Urgent Care :: HELP WITH EYES SEALED SHUT!

[Hosta]

Hey, hoping somebody can give me some advice, my 3 year old Mississippi Map turtle Bob is having difficulty opening his eyes when he is basking. I can see that he is sometimes trying to open them with his arms but I'm worried it's something a bit more serious.

He is still quite active, swimming about, and eating absolutely fine, so I'm not sure if it's a proper illness or just a gammy eye that seems to get 'dried' stuck when he is basking for a while.

Can anyone advise what I should do? Temps are around 75 in water and mid 80's basking spot.

I also have a 3 year old yellow bellied slider; Fred, who is not having this problem at all and seems very healthy.

Any help?

[Tampa Bay Turtle Fan]

From what you described on him eating well and to help identify the prospective issue, would you mind answering a few questions. I do not feel myself that it is a bacterial infection on swelling eyes with any signs of mucus from the nostrils or around the mouth or neck area during basking. But do watch for this. You did not describe any indications of small groups of tiny bubbles which would indicate a URI (respiratory infection) that could cause a bit of swelling as well . All of these are more so, a persons major problems with their pet turtles that would need exotic veterinarian treatment. This is the good news !

Now to identify this further, can you answer the below questions to help people determine this further.

(1) How many gallons is your tank / pond enclosure?

(2) What type of filtration system do you have?

(3) How long has Bob had this issue?

(4) What does Bobs diet include?

(5) Is the water kept clean at all times?

(6) Do you dechlorinate water as you would for fish making the hard water soft?

(7) Do you have both a UVA and UVB bulb for Bob that he utilizes?

(8) Does he manage to get his eyes open easy while in the water or does he struggle?

Without knowing your answers here, I am going leaning towards a Vitamin A deficiency with him eating fine at the moment but please keep your eyes open for the signs I posted on a bacterial infection just in case it gets worse and he stops eating all together.

They have Vitamin A turtle eye drops that you can look into that is fairly inexpensive . Here is a example of these turtle eye drops below and price on this link below to start out with.

http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/health- ... tid-500007

[Jeremiah]

You may also consider bumping your basking temperatures up.

[Hosta]

Hey sorry for the late reply!

1) 60 Gallon Tank, about 2/3rds full

2) I have an external Fluval 306 filtration unit

3) I'm not too sure, I recently had a massive clean out of the tank as it was getting a bit dirty, I basically opened my filtration unit and cleaned out the muck, I think it had been bunged up for a while and was making the tank dirty. I made sure to only clean with tank water and then I took all obstacles out of the tank, now it is very clean and has nothing in apart from the basking platform.

4) I feed them both on a diet of frozen bloodworms, mixed turtle food (fish, spinach other various essentials) and small frozen fish every 3/4 days

5) The water is extremely clean now, but I fear my filter had not been working properly so I cleaned it out, I think maybe this has had something to do with his eyes?

6) I dechlorinate all water with product before going into the tank to account for dropping water levels.

7) Yes he has both UVA & UVB bulb in the middle of tank and above basking platform.

He manages to get his eyes open in the water, sometimes very easily but sometimes one might be open and the other takes a little while

I will post some pictures soon, there isn't any discolouring around his eyes, but he is spending a lot of time asleep on the basking spot, and I am worried his shell is becoming very dry and maybe a bit flaky - this goes away when he is in the water but it seems like he is taking ages to get rid of any shedded schutes!

Thanks

[Tampa Bay Turtle Fan]

I would start using the Vitamin A turtles drops as I gave you a example of for sure at this stage and I am a bit concerned about shell rot with how you described prior water conditions and it being flaky. Please get photos of his shell as soon as you can on both the bottom and the top (close up photos) . You may need to start some medicated soaks if it is minor or if it continues to get worse, a vet call. Bumping up the temps with the medicated baths of diluted iodine may help the process on the shell issues if minor. Please lets see some photos indeed.

[steve]

What kind of UVB bulb? Is it new? How close is it to him? Can you leave it off for a couple of days?

[Hosta]

The bulb is a Repti Glow 15w bulb I believe (had orange / red package), and I do have to change them every few months or so as they break. This one has been in the tank for a couple months at least I think. The bulb is about 18cm approx above him in the middle of the tank next to the basking lamp which is a 100w.

I have attached some pictures to answer your questions and for you to look at, including the tank setup

Tank Setup

Bulb placement

Bob with eyes shut (basking for a while)

Bob Shell (basking for a while)

Bob (eyes open) no redness and not much swellling?

[Tampa Bay Turtle Fan]

I am sorry but both Steve and I gave recommendations and there is only a hand selected group of members that I myself feel has over and beyond advanced expertise in husbandry , care and medical. Steve without question has way more than I do and I feel that my experience is pretty helpful as well. All I see from you is ignoring what both Steve and I had to say on the thread and bumping up the thread without acknowledging or not wanting to take the ideas at all. After viewing the new photos, I feel Vitamin A eye drops would be useful still but no one since the members do not live with you, can go to the store for you or buy them and treat your good looking turtle child for you. If you find a plan to go with that you are confortable with, please do. I am not sure what to recommend further advise unfortunately but I will recommend taking someones advise to save money or look up other treatments if you do not have the money for a vet or if you have the money, your number one ideal solution is taking it to a chosen vet. I do not see it as a big issue at all and one you can do yourself but your effort needs to be put forward where you feel comfortable. I am truly sorry but becoming discouraged on posting on this thread after feeling that you were not comfortable with steves advise nor mine. I do wish the best for you and your turtle however. Good luck and have a great day.

[Hosta]

Tampa Bay Turtle Fan..

I think you may have mis-understood me? I am extremely greatful for all your advice and I feel I have been answering your questions? I will buy some Vitamin A eye drops for sure, I was hoping to post the pictures just so you could get a better understanding of my setup!

I don't feel I have ignored your advice at all? On the contrary I have been extremely thankful that you have been able to help me!

I have replied to Steve's questions at the very top before I posted the pictures, and I thought that posting pictures would help. I am sorry that you have taken offence to this and I am slightly confused....

[Hosta]

Tampa you have totally taken this the wrong way, wow and I thought this was a friendly forum! You in fact asked to see photos, and I uploaded them for you. I thought I was being helpful and also acknowledging your advice and recommendations.

The eye drops have been ordered, sorry I didn't mention that straight away, I was hoping the pictures would have given a much better picture as to what is going on, so that I could ask your's and Steve's advice.

[Tampa Bay Turtle Fan]

It is a friendly forums and do apologize, I must of misunderstood you totally and I am sorry. I am confused a bit here and did not see proper responses it seems. I am grateful that you clarified some of your issues and thank you. I am multi tasking here yet trying to help, that is of course not your fault at all. I actually am looking at your UVB as well at the moment during my breaks. Thank you for the further acknowledgements. I will get back to you as soon as I can.

[Hosta]

Thanks Tampa!

I just thought the photos I took, maybe there will be something else that other members could point out, I definitely appreciate everybody's advice, I just want the best possible outcome for Bob!

[Hosta]

Also on closer inspection today of Bob, I have noticed a white spot on his back right leg, also on the end of his back left foot. This looks like an infection of some sort and I am getting quite worried about him now. He will swim around for a bit but he almost always tries to return to sit on the basking spot.

Is he sick?

[Tampa Bay Turtle Fan]

Repti Glow 15w from my understanding alone gives out a ratio of moderate to high UVB with basking lamp of 100w on top of the tank. You reported that the basking area goes up I take it to the mid 80's in this 60 gallon tank. You mentioned and it shows in the photo of being around 2/3 as you described. As Steve questioned on the UVB in which I understand on why he asked this question is more regarding the thought process on overheating of bob in simple terms that can lead to bobs dehydration issues possibly though I am not seeing to many signs of that other than the eyes. Bobs legs looks fine, his neck looks fine, some of bobs skin however is very questionable showing small signs of dehydration but it is not really that bad overall at the moment however it is starting to occur. I need to agree with steve on asking the question " Can you leave it off for a couple of days? " at this point, I think this would indeed help, in addition to the eye drops and if he remains in his basking area, periodic misting during this time. I DO NOT agree with bumping the temps over in his basking area up at this moment at all but do keep the room they are in warm.

Regarding these spots, closer and clear photos should be taken to go further. It may be a result of the possible internal dehydration that is starting to occur and or it may be something else. Another area I am leaning on is to create a 1 ounce water to 1 ounce pedialyte mixture and use this ratio to fill a bowl that will go over the top of Bobs plastron. Pedialyte however can be used straight if you wish but I am thinking with not knowing how long its been, to start of half and half with the electrolytes that will lead to absorption through bobs mouth and cloaca while working on refreshing Bobs skin a bit. If you are going with this treatment, I would recommend warm water to room temperature pedialyte and soak bob for 15 to 20 minutes at least once a day but you can up to twice of day based on what you see personally. Still please use the Vitamin A eye drops as well. I would also advise you to see Steves response as well. But my response here is how I myself would proceed with what I visually observe personally. Please get close up and clear photos of the legs. Once again, I am truly sorry about my post earlier, kinda a stressful day for me and reading carefully over the thread just did not seem to match. I should of gone, relaxed a bit and read over it again. That was my fault so I apologize for that .

[Hosta]

Hi thanks for the reply Tampa,

I have turned the UV bulb off yesterday (13 hours ago) and the basking lamp is still on. Do you think that 100w bulb is too much for them? They are 3 years old and it's around 12 inches above them. I will also administer the eye drops today after I pick them up, I had them ordered to a local reptile shop so I will start using them immediately.

I have taken a close up photo of Bob's foot which appears to have a white mark on. I am going to feed them today and note anything that seems odd down. I am also going to soak Bob in a Pedialyte mix after feeding him as you advised.