Extra Scutes?

[brookeekoorb]

Googling and coming across classifieds with Tortoises with extra scutes, just curious is there any special needs or health concerns with a tortoise that has extra scutes? Is this just a birth defect?

I'm not looking to buy one with extra scutes.. but I'm not looking to not lol does that make sense? Mostly just wondering since it keeps popping up and I guess it doesn't hurt to know more

 

[stells]

No special needs or health concerns... its purely cosmetic and is caused by incubation temps being high or it can be down to genetics... i have a few with extra scutes that have never had any problems...

 

[brookeekoorb]

Thank you Good to know!

 

[GBtortoises]

Along with what Kelly said, I also have a few wild caught adult tortoises with extra scutes so it does occur in the wild also.

 

[Kristina]

Purely cosmetic. Some of them actually look quite interesting. It doesn't hurt them or cause any issues.

 

[brookeekoorb]

I agree, the pics that came up the shells did look interesting. Now that I know what it looks like it's obvious to tell.

Purely cosmetic. Some of them actually look quite interesting. It doesn't hurt them or cause any issues.

 

[TortieLuver]

I agree with the above posts and have also heard that many people actually pick the ones at times with irregular scutes out of the clutch when looking because it is a little different or unique.

 

[Redfoot NERD]

This is one of the most extreme I've seen/hatched. Have no idea why.. maybe high-temps during incubation? The 'splits' were virtually the same on the Costals ( both sides ) and over the Vertebrals ( back-bone ) -

As I recall the female that produced this hatchling has had a few others with split-scutes.. but nothing like this before or since [ this was from '08 ].

NERD

 

[TortieLuver]

Nerd~ was the baby normal size with normal size yolk sac?

 

[GBtortoises]

Terry-That is a very unique tortoise! I have never seen one like it. Do you happen to have a photo from the top?