help!

[natalie1402]

Hi. George has kept his left eye closed for the last couple of days. I'm wondering if he's got a vitamin deficiency or dehydration. Or maybe infection. There doesn't seem to be any gunk or anything. After I bath him and rinse his eye he seems to be able to open it better. Thanks

[wigwamman]

bathing his eye with a weak salt/water solution should see an improvement,if not its vet time.
good luck

[Easter Bunny]

When I got Victor he had puffy eyes and couldn't open one untill I bathed it. I got some comfort eyedrops for him from chemist and they done the trick. x

[zx4g]

Also check your humidity, if its to low it could be a factor, hope he's better soon x

[burnt toast]

Is George a Horsfield? What is his substrate? & is it very dry?

[natalie1402]

He's on two brought from the pet shop. One is a mix of top soil sand and limestone and the other is a pellet type. However he hardly goes into the soil mix so we we're wondering if it was something to do with that? Are the comfort eye drops from the chemist ok to use on a tortoise? Many thanks

[natalie1402]

Yes he is and hes on two different ones both bought from pets at home stating they are suitable for tortoises. One is a mix of soil, sand and limestone and the other is a pellet type bedding. he hardly goes onto the soil mix though so we are unsure if he likes this one. is there a more suitable substrate out there for him that is easily available to buy? Many thanks

[burnt toast]

I asked if he was a horsfield as they really like to dig & burrow, so obviously this kicks substrate up which can in turn irritate eyes. If the susbstrate is dry this isnt going to help.

I like to have a slightly moist substrate for my torts. Is it tortoise life your using? As I think its quite dry but see no reason why you couldnt moisten it. The rabbit type pellets arent really suitable for torts. Never tried them myself but believe they are prone to going mouldy + they inhibit their natural love of digging.

You could try comfort eye drops & if no luck optrex infected eye drops as they contain an antibiotic.

Does he seem ok apart from his eye problem?

[natalie1402]

What substrate would you suggest for a horsefield? Everything seems so contradicting. He went off his food yesterday but seems a lot brighter today. Got him some ointment from a reptile shop so going to rinse it and apply that a few times per day. It already seems to have made a difference.

[burnt toast]

Originally Posted by natalie1402

What substrate would you suggest for a horsefield? Everything seems so contradicting. He went off his food yesterday but seems a lot brighter today. Got him some ointment from a reptile shop so going to rinse it and apply that a few times per day. It already seems to have made a difference.

I would use just top soil, no sand. I add warm water to mine & turn the soil over so it soaks in well & doesnt just wet the surface, it soon dries out with the basking lamp so needs to be done regularly.