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Tidgy's Dad

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Can you find a care sheet? I can’t find a link that works.
someone’s put a post up about flaky skin near the eye.
 

Mystic_Queen (Llaria)

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Thank you
 

JoesMum

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Greek tort is a spur thigh isn’t it? A new post someone saying flaky skin near eye. I found care sheet for Greek tort says spur thigh in brackets. I hope I’ve given right one. Is this the correct sheet link for a spur thigh?
Flaky skin is just old skin peeling off.

All animals shed skin. Snakes do it tidily in one go, humans do it in tiny pieces that become house dust and torts do it in patches looking downright tatty at times.

Advise to leave well alone. No potions or treatment required. It will rub off as the tort goes about its business. I had a Greek for well over 40 years. Leave well alone :D
 

Mystic_Queen (Llaria)

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Flaky skin is just old skin peeling off.

All animals shed skin. Snakes do it tidily in one go, humans do it in tiny pieces that become house dust and torts do it in patches looking downright tatty at times.

Advise to leave well alone. No potions or treatment required. It will rub off as the tort goes about its business. I had a Greek for well over 40 years. Leave well alone :D
Yep I didn’t think it was anything to worry about. I knew they shed. But wasn’t sure how it worked with a tort. I have read posts about it on here. Some people say soaking helps with when the skin is peeling which is why I mentioned about soaking. As I know a lot of people on here say soaking is a problem solver for a fair few issues torts can face.
 

JoesMum

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Yep I didn’t think it was anything to worry about. I knew they shed. But wasn’t sure how it worked with a tort. I have read posts about it on here. Some people say soaking helps with when the skin is peeling which is why I mentioned about soaking. As I know a lot of people on here say soaking is a problem solver for a fair few issues torts can face.
Soaking is a waste of time for shedding skin.

The skin being shed is already dead and just needs to peel away naturally. If pulled it might tear away new skin too.

Soaks are for hydration and should always be done frequently
- in hot conditions
- if the tort can’t or won’t soak itself,
- when the tort is very young
- when the tort is sick
- when the tort isn’t eating for any reason.
 

Golden Greek Tortoise 567

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Soaking is a waste of time for shedding skin.

The skin being shed is already dead and just needs to peel away naturally. If pulled it might tear away new skin too.
Soaks are for hydration and should always be done frequently in hot conditions if the tort can’t or won’t soak itself, when the tort is very young or sick and when the tort isn’t eating for any reason.
Isn‘t soaking also used for tortoises who are really dry? Or is that just a myth?
 

JoesMum

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Isn‘t soaking also used for tortoises who are really dry? Or is that just a myth?
Really dry as in dehydrated not really dry as in shedding skin. Skin is shed a s anatural process. There’s nothing wrong.

We have oils in our skin and skin can get dry of those oils... moisturiser, not water, helps that.

Tortoises don’t have oily skin.

Some people recommend rubbing oil into the shell and/or skin of a tort. This brings them up like a piece of varnished wood, but is cosmetic at best and potentially blocking the natural pores in the shell at worst. I actively discourage it.

The old boys like my Joe and the tortoise in that thread look good with their natural matt finish as acquired through years of rubbing through things.
 

Golden Greek Tortoise 567

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Really dry as in dehydrated not really dry as in shedding skin. Skin is shed a s anatural process. There’s nothing wrong.

We have oils in our skin and skin can get dry of those oils... moisturiser, not water, helps that.

Tortoises don’t have oily skin.

Some people recommend rubbing oil into the shell and/or skin of a tort. This brings them up like a piece of varnished wood, but is cosmetic at best and potentially blocking the natural pores in the shell at worst. I actively discourage it.

The old boys like my Joe and the tortoise in that thread look good with their natural matt finish as acquired through years of rubbing through things.
Yes I don’t use the coconut oil either, I don’t think they need any shine up. They are beautiful just the way they are. ?
 

Mystic_Queen (Llaria)

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Really dry as in dehydrated not really dry as in shedding skin. Skin is shed a s anatural process. There’s nothing wrong.

We have oils in our skin and skin can get dry of those oils... moisturiser, not water, helps that.

Tortoises don’t have oily skin.

Some people recommend rubbing oil into the shell and/or skin of a tort. This brings them up like a piece of varnished wood, but is cosmetic at best and potentially blocking the natural pores in the shell at worst. I actively discourage it.

The old boys like my Joe and the tortoise in that thread look good with their natural matt finish as acquired through years of rubbing through things.
So when our torts shed is it best to avoid soaking while they are shedding?
 

JoesMum

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So when our torts shed is it best to avoid soaking while they are shedding?
No. Soak as usual. Don’t do anything different.

Water will take oils off your skin, but there aren’t any to remove from a tort.

What I am trying to say is that there is no point recommending soaking for skin shedding because it does nothing. It’s not harmful, but it’s not helpful. Inexperienced people will start assuming you HAVE to do things when actually they’re completely unnecessary.

Recommend soaking a tortoise for the reasons given above :)
 

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