# Strange Circles...



## dmarcus (May 5, 2011)

Tejas has had this on his carapace since we got him but we were hoping that they would fade with a good diet and as he grew. 

So my question is....would this be considered normal and if not what are we missing?

Sorry the photo's are not better they were taken with my cell phone..


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## Jacob (May 5, 2011)

I Have Never Seen Anything Like That, Maybe It Will Fade Away in Another Couple Of Months


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## dmarcus (May 5, 2011)

I hope so, hate to think he has some underline issues..


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## dmmj (May 5, 2011)

Are you talking about the faint little white circle like things? Sorry to be so vague but they were hard for me to see.


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## dmarcus (May 5, 2011)

dmmj said:


> Are you talking about the faint little white circle like things? Sorry to be so vague but they were hard for me to see.



Yes and I took the photo's with my cell phone but they are a lot easier to see when your holding him..






Maybe this helps a little..


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## dmmj (May 5, 2011)

I just looked at my sulcata and I do not see those, but he is older, so there may be a difference, I don't think those are anything to worry about they could just be shell marks/designs.


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## dmarcus (May 5, 2011)

My older one didnt have them either thats why I was wondering. He is happy and actives, so thats all thats matters..


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## Edna (May 5, 2011)

There was a thread a while back on the same topic. My young Hermanns all have those squiggly lines, and my leopards to a lesser degree too. They seem to appear concurrent with fairly rapid growth. Don't worry about it.


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## dmarcus (May 5, 2011)

Edna said:


> There was a thread a while back on the same topic. My young Hermanns all have those squiggly lines, and my leopards to a lesser degree too. They seem to appear concurrent with fairly rapid growth. Don't worry about it.



I have seen the thread with the Hermanns and the markings were very cool, but I have not seen it with Sulcata hatchlings thats why I was wondering. Hopefully someone will have seen this on Sulcata'a before..
I am not gonna let it worry me to much....


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## ALDABRAMAN (May 5, 2011)

I have seem those before, they are normal. Should fade with age, etc...


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## TortieLuver (May 5, 2011)

Honestly, I would never have noticed if you hadn't said something. Even when I first looked at the picture, I didn't recognize it. I had to read your title again and then look at the picture again. I do see now what you are talking about. I haven't seen that on any of my Sulcata hatchlings. I just went and looked at some of them and don't see that. However some will have a little different texture/film-like look to them when newly hatched. How old is he/she now?


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## dmarcus (May 5, 2011)

TortieLuver said:


> Honestly, I would never have noticed if you hadn't said something. Even when I first looked at the picture, I didn't recognize it. I had to read your title again and then look at the picture again. I do see now what you are talking about. I haven't seen that on any of my Sulcata hatchlings. I just went and looked at some of them and don't see that. However some will have a little different texture/film-like look to them when newly hatched. How old is he/she now?



4 months on the 23rd. 



ALDABRAMAN said:


> I have seem those before, they are normal. Should fade with age, etc...



Thats good to know..


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## Mao Senpai (May 5, 2011)

I think it happens with younger torts as they are growing... possible bone matter to the scutes... I'm not entirely sure. I know one of my greeks had it and.. the other did not. But after a year or so, the lines went away slowly. But yeah I wouldn't worry about it, its normal growth.


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## dmarcus (May 5, 2011)

Mao Senpai said:


> I think it happens with younger torts as they are growing... possible bone matter to the scutes... I'm not entirely sure. I know one of my greeks had it and.. the other did not. But after a year or so, the lines went away slowly. But yeah I wouldn't worry about it, its normal growth.



I have seen photos of it on smaller torts, just was strange to see it on a sulcata...


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## Baoh (May 6, 2011)

All of my very young tortoises except for one have these markings. The ones on the contrast against my Mee's dark color stand out especially. I have always promoted growth and they seem to have always accompanied growth. They can be more difficult to see on tortoises of lighter color sometimes. I have never seen anything to indicate the phenomenon is a cause for concern.


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## dmarcus (May 6, 2011)

Baoh said:


> All of my very young tortoises except for one have these markings. The ones on the contrast against my Mee's dark color stand out especially. I have always promoted growth and they seem to have always accompanied growth. They can be more difficult to see on tortoises of lighter color sometimes. I have never seen anything to indicate the phenomenon is a cause for concern.



Okay that sounds good to me, thanks


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## Yvonne G (May 6, 2011)

We've talked about this before and no one really knows why or what. I was told once, quite a while ago, that it was just the calcium working it way through the keratin material. Don't know how true that is. At any rate, its nothing to worry about.


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## dmarcus (May 6, 2011)

emysemys said:


> We've talked about this before and no one really knows why or what. I was told once, quite a while ago, that it was just the calcium working it way through the keratin material. Don't know how true that is. At any rate, its nothing to worry about.



Thanks Yvonne, I have seen it in other post and figured it was something unique to certain torts...


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## firework (May 6, 2011)

My 1 year old Greek also has those growth marks exactly the same as on your pictures. It's related with fast growth, showed up a few weeks after I noticed the new grown bone matter between scutes.


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## dmarcus (May 7, 2011)

firework said:


> My 1 year old Greek also has those growth marks exactly the same as on your pictures. It's related with fast growth, showed up a few weeks after I noticed the new grown bone matter between scutes.



I think thats the it and everyone is in agreement...must be the Mazuri...lol


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## goReptiles (May 9, 2011)

I just sent pictures of one of my red foots plastron to a breeder. He has the same circles. She told me not to worry about it, and it should fade with age. She said that it was just growth that fades and expands as the tort grows.


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## dmarcus (May 9, 2011)

goReptiles said:


> I just sent pictures of one of my red foots plastron to a breeder. He has the same circles. She told me not to worry about it, and it should fade with age. She said that it was just growth that fades and expands as the tort grows.



It looks like everyone is in agreement about the circles and I will just have to wait and see if they fade away..


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