Urgent Care :: My res eyes can't open

[allanyong]

Hi my res eyes can't open, is it swollen or infected ? what should i do?

[xsavingsaturdayx]

You will need to give more information:

How big is your turtle?
How long have you had it?

What is the water temperature?
Are you using a water heater?
How much water is in there?
Are you using a water conditioner?
Are you using any filtration?

What is the basking temperature?
Is there a basking light?
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on?
What kind is it or what is it made out of?
Is there a UVB light?

What have you been trying to feed it?
When was the last time your turtle ate?

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure?
Is the tank near a window?
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity?

Have you read the Basic Care section?
Have you searched the forums for similar situations?

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you have a question about a skin or shell condition, please try provide pictures of the area when it is dry.

[SpotsMama]

This item was posted in the wrong section - it should be in General Care or even Urgent Care.

It will probably get faster responses if it were in those sections. Maybe a moderator can move it.

[allanyong]

How big is your turtle? a small turtle
How long have you had it? 7 months and it is not growing

What is the water temperature? not sure
Are you using a water heater? no
How much water is in there? little just enough to cpver his shell
Are you using a water conditioner? no
Are you using any filtration? no

What is the basking temperature? not sure
Is there a basking light? no
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? no
What kind is it or what is it made out of?
Is there a UVB light? no

What have you been trying to feed it? fresh prawns he won't eat other things
When was the last time your turtle ate? yesterday nigh

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? very small
Is the tank near a window? yes
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? no

Have you read the Basic Care section? no
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? yes

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? slow growing ,sometimes no appetite

[Threepwood]

Just a few things...

You've had the turtle for seven months and yet it only has water up to its shell. It needs a whole lot more water than that. 10 gallons to every inch is best. Check the water temperature, buy a heater, a filter, set up a basking area with light, and make sure you at least try daily to get it to eat a varied diet. Pellets, vegetables, etc.

Read the sections on the website.

It's growth may be hindered due to lack of a good diet, lack of UVB rays, lack of a decent habitat. Though I'm not an expert at any of that.

Not to be harsh or anything...but you really should step up and provide the turtle with at least the basic necessities. After having it for seven months, it's long overdue.

[SpotsMama]

There are a number of reasons why a turtle's eyes would be shut:

1. Infection or irritation due to dirty water
2. Injury
3. Illness such as respiratory infection
4. Irritation due to chemicals in the water, basking lights that are too strong

In the case of your turtle, I suppose any of the first three are possible causes. Is the turtle's water not clean? Is the turtle around another turtle that could have injured it with a bite or a claw? Are there any sharp or rough objects around his tank that could have poked his eye?

If your turtle has a respiratory infection (RI) he may be showing other symptoms: lethargy (tired or baskiing all the time), poor or no appetite, breathing with the mouth open or yawning a lot, mucus around the nose or mouth. Do you see any of these symptoms?

If your turtle isn't growing, again there a number of possible reasons. One is internal parasites. Has he ever been checked by a vet for internal parasites? Another possibility is that he's sick. Another possibility is that his diet isn't adequate.

On general turtle care, you need to change a number of things if you want to have a healthy turtle. First of all, read up on all the basics on this site. There's a ton of good information. According to your answers above, in almost every catagory (basking, water level, diet, light, temperature, space) the conditions are substandard. I don't want to be negative because I know you care about your turtle - you wouldn't be here asking if you didn't - but you need to know what it actually takes to keep a healthy turtle. You probably weren't given any decent instructions on turtle care when you got your turtle - most people who sell turtles don't provide it. But it's time now to make some changes.

We are here to help. Look over this info and then come back with questions - you're bound to have a lot. Good luck.

[marisa]

You should be able to tell if your turtle's eyes are swollen---no one here can see them (a picture would be good if you can post one, though).

When did the problem start?

From what you wrote, the set-up you've provided for your turtle is grossly inadequate and his diet is highly unbalanced, which will not allow him to grow properly and which, over time, will lead to health problems as you're now seeing. Read up on what your turtle needs to be healthy, feed him a variety of foods, improve the set-up he needs. You need to do this fairly quickly to give your turtle a better chance of recovery.