Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I took my Russian tort to the exotics vet last week for eye problems. At first the vet thought she had a vit A problem but I feed her the right food and she cleans her bowl. She kept her for two nights and I picked her up Friday. She has meds for her eyes and she looked great when I brought her home but yesterday, she wouldn't open her eyes. She was on bed-a-beast but I wonder if that's the problem. It seemed kind of dusty so I switched to that paper care fresh stuff and she looks great today.
Anyone else have eye problems with their tort?

Whether the substrate was the orginal cause of the problem or not, it surely will slow healing as you have found out. For all quarantined, sick, and recovering animals I have a "hospitalization" cage that is either empty, or has newsprint substrate.

Since she's the only one I have, I clean her enclosure and and put paper in it. Her eyes look much better! She goes back for a recheck tomorrow.

Hello.

The only cure that I have found for tortoises that display eye problems is to put them outside where they can have regular exposure to the sun. The sun will cure whatever it is that causes difficulties with the eyes. I spent a lot of money at the vet before I discovered this solution. All of the ointments and vitamin A prescribed by the vet did nothing to help.

I sunk a pie plate in to the ground for water and placed a flat stone in the bowl so that the tortoise could get in and out. I put the tortoise in to the pie plate filled with water to make sure that it can get out of it. Then I just let him say outside even though I would not ordinarily put tortoises outside at such a small size.

You may want to give it a try soon so as not to risk having the tortoise lose its eyesight. Please let us know how its doing!

Take care.
Janie Malsin
Upscale Reptiles

I have found that to be true as well. As crazy as it seems I have also had luck with soaking the baby torts in about a half inch of water almost every day for 10-15 minutes. This has worked with baby sulcatas and baby stars. I haven't had eye problems with any of my adults.