Urgent Care :: New RES dropped accidently

[Arual]

Well, let me start with I got him yesterday and before the accident he blinks with just one eye at times and closes just one at times. Any advice as to why he does this?

And on with explaining the accident. I put him on the table, but turned my head for one second and he fell off the table. Id say it was about 2 feet feet fall down to the hard wood floor. He seems to be alright, but should I be concerned as to him being hurt?


Thanks.

[SpotsMama]

On the fall, that's a pretty hard fall for a turtle. You don't see any external injuries? If there's any bleeding then it needs immediate attention. If you can't see any injury on the outside, then keep a close watch over him for the next few days to make sure there's no internal injuries. Watch for bloating, distress, any bleeding from mouth, nose, cloaca, loss of appetite. Hopefully he'll be ok. They're pretty tough.

On the eyes, sounds like he's suffering from some mild eye irritation. It can be caused by a lot of different things - too much chlorine in the water, too much water conditioner, water that isn't clean, vitamin a shortage, the onset of illness. Try some Zoo Med Turtle Eye drops. Just following the directions on the box. I've used them from time to time and they are good.

[marisa]

If there's no visible injury, just keep an eye on him.

I don't know if there's anything wrong with his eyes from what you wrote (does he rub at the eye with his paw at all?), but my turtles will sometimes blink with and close only one eye. Usually it's the eye that's closest to me when I'm looking at him. Are the eyes swollen at all? Any rubbing?

[oobie58]

Happened to me 2 days ago. I was dry docking him and when I got home from open house at my school, he was not in the box. He had fell 4 feet (sounds pretty harsh) to the ground and it looked like he was having a ball in there. It looked like he had wondered through the whole office. There was a Christmas tree in there so he had those little plastic things all over him. I think he was crawling around in the tree. His shell was not cracked. He ate the next day so I am not to worried.

[steve]

Definitely re-check the shell. It might be easy to miss something since the shell is dark. Do any of the limbs seem to be sensitive? Swollen?

[Arual]

He doesn't rub his eye nor are they swollen. From the fall he isn't bleeding, don't see anything wrong with him. I'll just keep an eye on him for the next couple days.

Thank you

[Arual]

Definitely re-check the shell. It might be easy to miss something since the shell is dark. Do any of the limbs seem to be sensitive? Swollen?

Nope, seems fine.

[Arual]

If there's no visible injury, just keep an eye on him.

I don't know if there's anything wrong with his eyes from what you wrote (does he rub at the eye with his paw at all?), but my turtles will sometimes blink with and close only one eye. Usually it's the eye that's closest to me when I'm looking at him. Are the eyes swollen at all? Any rubbing?

Just today I saw him rubbing one of his eyes.

[marisa]

Does he do it frequently or did he do it just once or twice? The same eye? Does he do it when he's been basking for a while or when he goes into the water after he's been basking?

[Arual]

Twice, from what Ive seen him do today. Same eye, into the water after basking.

[marisa]

It's possible that the eye has become a little dried out from basking and he's reacting to that.

[Arual]

It's possible that the eye has become a little dried out from basking and he's reacting to that.

Okay thanks, and well just incase I looked at Wal-mart for drops, but found none.

[marisa]

If you're looking for Zoo-Meds eye drops, you have to buy them at a petstore. Petco and Petsmart both sell them. I'd keep an eye on the rubbing and if the eye starts looking irritated buy some.