Cut or scab on shell?

[IvantheRussiantortoise]

My Russian tortoise hasn’t been eating in a few days so I was looking over him to check if anything is wrong, and I saw something on his shell I never noticed before. I can’t tell if it’s something stuck in him or a cut, any ideas?

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't see what you're trying to show us???

 

[IvantheRussiantortoise]

I don't see what you're trying to show us???

Here, I circled it so you can see better

 

[_The_Beast_]

Here, I circled it so you can see better

Have you tried gently cleaning it with a soft cloth or toothbrush? It looks raised up from the shell, possibly like a part of the shell has been damaged and is peeled up or like something is stuck on. It's pretty hard to tell from the pictures.

Can you share information about the substrate and enclosure to help rule stuff out?

 

[IvantheRussiantortoise]

Have you tried gently cleaning it with a soft cloth or toothbrush? It looks raised up from the shell, possibly like a part of the shell has been damaged and is peeled up or like something is stuck on. It's pretty hard to tell from the pictures.

Can you share information about the substrate and enclosure to help rule stuff out?

I tried cleaning it with a toothbrush and it didn’t come off, and I peeled some of it off but it didn’t come off easily and his shell looked different under.
He has the repti bark fir bark, and he has a terra cotta bowl with water and a rock but nothing else that it seems like he could get cut on or have something stuck to him.

 

[COmtnLady]

My totoise has a couple dings like that from a corner on the rough stone I feed on. I try to keep it buried in the substrate, but... Try putting a bit of athlete's foot cream on it (cheapie brand, from dollar store) for a few days and keep an eye on it. It will take forever to fill back in. If it starts looking like it does now, do more of the athlete's foot cream for a few days. Mine is a redfoot and is in wetter conditions, so the worrying about fungal infection may only be pertinent to that, but it won't do any harm to use some athlete's foot cream.

What is the humidity in the enclosure?

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I tried cleaning it with a toothbrush and it didn’t come off, and I peeled some of it off but it didn’t come off easily and his shell looked different under.
He has the repti bark fir bark, and he has a terra cotta bowl with water and a rock but nothing else that it seems like he could get cut on or have something stuck to him.

I wouldn't peel them off anymore.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Do you have a photo of your set up? It might help us spot a potential cause

 

[IvantheRussiantortoise]

My totoise has a couple dings like that from a corner on the rough stone I feed on. I try to keep it buried in the substrate, but... Try putting a bit of athlete's foot cream on it (cheapie brand, from dollar store) for a few days and keep an eye on it. It will take forever to fill back in. If it starts looking like it does now, do more of the athlete's foot cream for a few days. Mine is a redfoot and is in wetter conditions, so the worrying about fungal infection may only be pertinent to that, but it won't do any harm to use some athlete's foot cream.

What is the humidity in the enclosure?

Okay, I’ll try that, thanks.
For humidity I spray the substrate with water daily, but I don’t know the exact number.

 

[IvantheRussiantortoise]

Do you have a photo of your set up? It might help us spot a potential cause

This is the only part with things he could get cut on.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

This is the only part with things he could get cut on.

I can see some of the edges look chipped, I’d probably consider replacing it when you’re able and sink it into the substrate more so it sits flush, it’ll get messy quicker but should hopefully help in him not scraping the edges, it makes it easier for him to use too

 

[COmtnLady]

This is the only part with things he could get cut on.

That looks like its a saucer that's been used for plants before. Due to the terracotta being porous it may have absorbed some of the chemicals from fertilize that isn't good for your tortoise to be exposed to. And as was said above, it should be countersunk into the substrate so that the rim is flush with the surface of the substrate. Having to crawl up and over the edges is a good candidate for what dinged up your tortoise's plastron.

Also, spraying is ineffective for humidity. The better way would be to have the lowest inch or two of substrate be wet-ish so that the moisture evaporates up through the upper layers of substrate and keep a more even humidity situation. Spraying the top layer causes it to act like a swamp cooler. It evaporates off faster and cools the temperatures down more than helps with humidity.

 

[IvantheRussiantortoise]

I can see some of the edges look chipped, I’d probably consider replacing it when you’re able and sink it into the substrate more so it sits flush, it’ll get messy quicker but should hopefully help in him not scraping the edges, it makes it easier for him to use too

Good idea, thanks!

 

[IvantheRussiantortoise]

That looks like its a saucer that's been used for plants before. Due to the terracotta being porous it may have absorbed some of the chemicals from fertilize that isn't good for your tortoise to be exposed to. And as was said above, it should be countersunk into the substrate so that the rim is flush with the surface of the substrate. Having to crawl up and over the edges is a good candidate for what dinged up your tortoise's plastron.

Also, spraying is ineffective for humidity. The better way would be to have the lowest inch or two of substrate be wet-ish so that the moisture evaporates up through the upper layers of substrate and keep a more even humidity situation. Spraying the top layer causes it to act like a swamp cooler. It evaporates off faster and cools the temperatures down more than helps with humidity.

Good to know, I will change that.