Cracks in shell

[Fishtank307]

Hi!

I've had my Hermanns tortoise (Boettgeri) for 6 years now. Since two years I've kept her in an outside enclosure. After 'redecorating', she managed to escape (I placed a log next to the outside fence... ) I felt really stupid, but luckily I found her a couple of weeks ago! She has spent all winter outside, here in Belgium. She's doing fine now. She's eating well, is very active and she looks healthy. Except for her shell. I've notice some damage on two of her marginal scutes and a small round hole in a marginal pectoral scute. I've kept them clean and desinfected the wounds on a daily basis, with Iso Betadine. Is it something I should worry about? I haven't taken here to a vet yet, because it doesn't seem to bother her much (yet..)

Does anyone recognise this?

 

[Yvonne G]

She might have been bitten by a rat or some such while she was on 'walk about.' I think the treatment you have undertaken should suffice. Don't use Betadine anymore. Once is enough to kill any germs that may have been lurking. You can now just keep it covered with some sort of ointment. Hard to say if it will heal or just harden off and stay like that.

 

[Yvonne G]

...oh, and - WELCOME TO THE fORUM!!

 

[Fishtank307]

She might have been bitten by a rat or some such while she was on 'walk about.' I think the treatment you have undertaken should suffice. Don't use Betadine anymore. Once is enough to kill any germs that may have been lurking. You can now just keep it covered with some sort of ointment. Hard to say if it will heal or just harden off and stay like that.

Thanks for the advice! Hopefully it will heal in time. For now I'm just glad she's healthy.