# Sulcata Shell Rot



## aclesi11 (May 19, 2014)

Hello,

Recently I noticed a few odd looking spots on the plastron of my sulcata. Does this look like shell rot?

Thanks


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## Yvonne G (May 20, 2014)

Hi Albert:

Yes, it looks like the start of shell rot. Add a dry layer of cypress mulch to the top of your enclosure so the tortoise isn't sitting on wet substrate.


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## aclesi11 (May 20, 2014)

Besides adding the dry cypress mulch, should I begin any sort of treatment such as anti-fungal cream? Thanks


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## Yvonne G (May 20, 2014)

Can't hurt.


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## aclesi11 (May 20, 2014)

Do you think it would be a bad idea to replace his coconut coir bedding with the cypress mulch rather than only a top layer?


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## Tom (May 20, 2014)

Shell rot is VERY uncommon in sulcatas. I've never seen it. Now I'm not saying Yvonne is wrong (Because she usually isn't), but shell rot seems unlikely. I see you are using coco coir. Is it really wet all the time? What is your enclosure like? Temps? Does your tortoise ever go outside for sunshine?

I see the spots, but I don't know what it is. I have no experience with shell rot, but I have lots of experience with sulcatas on wet substrate, so I find it interesting. Yvonne is a smart cookie, so I'd take her advice, but I would like to take this opportunity to learn more about how this happened or if it really is a case of shell rot in a sulcata.


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## chelseamuz (May 20, 2014)

Does anyone know anything about turtles?


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## Dizisdalife (May 20, 2014)

chelseamuz said:


> Does anyone know anything about turtles?


If you have specific questions you would get more direct responses to them by starting a new topic. You might want to go to the section of the forum dedicated to turtles and read some of the threads there. Here is a link to that section.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/categories/turtles.97/


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## Tom (May 20, 2014)

chelseamuz said:


> Does anyone know anything about turtles?



I can say with 100% certainty that the answer to your question is yes.


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## Team Gomberg (May 20, 2014)

Looks like that start of shell rot to me. Treat it with some athletes foot cream. Wash your tort, apply a dab of the cream to the affected area, then keep him on a paper towel in a tub for the next hour or 2. By then all the cream should be absorbed/gone and he can go back into the habitat. Do this for a few days.

@Tom I couldn't believe it but 1 of my baby Leopards got shell rot! I was stunned but there was no doubt, it was a start of shell rot. My coco coir in the closed chamber is damp but not at all soggy. Plus, I have sphagnum moss in there with dry areas. It's the only 1 to experience that out of...13.. or so babies that have gone through my care.
It was slightly worse than the OPs photos so I did a few applications of athletes foot cream regime I listed above and it stopped. There is a "scar" on the plastron showing where the shell rot was but it hasn't come back.


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## aclesi11 (May 21, 2014)

Tom, the coco coir is fairly damp in his enclosure. I have the ideal warm and cool temperatures for his enclosure and he goes outside daily for a few hours at a time. I have been having difficulty achieving adequate humidity in his enclosure without having the substrate damp.

And everyone, thanks for the suggestions. I have begun treating him for the shell rot. Should I be worried about him ingesting the medication during his soaks?


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## Cowboy_Ken (May 21, 2014)

I'd figure the medication would be minimal if you apply the cream after the soaks and then 24 hours go by.


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