Help!! Urgent! (white spots)

[turtlebrad]

My DBT is haveing weird spots on her shell, im not able to tell if its normal peeling or shell rot or anything else. Her living conditions are very good. Eats right, basks, clean water everything. The spots are white, no blood, its not soft. Any help or input is loved! Thank you.

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: Help!! Urget!

If you think the spots are fungus, you can add some salt to the water. I can't remember the exact amount, but someone will correct me if I'm wrong...a teaspoon per gallon.

 

[LeoCraze]

RE: Help!! Urget!

The scutes are concave, suggesting a calcium/uvb problem, which could also explain the spots. Aside from just basking, is it getting any sun or simulated sun such as a mercury vapor lamp? What's the diet?

 

[turtlebrad]

Help!! Urget!

There are 2 cuddle bones in her water that she bites from time to time. Heat lamp at basking area. No large source of uvb though, there is a uvb blub for lightin the whole tank but not above the basking area

 

[LeoCraze]

RE: Help!! Urget!

UVB is needed to produce Vitamin D3 photochemically, which is then used to properly metabolize calcium. So just having the cuttlebone or calcium supplement without a proper UV source is useless. I would just get the turtle outside and sunbathe during the day for the next couple of weeks if the weather is good. That would improve the condition. In the long term, you need to make sure that it gets consistent UV lighting, either raise them outdoors or getting a good UVB light source indoors (which also needs to be replaced after a period of time).

 

[turtlebrad]

Help!! Urget!

Thank you so much. Is a fluorescent bulb a good source of uvb?

 

[LeoCraze]

RE: Help!! Urget!

Specially designed fluorescent lights, marketed to provide UVB for reptiles, is fine. But again, the best and cheapest way is to let your turtle enjoy natural sunlight whenever possible.

 

[turtlebrad]

Help!! Urget!

Okay, thank you!

 

[Anthony P]

RE: Help!! Urget!

I agree with LeoCraze that UVB is a very important element in long term turtle keeping. It's as important as anything, and probably has contributed to what you are seeing with your turtle now.

But just to add to what Yvonne said, adding aquarium salt to DBT setups can be a great help in captive situations. Years ago, I used aquarium salt in a DBT setup I had, and since then I have used the salt in every single aquatic setup I have kept. The results have been great and I've never looked back. I get a little angry thinking way back to a turtle I lost to a fungal infection, when it can be so easily avoided by the addition of salt and by other means for some other species.

 

[adamlikesbananas]

I agree with LeoCraze that UVB is a very important element in long term turtle keeping. It's as important as anything, and probably has contributed to what you are seeing with your turtle now.

But just to add to what Yvonne said, adding aquarium salt to DBT setups can be a great help in captive situations. Years ago, I used aquarium salt in a DBT setup I had, and since then I have used the salt in every single aquatic setup I have kept. The results have been great and I've never looked back. I get a little angry thinking way back to a turtle I lost to a fungal infection, when it can be so easily avoided by the addition of salt and by other means for some other species.

How much salt do you add?