Tortoise Eye Problems! :(

[juliabtway]

So, I have a California Desert tortoise, who is about two and a half years old. He lives in a 100 gallon tank with plenty of room to move around with alfalfa bedding.
Yesterday he was drinking some water and he blinked and a sort of redish growth type thing was at the corner of his eye. He started blinking and kind of rubbing his eye on his arm. I was rather alarmed so I called the lady who gives us the tortoises and she said it was a normal thing, it was his third eyelid and was nothing to worry about. The red item went away maybe fifteen minutes after.

Is this a common thing? Or should I be worried?

 

[ascott]

Welcome to the forum. What you describe is usually found in dogs, aka "cherry eye". However, in a tortoise I don't agree that it is normal. The rubbing his eye/head against his arm is yes something that they do when something is bugging their eyes or they have too big a bite on food and they need leverage to break the food off...

Also, I have to ask what you like about housing a CDT on alfalfa bedding? I first thought this may be a source of irritant to the eyes....do you give him outside time every day for the benefits of the natural sun? These guys soooo need the actual natural sun and dirt between their toes---so to speak

Are you able to post a pic of your CDT....LOVE PICS

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi juliabtway:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

May we know your name?