Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i have three 2 year old sulcatas, and i have read that there are several reasons for runny eyes to hot to windy and medical conditions. now my three sulcatas dont always have runny eyes but it seems like everyday one of their eyes are a little runny. they are in a 4x4 cage with alfalfa pellets and it is pretty dry in their so i soak them every 2 or three days. am i soaking to much? i keep the cage at about 75 with a hot corner that gets to 85-90 degrees. also i take them out about 5 days a week to run rampant n my backyard where its usually in the 80's. i dont tthink the cage is to hot? if anyone knows any reasons for runny eyes plz let me know thx

Dryness is usually the cause for runny eyes, I also remember reading somewhere that you shouldn't keep them on alfalfa pellets so you might want to look into that.

Sulcatas, nor any other tortoise for that matter, should never be kept on pellets. Such substrate does not allow the animals to burrow, thereby creating the microclimates they need to stay hydrated. I use soil in all of my setups, and with animals reaching the two year old mark, it is usually best to keep them outside most of the time, as so they may graze, bask, and move about a large space as they would in nature.

Occasionally, tortoise's eyes will water. Presence of certain allergens, extreme aridity, and macroscopic irritants can all be responsible. So long as the animal is feeding and not producing prodigious amounts of nasal discharge, they should be fine. However, I would recommend moving the animals to a primarily outdoor setup, should such be possible.

T.G.

thanks for the help guys. unfortunately i dont think i can move them to an outdoor enclosure, not yet they are still only 3-6 inches, maybe next summer =) but i do take them out for a few hours almost everyday. i know there are a bunch of posts on substrate and i tried alot of them including; claci sand(to much dye turned them pink) 50/50 peat dirt and sand (they always looked black/dirty)timothy hay (didnt absorb any of the dropping) repti carpet (was good as long as i cleaned twice a day) and alfalfa not ideal but the best one i have found. it does dehydrate them fast so we make sure they get soaked often. maybe they are dehydrated and thats why there eyes are runny? if so i need to take them off the alfalfa? any substrate suggestions that would be better than the ones i listed?

They are large enough to be outside, it would be best if you built them a small outdoor enclosure with a cover to keep them protected. Even hatchling sulcatas do better outdoors as long as their protected from predators.

I keep all of my torts on real soil, peat sand and just dirt.. yes it does make them dirty but they are not little nick knacks that need to stay clean!!! Its a tortoise!! they get dirty... when I soak them I will scrub them with a tooth brush or other brush with soft bristles.. they love it.. I scrub all the places I can and what I can't oh well.. I promise you put them in real dirt and start a burrow for them. use a bucket cut in half or a piece of pipe cut legth wise, burry it then watch... they will go in and continue to dig . they will make the tunnel longer so be carefull, but they will be so happy.. just like in the wild.
having a tort that can't dig would be like having a dog that can't run.. its just what they do. try it I promise you'll agree after you see how much they love it..

here is a pic of my 3 baby's
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