# sunburn or ???



## mightymax (Sep 26, 2015)

Hi. I've had my desert tortoise for about 6 years now which makes her approx. 15 years old (according to the person I got her from, so who knows?). Anyway, I've been watching the color of her skin lately and have begun to notice that it looks like it's becoming 'darker' on the top of her head on the tops of all four limbs. It's almost like she's getting slowly sunburned because the softer flesh that attaches her limbs for her shell is still a much lighter color. She lives full time (when not in hibernation mode) in our backyard where there are many places for her take refuge from the sun as well as several areas where she can get her whole body into a pool of water. So my question is this...Could she possibly be getting sunburned (we've had some extremely hotter than usual days this year) or could this change be due to her getting older or do you think she could be ill (she eats just fine, it active and doesn't seem at all sick or different in any other way) or ???
Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## wellington (Sep 26, 2015)

@Yvonne G can help


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## SunnySideUp (Sep 26, 2015)

I don't know much about desert tortoises specifically, but it would make sense to me that a tortoise's skin would darken in response to more sun or an especially sunny season. Its the same sort of response you or I would have to increased sun exposure. We would tan. The body responds to an increase in UV radiation by producing more melanin (the pigment in your skin) to absorb the light. This protects the underlying tissue from cancer-causing UV rays. 

If everything else about your tortoise seems normal and healthy, I don't think this type of change in coloration should be any indication of a problem. Yvonne may certainly have something more pertinent to say, however, since she knows desert tortoises much more than I do.


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## mightymax (Sep 27, 2015)

@SunnySideUp ... Thank You for laying my concerns about Cali's health to rest. You described with words exactly what I was thinking in my head when I first noticed that her skin was darkening. I thought to myself, 'So that's what she's doing when I see her flat as a pancake on the sun baked dirt, limbs all hanging out every which way, head and neck twisted so unnaturally as to appear broken...you're sunbathing, you little stink...lol !!!

Thank you all who took the time to read my post and respond because even though I pretty much knew the answer to my question while I was writing it, it's always more convencing to have it told to you by other, more experienced tortoise keepers, such as yourselves !!! 
Thanks TTF.

@wellington ... Thank You for suggesting Yvonne G.'s name. I will certainly try to get in touch with her. You can never have too much information about these guys, if you ask me. Thanks again.


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## TigsMom (Oct 11, 2015)

Having two DT's that are approximately 18 years old (rescued at 2 yrs old from improper owner care), I can tell you that the coloring darkening is normal especially from Juvenile to Adult. Outdoors is healthiest for them. Natural Sunlight is perfect compared to artificial lighting indoors, so long as they can find cover in burrows and landscaping they'll be do great in extreme heat (even here in hotter than heck Arizona). Sounds like yours is thriving well! Not sick, not sunburned, Thriving. I'm thinking you're doing a fabulous job with your DT!


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## Yvonne G (Oct 11, 2015)

Your tortoise's skin looks completely normal to me. It stands to reason the the exposed skin will harden off and become less sensitive as it's exposed to weather, dirt, etc.

I love desert tortoise's eyes, and yours eyes are neat.

Incidentally, the long gular suggests to me that your tortoise is male. Are you sure it's female?

(Another member here who is very conversant in desert tortoise care is @ascott )


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## ascott (Oct 11, 2015)

mightymax said:


> Hi. I've had my desert tortoise for about 6 years now which makes her approx. 15 years old (according to the person I got her from, so who knows?). Anyway, I've been watching the color of her skin lately and have begun to notice that it looks like it's becoming 'darker' on the top of her head on the tops of all four limbs. It's almost like she's getting slowly sunburned because the softer flesh that attaches her limbs for her shell is still a much lighter color. She lives full time (when not in hibernation mode) in our backyard where there are many places for her take refuge from the sun as well as several areas where she can get her whole body into a pool of water. So my question is this...Could she possibly be getting sunburned (we've had some extremely hotter than usual days this year) or could this change be due to her getting older or do you think she could be ill (she eats just fine, it active and doesn't seem at all sick or different in any other way) or ???
> Any help would be greatly appreciated.
> View attachment 150132
> View attachment 150133



Beautiful tortoise...skin will naturally darken as well as the shell will also smooth and wear (especially if the tortoise is lucky enough to naturally burrow) smoothly....what color is your dirt? Here we have brown to reddish clay with some sandy loam areas...


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