Damaged Shell or rot? I don't know

[TurtleMan46]

Hi, I have a box turtle from previous owner who brought him from the wild. His name is Mike!! I don't know where he was or anything like that so decided to try and take care of him.

His overall life:
He's been eating earth worms, mealworms, green & dark lettuce, strawberries. I just started to feed him green beans too, and just got him zilla box turtle food as a supplement. He used to be picky but he'll mostly try anything now. He has a UVB heat lamp and his containment is 80-85 degrees in the daytime, and at night there's no heat source so that could be an issue, I think it stays around 70. Humidity is almost always around 50% which is similar to the climate around here. I have been letting him stay in his water very often, and I don't think I've cleaned it enough, once every few days and when he poops in it. If he isn't in his water, he's almost always dug himself in his moist soil. (For many hours a day) He stays in the dirt so much I pointed the heat lamp closer to the dirt, warming him up while in it and encouraging him to find shade elsewhere.

Issue?
He had some chips on his shell when he was found and apparently had them ever since he was found in the wild. He was apparently super dried out and with a really similar shell to what he has now. Looks like he's kinda old. Anyway I'm not sure if this is a cause for concern but his chips seem to be getting a little bit worse. I think he has some shell rot because I haven't cleaned his stuff enough. I might be wrong I don't know. I'm also trying to convert most of his substrate into dirt instead of rocks. Here are all recent pictures of him. I don't have any old pics.

https://imgur.com/a/IqKL634

Thanks for any help!!!!!

 

[TurtleMan46]

Update I changed his enclosure so now it’s drier and there is no water for him to chill in right now. Just for a bit. I have the blue cup so he can maybe drink from it? The dirt is very moist right now so it’s not bone dry in there or anything. The wood log is brand new and he’s loving it, immediately hid under and doesn’t wanna come out!

Hoping this will improve him a bit

 

[zovick]

Hi, I have a box turtle from previous owner who brought him from the wild. His name is Mike!! I don't know where he was or anything like that so decided to try and take care of him.

His overall life:
He's been eating earth worms, mealworms, green & dark lettuce, strawberries. I just started to feed him green beans too, and just got him zilla box turtle food as a supplement. He used to be picky but he'll mostly try anything now. He has a UVB heat lamp and his containment is 80-85 degrees in the daytime, and at night there's no heat source so that could be an issue, I think it stays around 70. Humidity is almost always around 50% which is similar to the climate around here. I have been letting him stay in his water very often, and I don't think I've cleaned it enough, once every few days and when he poops in it. If he isn't in his water, he's almost always dug himself in his moist soil. (For many hours a day) He stays in the dirt so much I pointed the heat lamp closer to the dirt, warming him up while in it and encouraging him to find shade elsewhere.

Issue?
He had some chips on his shell when he was found and apparently had them ever since he was found in the wild. He was apparently super dried out and with a really similar shell to what he has now. Looks like he's kinda old. Anyway I'm not sure if this is a cause for concern but his chips seem to be getting a little bit worse. I think he has some shell rot because I haven't cleaned his stuff enough. I might be wrong I don't know. I'm also trying to convert most of his substrate into dirt instead of rocks. Here are all recent pictures of him. I don't have any old pics.

https://imgur.com/a/IqKL634

Thanks for any help!!!!!

You are correct in that the turtle looks quite old. The damage to the shell looks as though he may have been chewed on by a dog or other predator at some time in his life. What I can see in your photo is not shell rot, but still could be an ongoing problem if it keeps getting worse.

You could try using an antibiotic ointment on the spots to see if it helps. I would use Neosporin Ointment for a couple of weeks and see how things go. You can apply it to the affected areas a couple of times daily.

Good luck. He is a nice looking old fellow!

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Hi and welcome!!!!
Glad you’re here!!!
I’ll try to get the crew in and help but time zones are all different here so hang on to your hat. They will be along soon and my good vibes are being sent!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰

@Yvonne G
@Tom
@zovick
@Maggie3fan
@Ray--Opo
@ZEROPILOT

 

[Chefdenoel10]

You are correct in that the turtle looks quite old. The damage to the shell looks as though he may have been chewed on by a dog or other predator at some time in his life. What I can see in your photo is not shell rot, but still could be an ongoing problem if it keeps getting worse.

You could try using an antibiotic ointment on the spots to see if it helps. I would use Neosporin Ointment for a couple of weeks and see how things go. You can apply it to the affected areas a couple of times daily.

Good luck. He is a nice looking old fellow!

Haha!!
I just called upon you.
Glad you came to help!!!

 

[Ray--Opo]

Welcome to You and Mike. I don't know anything about box turtles. Mike is a cool looking turtle. I can tell you you need to give him a larger enclosure.

 

[TurtleMan46]

Welcome to You and Mike. I don't know anything about box turtles. Mike is a cool looking turtle. I can tell you you need to give him a larger enclosure.

Hi yes thank you! There's quite literally no more space to give him right now but moving soon and then he shall get a nice nice house fancier than mine!

You are correct in that the turtle looks quite old. The damage to the shell looks as though he may have been chewed on by a dog or other predator at some time in his life. What I can see in your photo is not shell rot, but still could be an ongoing problem if it keeps getting worse.

You could try using an antibiotic ointment on the spots to see if it helps. I would use Neosporin Ointment for a couple of weeks and see how things go. You can apply it to the affected areas a couple of times daily.

Good luck. He is a nice looking old fellow!

Okay. Glad it's seemingly not super serious. I will try with the neosporin and update here. Thank you for the help!! Yeah he does look old I wonder how old you guys think he is. I think like at least 20 or so?

Last thing I want to mention that's unrelated and maybe I should make a different post. He doesn't seem to poop very often like only twice a week or so, and sometimes his poop looks like a solid dead earthworm and sometimes it looks like a whole wad of horse poop its massive. Unfortunately I don't have pics but he seems to be pooping more anyway. I'll just make a new thread if he stops pooping again I guess lol

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Digestive problems could be partially because of the small space. Moving around helps turtles and tortoise digest food and poop normally. But do make a new thread if the problem arises again.

 

[zovick]

Hi yes thank you! There's quite literally no more space to give him right now but moving soon and then he shall get a nice nice house fancier than mine!


Okay. Glad it's seemingly not super serious. I will try with the neosporin and update here. Thank you for the help!! Yeah he does look old I wonder how old you guys think he is. I think like at least 20 or so?

Last thing I want to mention that's unrelated and maybe I should make a different post. He doesn't seem to poop very often like only twice a week or so, and sometimes his poop looks like a solid dead earthworm and sometimes it looks like a whole wad of horse poop its massive. Unfortunately I don't have pics but he seems to be pooping more anyway. I'll just make a new thread if he stops pooping again I guess lol

I would say that turtle is probably older than 20. I think he could be more like 40-50 going by the amount of wear on the shell. It's virtually all smooth now which would take quite a long time.

 

[TurtleMan46]

I would say that turtle is probably older than 20. I think he could be more like 40-50 going by the amount of wear on the shell. It's virtually all smooth now which would take quite a long

Wow he’s definitely a grandpa. Thanks for the info and he’s an eastern boxie right? Looks like it to me

Also im starting the neosporin today will continue to update here!

 

[Ray--Opo]

Wow he’s definitely a grandpa. Thanks for the info and he’s an eastern boxie right? Looks like it to me

Also im starting the neosporin today will continue to update here!

Thanks for taking Mike in to care for him. You are a young man, so life can change on the turn of a dime. If you get in the situation where you have troubles taking care of Mike. Please let us know, so maybe we can find Mike a good home. But hopefully you will have a long and fun experience with Mike.

 

[TurtleMan46]

Thanks for taking Mike in to care for him. You are a young man, so life can change on the turn of a dime. If you get in the situation where you have troubles taking care of Mike. Please let us know, so maybe we can find Mike a good home. But hopefully you will have a long and fun experience with Mike.

🤩🤩 Yessir. Things going well. Thank you. Wouldn’t say stable but 100% stable enough for keeping mikey. Had him for a couple months now and hes been out of the wild for less than a year at this point. He’s been doing great it seems. He used to climb the walls I guess trying to get out but he almost never does it now, he goes in and out of his dirt and water a lot always making a big mess lol. Gets super excited when he sees food and he runs actually harder and faster than I thought a turtle could. Especially at his grandpa age!!

 

[zovick]

Wow he’s definitely a grandpa. Thanks for the info and he’s an eastern boxie right? Looks like it to me

Also im starting the neosporin today will continue to update here!

It could be a very faded out Eastern Box Turtle, but it looks more like a Three-toed Box Turtle to me going by the rather uniform brownish yellow shell coloration. If the turtle came from western TN, the Three-toed Box Turtles do occur there.

Check the back feet to see how many nails are present on each foot.

 

[TurtleMan46]

It could be a very faded out Eastern Box Turtle, but it looks more like a Three-toed Box Turtle to me going by the rather uniform brownish yellow shell coloration. If the turtle came from western TN, the Three-toed Box Turtles do occur there.

Check the back feet to see how many nails are present on each foot.

So I looked and initially went omg he only has 3 toes!! Turns out he’s missing a left toenail and his right 4th toenail is very short. Weird?

 

[Ray--Opo]

Can you get pics of Mike's rear legs. I know that might be a tough ask.

 

[TurtleMan46]

Can you get pics of Mike's rear legs. I know that might be a tough ask.

I’ll look through my phone soon and see, if I don’t have any i’ll have to get pics tomorrow since his lights are off now. He likes to let his legs droop out when being held so it should be easy

 

[TurtleMan46]

Ok got a pic finally this is his right back foot definitely 4 toes on there

 

[TurtleMan46]

@Ray--Opo Hey you get to see it? Forgot to reply to you sorry!

 

[jeff kushner]

Ok got a pic finally this is his right back foot definitely 4 toes on there
View attachment 371587

That looks like one of Kerry's feet.

 

[jeff kushner]

Now that you got him stable.....he's "Fubared-shell box turtle".....LOL

He looks great though, look at his eyes, shell has done it's main job too, shields look to be at 80%!

Please keep in mind that given his way, he will be in a quiet puddle in the woods....think "wet" with box turtles.

We are all taught is school that turtles and tortoises like hot and dry...then we grow up and find that no, they don't. Turtles are different.....

They are not built for desert climates.

I gather that you are trying to make this work....and doing pretty well with him...very cool