Growth spurts.....

[eric joranson]

Is the red line that goes through the center of the plastron; that appears during growth spurts; actually some sort of blood supply that is supplying the shell with nutrients for growth? I notice that is branches off at each plate. And on that note I would point out that my tortoise has gone from 284 grams to 472 grams in the past 30 days; I'm guessing it is in some sort of growth spurt. It's been like someone has been changing tortoises on me, in that the change is actually visible..

 

[Markw84]

Yes, it seems on the plastron where there is little pigment to the keratin of the scutes, the newly expanding seams often appear that way. I would conclude that it is the blood supply we see in the epithelium where the scute keratin has not yet filled in enough to cover it.

Notice on the carapace, those seams look white and are noticeably softer. As they grow, the bone beneath is expanding, separating the scutes. There is a layer of tissue with a rich blood supply between the bone and the scute - the epithelium. So we are seeing those areas as the keratin is just beginning to fill in. On the plastron, with little pigment, it is quite transparent at first.

 

[eric joranson]

Yes, it seems on the plastron where there is little pigment to the keratin of the scutes, the newly expanding seams often appear that way. I would conclude that it is the blood supply we see in the epithelium where the scute keratin has not yet filled in enough to cover it.

Notice on the carapace, those seams look white and are noticeably softer. As they grow, the bone beneath is expanding, separating the scutes. There is a layer of tissue with a rich blood supply between the bone and the scute - the epithelium. So we are seeing those areas as the keratin is just beginning to fill in. On the plastron, with little pigment, it is quite transparent at first.

exactly the kind of expert response I expect here; thanks for the information. With your permission I would like to quote this information on Facebook site.

 

[Markw84]

exactly the kind of expert response I expect here; thanks for the information. With your permission I would like to quote this information on Facebook site.

Sure, Eric.

 

[Bee62]

@Markw84

Sorry for asking again, but this white line on the side of the carapax of my little growing tort is a growth line too ?

 

[Markw84]

@Bee62 I see that quite a bit and to me it looks like a similar thing like marbling on a redfoot. On a sulcata it is just in a few isolated areas and seems to color in in a few weeks. I'm guessing just a variation in the way pigment fills in. I've only seen it in faster growing sulcatas.

 

[Bee62]

@Bee62 I see that quite a bit and to me it looks like a similar thing like marbling on a redfoot. On a sulcata it is just in a few isolated areas and seems to color in in a few weeks. I'm guessing just a variation in the way pigment fills in. I've only seen it in faster growing sulcatas.

Thank you for your answer.
Yes this little tort is growing fast. I was worried because the white line is a little bit soft. I bought a new UVB bulb and today my torts have been outside for a couple of hours. But when you say it is only marbeling I am reassured.
Thanks again.

Sabine