How do I know if my tortoise has an eye infection?
Symptoms. A runny eye, or an eye the turtle keeps rubbing, could be a sign of irritation or injury, especially if only one eye appears infected. Cloudiness in one or both of your turtle’s eyes, excessive discharge or swollen eyelids are all signs of possible illness and/or vitamin deficiency.
How do you treat a swollen turtle’s eye?
Put an ultraviolet-B emitting bulb, such as a Zoomed Reptisun 5.0 or a Powersun, over the enclosure and make sure it is on for at least 8 hrs a day. Feed a good quality pellet designed for aquatic turtles and insects (pieces of earthworms).

Why are my tortoises eyes swollen shut?
Eyelids swollen shut are often a result of vitamin A deficiency. The liver stores vitamin A in the hatchling. As the body uses it up, the hatchling tortoise may show signs of hypovitaminosis A if the nutrient is not replenished in the diet.
Why do tortoises eyes watery?
If a tortoise appears healthy but has watery feces it could be a sign of a parasitic disease and should be checked and treated. A nasal discharge and watery eyes may be a sign of a respiratory infection. Gaping and forced exhalation are common symptoms of pneumonia.
Can tortoises get eye infections?
Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the eyelids, and is often caused by a bacterial infection. Tortoises that have been in hibernation will sometimes wake up with sore eyes. You can try initially bathing the eyes with lukewarm water on cotton wool before taking him to the vets to get his eyes checked.

How do you treat a respiratory infection in a turtle at home?
Sometimes, just increasing the temperature in the enclosure will make your turtle feel better until it can be seen by a vet. 2 Increasing the humidity is also helpful in loosening up any debris in your turtle’s respiratory tract, just like a humidifier or vaporizer helps you when you have a cold.
How do tortoises get vitamin A?
Omnivores turtles also need chopped vegetable salads that are rich in Vitamin A, such as winter squash, sweet potatoes, red peppers, and parsnips. These veggies can be added to dark leafy greens for a good balance.
Why does my tortoise Pee white stuff?
Reptiles also have one more type of excretion product, called urates or uric acid. This is the end product of protein digestion and is also stored in the urinary bladder as a creamy, off-white pasty semi-solid. When the tortoise urinates, it will pass the liquid urine and the semi-solid urates at the same time.
How can you tell if a tortoise is dehydrated?
How To Tell If Your Tortoise Is Dehydrated And What To Do To Help Them
- Reduced, thickened, or whitish urine.
- Dry faeces.
- Dry, loose and flaky skin.
- Sunken or watery eyes.
- Loss of appetite.
- Weight loss.
- Lethargy, depression, lack of activity.
- Thick, ropey mouth mucus.
How do you treat a respiratory infection in a tortoise?
Antibiotics will be used if it’s a bacterial infection, and anti-fungal and anti-viral drugs are also available. The prescribed treatment will need to be combined with any recommended changes in the tortoise’s environment or care, as advised by your vet.
How can I tell if my tortoise is dehydrated?
Why does my tortoise have an eye problem?
A bit of detective work and common-sense will soon sort out whether the eye problem that your tortoise or turtle is suffering from is because of an infection or an injury. To begin with, it is unlikely to be an infection if it is only on one side.
Do you need to keep an eye on your Russian tortoise?
It’s very important that you are aware of what illnesses Russian tortoises may contract or develop. You need to keep an eye on your tortoise because any changes in appetite, behaviors, or overall routine may indicate an illness is developing. The most common health problems that a Russian tortoise may contract are very minor.
What kind of health problems do Russian tortoises have?
Internal parasites are most common with wild-caught and imported Russian tortoises, but captive ones may also have internal parasites, so it’s always a good idea to have a fecal test on new tortoises. Roundworms are common to tortoises and will usually cause diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, and a lack of appetite.
Can a tortoise have an ear abscess?
It’s quite common for pet tortoises to have eye problems, although as responsible owners we should try to prevent this as far as we possibly can. Tortoises are known to suffer from eye swelling if there is a problem with their environment. They are also prone to ear abscesses, which can also lead to their eyes swelling.
A bit of detective work and common-sense will soon sort out whether the eye problem that your tortoise or turtle is suffering from is because of an infection or an injury. To begin with, it is unlikely to be an infection if it is only on one side.
It’s very important that you are aware of what illnesses Russian tortoises may contract or develop. You need to keep an eye on your tortoise because any changes in appetite, behaviors, or overall routine may indicate an illness is developing. The most common health problems that a Russian tortoise may contract are very minor.
Internal parasites are most common with wild-caught and imported Russian tortoises, but captive ones may also have internal parasites, so it’s always a good idea to have a fecal test on new tortoises. Roundworms are common to tortoises and will usually cause diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, and a lack of appetite.
Why does my tortoise have a bacterial infection?
It may happen due to the contamination of water where they dwell or drop in humidity. Vets generally administer antibiotic eye drops to treat the disease. Another kind of a bacterial infection, also known as mouth rot which is self-explanatory and is caused either by Pseudomonas or Aeromonas, both a type of bacteria.