brittle shell!!!

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TotallyTank

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Tank is happy healthy eating well peeing and pooping, no drainage from anywhere gets at least 6 hours of sun a day!!!! That being said, there are areas between, on and around his entire carpace area, I had noticed it a few weeks ago and began to apply vita shell about 1-2 times a week. How many times a week should i add calcium powder to his food? Or what sould i be doing, not super worried YET !!!::tort:
 

TotallyTank

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I am not sure of his age but close to 10 is my guess he is 53lbs. Tanks humidity is not being monitored, I am in new Mexico, so it's usually pretty dry, but it was 70% yesterday. He comes in at night and is having no other problems at all!!
 
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Zamric

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Your pic didn't attach but I think he is to big to have somthing like Humidity issues. So what are the issues with his Carpace? in you OP you just stated...

"That being said, there are areas between, on and around his entire carpace area, I had noticed it a few weeks ago and began to apply vita shell..."
 

TotallyTank

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Zamric said:
Your pic didn't attach but I think he is to big to have somthing like Humidity issues. So what are the issues with his Carpace? in you OP you just stated...

"That being said, there are areas between, on and around his entire carpace area, I had noticed it a few weeks ago and began to apply vita shell..."

I am not super saavy on my tortoise lingo, the areas between each shell looking piece is very dry and brittle, there is a few other spots where it reminds me of shale were you could pick it apart in little layers.\
 

Zamric

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TotallyTank said:
Zamric said:
Your pic didn't attach but I think he is to big to have somthing like Humidity issues. So what are the issues with his Carpace? in you OP you just stated...

"That being said, there are areas between, on and around his entire carpace area, I had noticed it a few weeks ago and began to apply vita shell..."

I am not super saavy on my tortoise lingo, the areas between each shell looking piece is very dry and brittle, there is a few other spots where it reminds me of shale were you could pick it apart in little layers.\

The "Shell" areas are called "scutes". I call the area between the scutes..."Cuticles" (like your fingernails)

If it is the cuticle area that is looking dry and flaky and turned kind of whitish, then he may be in a growth cycle. This is the best time to use the Vita-Shell! Even tho it directs once a week usage, I ALWAYS use it when I see signs that the cuticles are active (They turn white). WalkingRock is now of a size that it is VERY expencive to rub on his whole shell so I concentrate on a good covering of only his cuticles.
 

Yvonne G

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The areas between the "scutes" is where the new growth occurrs. Its perfectly fine for you to lubricate that part. If you'd like to take a Q-tip and paint the areas between the scutes with some sort of lubrication, that would be ok. You can use olive oil, baby oil, Even Vita-Shell. But don't put it all over the whole shell. Just paint the spaces between the scutes.
 

TotallyTank

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Okay well that makes sense!!! I am still so new at this lol!!! But I love my torts like crazy!!!
 

Arizona Sulcata

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TotallyTank said:
Okay well that makes sense!!! I am still so new at this lol!!! But I love my torts like crazy!!!

You're doing great! You care tremendously about your tort and that's saying a lot. Your tort is going to be just fine in your hands! I would give you advise but everyone pretty much summed up what I would say. Haha
-Austin
 

Weda737

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I have vita shell, but I mostly just use a little vitamin E skin oil on my tortoise every now and then. I use a toothbrush and warm water to scrub off excess, He doesn't seem to mind at all and it seems to seal in moisture better. I do this right after/ during a soak. The "cuticle" area seems to stay white and soft longer when I use it. It doesn't have all that other "stuff" in it that vita shell has. And doesn't leave a waxy residue.
 
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