Common box turtle shell problem

KalieAlb21

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Nov 24, 2021
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Louisiana
I live in Louisiana. This box turtle has been hanging around my sidewalk for a few days. It appeared 3 days ago, disappeared, then reappeared again today. It seemed well enough until I got a closer look at its shell and noticed a piece of its carapace missing on the left side. I picked it up to see the condition of its plastron. The plastron looks unwell to me. Can someone provide me any insight.
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KalieAlb21

New Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2021
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Location (City and/or State)
Louisiana
Thank you for your response. I was thinking the same thing. If there’s any intervention needed, I’m willing to help the little fella out. I have a sulcata. I found her after hurricane Ida. When found she was in poor condition but is doing fantastic now. So I have a little experience in caring for a tortoise.
@Yvonne G @Maggie3fan or @DoubleD1996! Should be able to help. I'm not an expert however it looks like an animal chewed on it. It is a male because of the concaved bottom. Looks older too
 

DoubleD1996!

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I live in Louisiana. This box turtle has been hanging around my sidewalk for a few days. It appeared 3 days ago, disappeared, then reappeared again today. It seemed well enough until I got a closer look at its shell and noticed a piece of its carapace missing on the left side. I picked it up to see the condition of its plastron. The plastron looks unwell to me. Can someone provide me any insight.
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Definitely looks like it was attacked by an animal, but these seem to be old wounds that have healed.
 

Yvonne G

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It's an old, healed chewed event.
 

zovick

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Thank you for your response. I was thinking the same thing. If there’s any intervention needed, I’m willing to help the little fella out. I have a sulcata. I found her after hurricane Ida. When found she was in poor condition but is doing fantastic now. So I have a little experience in caring for a tortoise.
I agree with Yvonne. Those injuries are very old and have healed to the extent that they were able to heal in the wild. There is nothing which can be done now which will be of any help.

Give the turtle some food if you wish and just let it be a wild box turtle that lives in or near your yard.
 

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