Eye Problem...

Hi everyone -

My beardie Spike is showing a weird symptom. I'm not sure that it is an ER problem, but I figured I would post it here just in case. When Spike blinks his right eye, I can see the inside pink tissue come out. This doesn't happen with his other eye. It is not the eye bulging thing because I have seen him do that, although he has been eye bulging lately (just in case that is relevant here). The eye and the area around it do not appear swollen. He keeps his eye shut sometimes but other times leaves it open. The other behavior he is showing is rubbing his head against his rock like he does when he sheds. From what I can tell, he isn't shedding on his face right now though. He also just came out of brumation.

He has been eating fine, ate salad and meal worms this morning and also made a bowel movement. I use both a calcium supplement and a "multivitamin" supplement on his food. He has all the proper terrarium stuff including carpet substrate, incadecent light and UVB florescent bulb.

Please let me know if this is something normal or if he needs to go to the vet. I don't mind taking him, I just don't have a lot of extra money and would rather not spend it to have a vet tell me it's normal :lol:

Thanks everyone - Bekah

I don't know.. but here are some ideas and questions!!

Inside pink coming out where? Under the eyelid?
Is he on a particle substrate that could somehow have irritated his eye?
Did the rubbing come from the pink tissue problem?
Is there anyway that some of his shed could be stuck around there?
What kind of UVB tube do you have and how close can your beardie get to it?

Hope we can help!

- Kerry

Inside pink coming out where? Under the eyelid?
- the pink comes from the front of the eye (nostril side of eye) to the back and covers the eye when he blinks (the pink tissue fills the area where his eye lids would close, although the eye can be completely shut). It kinda reminds me of the second eyelid that cats have...except this is the pink tissue you see come out when they eye bulge.

Is he on a particle substrate that could somehow have irritated his eye?
- he has carpet flooring so I don't think so...but there are some stray cat hairs in there from my cats. Possible that a cat hair irritated his eye? We also smoke in the room???

Did the rubbing come from the pink tissue problem?
- not sure about this..he does it when he sheds but I don't think he's shedding on his face

Is there anyway that some of his shed could be stuck around there?
- I just took cold water and q-tips and cleaned the area around the eye...I didn't see anything. Also let some cold water trickle over the area to clean out any irritants I can't see.

What kind of UVB tube do you have and how close can your beardie get to it?
Zoo Med 5.0 UVB bulb, he's in a small cage but he has the option of being about 6 inches away from it (on top of his rock) or about 19 inches away from the bottom of the cage, its a screen top.

THANKS!

As it turns out the best advice I have is that I know who to refer you to!
PM Drache613, her name is Tracie she's extremely nice & knowledgeable. I believe she's in vet school... or something along those lines.