Eye stuck shut?

[beardie mom]

We have a new little beardie who seems healthy and active, but this morning he woke up and one eye seems stuck shut. I dribbled a little bottled water on it and also used a q-tip to gently clean around it... but he can't or won't open it. He's about 6 weeks old, we think. Any ideas?

 

[Sadie]

We have a new little beardie who seems healthy and active, but this morning he woke up and one eye seems stuck shut. I dribbled a little bottled water on it and also used a q-tip to gently clean around it... but he can't or won't open it. He's about 6 weeks old, we think. Any ideas?

Use some saline solution to rinse the eye NO contact lens stuff regular saline--- what are you using for a UVB ? NO coils they cause all kinds of health issues along w/ eye issues

 

[beardie mom]

It's a T-8 bulb, no coils.

Okay, I have some plain saline, so I'll rinse it off. If it still doesn't open, does this warrant a vet visit?

 

[Sadie]

It's a T-8 bulb, no coils.

Okay, I have some plain saline, so I'll rinse it off. If it still doesn't open, does this warrant a vet visit?

Lets figure out if its the lighting first --- also what are you using for a substrate? NO sand it causes impaction and harbors bacteria -- please take a pic of the eye and post -- is it one eye or both?

 

[beardie mom]

It's just one eye. We have just newspaper down.

 

[Sadie]

It's just one eye. We have just newspaper down.View attachment 25249

Oh dear he is little ---- newspaper is good what about the UVB? If its a coil - which would be in a dome please get rid of it----------- this could be the cause and coils are NO good --- what are you using?

 

[beardie mom]

Oh dear he is little ---- newspaper is good what about the UVB? If its a coil - which would be in a dome please get rid of it----------- this could be the cause and coils are NO good --- what are you using?

It's not a coil, it's a T8 bulb.

 

[Sadie]

It's not a coil, it's a T8 bulb.

Ok is it a Reptisun 10.0 T 8? - that will need to be changed out in 6 months --- I recommend 5--- your T 8 needs to be in the tank w/ NO cover over the bulb if it has one and it needs to be 6-8 inches directly above the basking decor --- wash the eye out w/ some saline and then get some raw unpasteurized honey Manuka works good -- mix w/ a little warm water for some consistency use a Q tip and apply to the eye --- make sure there are NO crickets in the tank they will go straight for the eye -- the honey is a antibacterial and will kill infection -- if you need help w/ hanging the hood let me know I will post some things to hang w/

 

[beardie mom]

I rinsed it with saline and he was able to open it, yay! Now he seems to be mostly holding it shut but he at least opens it when I go in so he can look at me. For his lunch, I had to use feeding tongs with his crickets because he was running with his head sideways to try to catch them and that wasn't very effective, poor thing. Maybe he'll be able to keep his eye open enough to catch his dinner later.

I bought regular raw unfiltered honey; our grocery store didn't have manuka. I don't want to hurt his eye more if it's sore, so do you think that's fine? Or should we maybe go to the vet for eyedrops (if that is even a thing for lizards)?

 

[Sadie]

I rinsed it with saline and he was able to open it, yay! Now he seems to be mostly holding it shut but he at least opens it when I go in so he can look at me. For his lunch, I had to use feeding tongs with his crickets because he was running with his head sideways to try to catch them and that wasn't very effective, poor thing. Maybe he'll be able to keep his eye open enough to catch his dinner later.

I bought regular raw unfiltered honey; our grocery store didn't have manuka. I don't want to hurt his eye more if it's sore, so do you think that's fine? Or should we maybe go to the vet for eyedrops (if that is even a thing for lizards)?

They do prescribe eye drops - keep applying the honey -- just do not leave any crickets in the tank -- If you haft to disable the crickets so he can catch them --- pull a leg off of them and put them in his salad --- your UVB is a Reptisun 10.0 T 8?