Watery eyes - 5 year old male sulcatas

Altadena-Sulcata

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Jun 25, 2021
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ALTADENA
Hello,

I see others have also asked about watery eyes, but I haven’t found the answer, so…


I have 2 sulcatas here in Altadena (Los Angeles area). They are 5 years old - brothers from the same clutch

They’ve lived outdoors almost their whole lives, now so big they’ve dug burrows, so they are outside night and day

They get water everyday via a drippy bucket that drizzles water, and pools in their yard

Their diet is lawn grass, weeds, mustard greens, collard, dandelion greens, random salad when it gets too old for me to eat. They each get 1 strawberry on xmas morning

last year they started showing moisture around their eyes for unknown reasons. It doesn’t seem to correlate to high temperatures, or lack of food or water, or unusual diet. Sometimes it’s there, other days it’s gone. Their appetite is always hearty

Any idea what’s going on? If anyone would like to suggest dietary changes, I’d be great full for suggestions

David
 

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Tom

The Dog Trainer
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One of the common names for this species in other parts of the world is "The Crying Tortoise". Now you know why. :) The only decent sulcata book is actually called "The Crying Tortoise". Its been out of print for a long time.

They need to be separated ASAP. Tortoises should never live in pairs and two male sulcatas is especially bad.

Burrows are great for summer, though it doesn't get that hot where you are, but you must block off the burrows in fall and make them sleep in a proper heated night box. Like one of these: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/single-tortoise-night-box.181515/


Skip the fruit. Its not good for them and it upsets their gut flora and fauna. Give them something good for them as a treat.

Add more fiber and real foods to their diet and cut out the grocery store greens. The grass is great, but add mulberry leave, grape leaves, hibiscus leaves and flowers, lavatera leaves and flowers, a wide assortment of the right weeds, etc...

They should have large shallow pans that are large enough for them to climb into and self soak if they want to. You should also be soaking them in a large tub a couple times per week in summer.

More info here:
 

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