Craigslist Diamondback Terrapin

[method89]

https://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/for/d/brooklyn-diamondback-turtle-for-sale/6940936652.html

The turtle's shell clearly doesn't look right, or is it just me? I'm barely a tortoise guy let alone a turtle guy.

 

[Moozillion]

https://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/for/d/brooklyn-diamondback-turtle-for-sale/6940936652.html

The turtle's shell clearly doesn't look right, or is it just me? I'm barely a tortoise guy let alone a turtle guy.

I don't keep these myself, but I agree with you: that shell doesn't look right.
I'd be interested to see what more experienced keepers say. @Markw84 @Toddrickfl1

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Definitely doesn't look normal. Maybe aa buildup of retained scutes? I cant really say for sure though.

 

[Markw84]

That is the reverse of pyramiding. I've sometimes seen that with captive raised Diamondback Terrapins. I believe it is a result of keeping them in fresh water instead of brackish. When you do that, the osmotic pressure always causes the turtle to swell and absorb water as it is evolved to be living in brackish. It often doesnt seem to bother the turtle, but the turtle looks fat as a result, but it is just retained water. The added pressure of the retained water in all the tissues would tend to push up on the new scute growth of a young turtle and could make it look like that.

 

[Moozillion]

That is the reverse of pyramiding. I've sometimes seen that with captive raised Diamondback Terrapins. I believe it is a result of keeping them in fresh water instead of brackish. When you do that, the osmotic pressure always causes the turtle to swell and absorb water as it is evolved to be living in brackish. It often doesnt seem to bother the turtle, but the turtle looks fat as a result, but it is just retained water. The added pressure of the retained water in all the tissues would tend to push up on the new scute growth of a young turtle and could make it look like that.

If the turtle is moved to a brackish environment, will that help at all? Or will it always look like this?

 

[Yvonne G]

"Found on the beach"????? I thought this was a protected species.

 

[method89]

That was my first thought... My second thought was that this turtle was in bad shape