Extra scutes??

[tortioselove101]

Hey everyone,
So I wanted to know about extra scutes, will it cause MBD? Or is it just a deformity.

 

[Eweezyfosheezy]

Its strictly cosmetic. It does not effect the tortoises health or well being.

 

[AustinASU]

It's all cosmetic a matter a fact here is my leo that has several extra and he is by far my fav

 

[jesst]

My two little ones have extra scutes. It makes them unique and is purely cosmetic.

 

[Jacqui]

To me, they make the animal more valuable and certainly more special and unique. It does not indicate poor health now or in the future. There is some thought that a very very small percentage may be hereditary. Usually it has to do more with how the egg was incubated.

 

[Julius25]

the small leo is great, that's make him unique and so nice

 

[tortioselove101]

Ok wow you guys just gave me a lot more knowledge thankyou!!! Because I have gotten a baby turtle with like one extra scute for cheaper, but then when I got him he was normal. And wow that's Leo's shell is one of the prettiest things I've seen!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Its strictly cosmetic. It does not effect the tortoises health or well being.

 

[AustinASU]

Ok wow you guys just gave me a lot more knowledge thankyou!!! Because I have gotten a baby turtle with like one extra scute for cheaper, but then when I got him he was normal. And wow that's Leo's shell is one of the prettiest things I've seen!

Thank you he is my favorite out of all my torts

 

[Madkins007]

Extra scutes are generally caused by a problem during a specific stage of embyonic development when the shell is forming. 'Mistakes' at this stage are generally not a big deal since most of the other organs are well-developed. It is almost always purely cosmetic.

There is a possibility, although a very, very small one, that the same problems that created the shell deformity might have been happening during other developmental stages and there would be internal problems- but most of the time, that sort of error results in an egg that does not hatch.

I find it really, really funny that some breeders sell these 'unique' animals for more than the normal price since it IS, by any definition, usually a birth defect.