As a sulcata tortoise owner, monitoring your pet’s eyes is an important part of providing proper care. Sulcata tortoises are prone to several common eye problems that can impair vision and cause discomfort if left untreated. Being able to recognize the signs of eye issues and take appropriate action is key to maintaining your tortoise’s health and quality of life. In this article, we’ll overview some of the most prevalent sulcata tortoise eye problems and what can be done to resolve them.
Common Causes of Eye Issues
There are a few primary factors that tend to underlie most sulcata eye problems
-
Irritation – Tortoise eyes are sensitive and can become irritated by dust substrate particles, or improper lighting. Using a humid hide box and spraying the enclosure can help.
-
Infections – Bacterial viral and fungal eye infections can develop from unsanitary conditions, respiratory infection, or foreign bodies in the eye.
-
Nutritional imbalances – Diets low in vitamin A often lead to hypovitaminosis A, causing swollen eyes and other problems.
-
Dehydration – Lack of water causes eyes to dry out and swell shut as a protective measure.
-
Trauma – Accidental bumps, scratches, or foreign objects like sand under eyelids can harm tortoise eyes.
Being aware of these common underlying causes helps narrow down why your sulcata may be exhibiting eye issues. Next, let’s look at some specific problems and symptoms to watch for.
Recognizing Eye Problems in Sulcata Tortoises
Here are some of the most common eye issues seen in sulcata tortoises:
Swollen or Puffy Eyes
Eyes that appear enlarged or puffy can have several causes, from vitamin A deficiency to dehydration or trauma. Swollen eyes may be accompanied by puffy eyelids and excessive tearing. Ensure proper hydration, nutrition, temperatures, and humidity levels. Seek veterinary care if swelling persists.
Closed Eyes
A sulcata keeping its eyes clenched shut can indicate irritation from low humidity or excessively dry conditions. Try increasing warm misting and soaking time to help rehydrate the eyes and provide relief. Also check for potential respiratory illness.
Watery Eyes
Excessive tearing or watery discharge is often associated with respiratory infections that cause inflammation around the eyes. Watery eyes may be accompanied by bubbles in the nostrils and congested breathing. Veterinary treatment is required for the underlying illness.
Red or Irritated Eyes
Redness, irritation, or rubbing around the eyes signals discomfort. Possible causes include dust exposure, abrasions from substrate, harsh lighting, or foreign matter trapped under eyelids. Identify and correct the source of irritation, and use saline eye drops to flush out the eye.
Eye Discharge
Any abnormal eye discharge could indicate infection. Look for white, yellow, or green mucus, potentially with matting around the eyes. Discharge may result from vitamin A deficiency, respiratory illness, or unsanitary housing conditions. Seek veterinary advice.
Squinting Eyes
If your sulcata tortoise is squinting or keeping its eyes partially closed, this typically demonstrates an effort to relieve eye pain or discomfort, potentially from glare or irritants. Try adjusting light placement, increasing shaded hides, and cleaning the enclosure to identify and eliminate the source.
Bulging Eyes
Protruding eyes can sometimes occur in severely dehydrated tortoises as tissues shrivel around the eyes. Urgent veterinary assessment is needed to restore fluid levels and eye health. Underlying illness often contributes to dehydration in these cases.
Providing Proper Preventative Eye Care
While some eye issues may be unavoidable, focusing on prevention helps safeguard your sulcata’s vision and comfort. Try these proactive care measures:
-
Perform regular eye checks to look for problems early.
-
Offer an extremely varied, vitamin-rich diet with plenty of dark leafy greens.
-
Maintain warm, humid conditions between 60-80%.
-
Limit dust and use fine substrates like cypress mulch.
-
Ensure 12-14 hours of appropriate UVB lighting.
-
Wash hands before handling to prevent spread of bacteria.
-
Disinfect the habitat frequently to prevent infections.
-
Avoid overcrowding and poor ventilation that can encourage illness.
-
Provide daily soaks for hydration and eye flushing.
Making eye health a priority will help reduce irritants and catch issues early when they are most treatable. But even with good preventative care, problems can still crop up.
Getting Veterinary Treatment for Eye Issues
If your sulcata tortoise develops persistent eye problems, getting prompt veterinary attention is crucial. A qualified exotics vet can:
-
Accurately diagnose the underlying cause through examination and testing.
-
Prescribe appropriate medications if infection is present.
-
Provide fluid therapy, injectable vitamins, and other supportive care as needed.
-
Surgically remove foreign objects if lodged in the eye.
-
Assess for additional problems like respiratory disease.
-
Recommend adjustments to diet, lighting, or habitat to resolve the problem.
With treatment guided by a veterinary expert, most mild to moderate eye issues can be resolved and vision preserved. Just be sure to follow all prescribed medications and care instructions to help get your sulcata back to full health.
Watching for Eye Trouble Is Vital
For sulcata tortoise owners, keeping an observant eye out for any signs of eye problems is a crucial part of responsible care. By recognizing symptoms early and seeking veterinary expertise, most cases of eye swelling, infection, and irritation can be successfully treated. With attentive monitoring and prompt response, your pet tortoise’s eyesight and comfort can be maintained for years to come. Stay vigilant, and don’t hesitate to call your exotics vet at the first sign of eye trouble. Your pet is relying on you to keep a close eye on their vision health!
Natural History of Sulcata Tortoises
Sulcata tortoises are native to more northern parts of Africa, ranging from the southern edge of the Sahara down through the arid countries, including Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, the Sudan, and Ethiopia, up through the dry, hot Massaua coast bordering the Red Sea.
Captive-bred and imported Sulcatas can be found increasingly found in the pet trade. The sulcata is the largest of the African mainland tortoise, with specimens easily reaching 24-30 inches (60-75 cm) in carapace length and 80-110 pounds (36-50 kg). The largest on record was a male resident of the Giza Zoological Gardens (Egypt) who weighed in at 232 lb (105.5 kg) and measured 41.6 inches (104 cm) over the carapace (Flower, 1925, in Stearns). The oldest recorded specimen in captivity, also at the Giza Zoological Gardens, was 54 years of age.
Sulcatas come from some of the Sahel, the hottest, driest area in Africa. Some regions may not get rain for years. To make the most of available moisture, their skin is resistant to fluid loss but, when exposed to moisture, may become highly permeable. Towards this end, they will excavate pallets or burrows in the ground to get to areas with higher moisture levels; in the wild, they may spend the hottest part of the day in these microhabitats. Burrows may average 30 inches in depth; some dig tunnel systems extending 10 feet or more underground. Sulcatas are, like most turtles and tortoises native to dry areas, extremely efficient in their use of water.
In captivity, a similarly hot and dry environment must be provided year-round. Unlike the California desert tortoises, the sulcatas do not hibernate. While they can tolerate some surprisingly low temperatures, they cannot be allowed to get both chilled and wet or kept outdoors in chill, damp weather.
Behavior of Sulcata Tortoises
Sulcatas like to move around and are very strong — they must have a large area in which to freely and widely roam. Sulcatas also need to burrow away from the heat and do so by retreating to their pallets or into muddy wallows where they will stay for hours, flipping cool mud up onto their backs.
Whether housed indoors or out, Sulcatas roam about and are voracious eaters. Like many tortoises, they are also climbers. Care must be taken to assure they are not given the opportunity to climb things that are too steep resulting in their toppling over. If they flip onto their backs and are not able to right themselves, they may die. Sulcatas also need to burrow away from the heat and do so by retreating to their pallets or into muddy wallows where they will stay for hours, flipping cool mud up onto their backs.
Keep dangerous objects out of their area. Steps, dogs, raccoons, and children are among some of the dangers that must be guarded against. Sulcatas are voracious, if not always smart, eaters and will ingest anything small enough and colorful enough. Provide variety and security. Tortoises do not bask on the bare open ground. Provide a cluster of sturdy, low-growing plants they can crowd in amongst. Provide an interesting terrain by leaving (or building) some low hummocks, smooth rocks, pieces of wood, clumps of weeds, and edible plants.
This is why Sulcata tortoises die, Diagnosing and treating Illness
FAQ
What is wrong with my tortoise’s eyes?
There are a number of potential causes for the eye symptoms you are seeing, but the most common one is eye infection. Others include too much or too little vitamin A, early stage of a respiratory infection, irritation from the UVB light, or conversely insufficient UVB light.
What does a tortoise eye infection look like?
Swollen eyelids on one side only may be due to an infection, or to an injury such as a scratch from a companion’s claw or a burn from a heat lamp. If both sides are affected, this could indicate Vitamin A deficiency.
How do you treat a tortoise’s eye infection?
Treatment options for turtle eye infections vary depending on the underlying cause. Scratched or poked eyes may require topical application of non-steroidal eye medication, while Vitamin A deficiency warrants dietary adjustments and, in severe cases, veterinary intervention.
What is the ocular disease in tortoises?
Ocular inflammation
A number of tortoises can be affected by conjunctivitis after hibernation, when ocular surface bacteria have a chance to multiply without the immune system being able adequately to protect the eye during periods of low body temperature.