My turtle has puffy eyes.?

Question

My baby RES has puffy eyes, is there anything otc i can get for it? Also, I have another one in the tank with it, is it safe to keep them together?

Ok, so i went and got the drops today, and it seemed to work within the first hour. I cleaned out the tank (which i do about every other day) and seperated them. But then after about two hours after the application his eyes started to get puffy again. He's really lethargic and I'm worried, i don't think he's going to make it overnight and I am at work and can't take him anywhere till tomorrow!

Answer 1

This can indicate a dietary problem (shortage of Vitamin A), an infection (often from dirty water), or a disease.

You can try to deal with this at home, but if it does not start to clear up in about a week, seek a vet's care.

Home care:
1. Using good guidelines like http://www.redearslider.com make sure your cares and diet are rock solid! If there are problems with the basic care, then the treatment will not work right.

2. Boost tank temps about 5 degrees, from the usual 75-80F to about 80-85F.

3. Make sure the basking site is warm (about 90F) and strongly consider adding a good UVB bulb- but don't make it TOO strong! Another option is to create a 'porch tank'- a plastic tub with a good basking site and warm water that you can put outside so the turtle can sun itself. Make sure there is a shady area for it to hide in, and make sure the water does not overheat!

4. Find some good Cod Liver Oil gel caps that contain pure oil that is fat soluble. Punture a cap and drizzle it on the turtles eyes daily. Keep the turtle out of the water for about an hour after the oil.

5. Keep the tank and habitat as clean as possible. Wash your hands well, etc. before and after handling.

6. Let the turtle rest as much as possible- low noise, low vibration, almost no handling, etc.

7. Use good quality turtle pellets for food when the eyes reopen. The cheaper pellets do not contain as much nutrition or vitamins.

If this does not help in about a week, see your vet. It may take a simple shot of vitamin A and/or antibiotics depending on the cause of the condition.

Answer 2

They do sell drops that you can put in a turtle's eyes. I haven't bought them in a long time but the ones I know of were called something like Turtle Eye Clear I believe. I suggest separating them right away. If its something the other can get, you don't want them both sick, and I've also had the awful experience of healthy ones attacking sick ones. Being a baby, I would still want to have a vet see it. They are delicate when they are that young and it can be hard to save them without proper care if they are genuinely sick. I haven't really had experience with the puffy eyes, so besides the drops I am not sure what the turtle might need, and a good vet who deals with exotics would be able to help you more.
Do make sure you are keeping their water nice and clean, turts can be quite messy.

Answer 3

Eye problems can be a symptom of respiratory infection or, in fact, any other serious health problem. Watch out for other signs of respiratory problems, such as noise while breathing, floating lopsided in the water, or mucus around the nose or mouth. Any of these signs indicate a respiratory infection which would require immediate veterinary care. Red/puffy/closed eyes in combination with any other sign of ill health (anorexia, shell rot, diarrhea, extreme lethargy) is cause for concern and should be seen by an exotic animal vet. email me

Answer 4

My cousin's turtle had that once.. We took it to the vet and it was diagnosed with a bad case of "your face." Basically, the turtle becomes frightened or disgusted with your face that a condition like this appears.. Piece of advice.. Stop showing your face around it and it should get better :)

Answer 5

This frequently indicates a vitamin A deficiency.
You need to find a qualified reptile vet before it's too late, and you need to learn proper turtle care.