the moment. Basking was 100 but I raised it up a bit more to keep it under. Originally in her big home that she was in, the enclosure far end from the light is 70. Ill buy a temp gun and recheck everything. Haha and ok, ill buy a water dish for her to soak dance haha
I do wonder if it is the substrate...but I heard it's not good to use paper towels. And she likes to burrow so I don't know what can be used thats safe.
Here's a picture of her original enclosure
I do wonder if it is the substrate...but I heard it's not good to use paper towels. And she likes to burrow so I don't know what can be used thats safe.
Here's a picture of her original enclosure
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For a hospital type enclosure I've heard other keepers advise newspaper as a temporary substrate as Yellow Turtle mentioned.
You could shred the top layers of the newspaper to give a burrowing or hiding area. The pieces of paper would still be large enough to avoid irritating the eyes.
Someone may be able advise you about eye drops.
You could shred the top layers of the newspaper to give a burrowing or hiding area. The pieces of paper would still be large enough to avoid irritating the eyes.
Someone may be able advise you about eye drops.
Ok so all I got the temp gun and adjusted the lamp and got rid of all the woods in her home. I also put a small water dish from time to time and Now her eyes gotten better. She can open them on her own with no trouble. The white membrane is retracting. But the tissue on the opposite side isnt really going away. Do I just have to wait for all the other stuff to get better first or is it something else?
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Oh my gosh!! im having the same problem just not as bad! around the eyes of both my torts is like white skin i dont have that big buldging thing but still... i have a coil light that im switching out asap and im going to soak them in the carrot baby food. I hope u get some more answers cuz i need some help! it hasnt been affecting their sight or anything but they have stopped burrowing and have been slower then most torts since i got them. They sleep(out in the open!!) unless i pick them up and set them back down but then in the afternoon my male is a mating machine (lol) and they are both pigs so.... i have started soaking them everyday and bringing them to their outside enclousure alot. Im bringing them to repticon to see if i can get some help their. I dont want my torts getting hurt i love them so much!!! -newbie
i am using garden soil as substrate i forgot the brand
should i take them to the Vet?
do normal vets take them?
i am using garden soil as substrate i forgot the brand
should i take them to the Vet?
do normal vets take them?
Haha your male is funny. Atleast hes letting you kniw hes still active haha I think you should see how your torts health after you change your light. But just my opinion. Hopefully someone will be able to tell us how to make our torts better =) mine sleeps above the substrate sometimes. Usually by nighttime she buries herself
Heres a picture update on my torts eyes. Shes still really active and a pig too.
Heres a picture update on my torts eyes. Shes still really active and a pig too.
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