Help with skin changes

[Lesa]

The skin around his eyes and nose has turned a lighter color almost overnight. He is active, eating and pooping fine. No other changes. Is this normal or should I take him to see a vet? He has a 3' by 5' closed enclosure. I follow all the advice from the care sheets. Coconut fiber substrate, temps around 85 to 90 with basking spot, mercury vapor bulb. Humidity hide and I am trying to keep humidity at 80% although that has been difficult to maintain in the entire enclosure. One side tends to get lower but never lower than 50% and I have added another mister. He soaks twice a day for 15 minutes. Breakfast is a mix of grasses, weeds and greens. Dinner is mazuri soaked and sprinkled with grasses. The lighter skin area doesn't appear swollen or loose. Just lighter in color. Is this a normal part of growth?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Lesa, and welcome to the forum!

I would have had to have seen the 'before' picture to know any difference, as it looks fine to me. Perhaps he has shed a bit of skin around those areas and the old dirty skin has come off????? At any rate, I doubt this is something to go to the vet for. He looks fine to me.

You would find it much easier to containe the humidity if you cover the enclosure.

 

[Lesa]

I looked through some older pictures and it has changed color before. I have a beautiful 5 year old sulcata but this little leopard has such a different growth rate that I worry constantly. He only seems to grow around 2 grams per month. But he is active and a really good eater. I only have a small kitchen scale and sometimes he poops and loses 2 grams. My son says I need valium because I worry too much.

I do have a cover for the enclosure. Left the lid open for photo. I think the humidity problems are because of winter and the house is heated with gas. Dries everything out so I am trying to adjust my humidifiers. He doesn't like his humidity hide and prefers to sleep in the open clay pots. Thank you for your quck response. I'll keep a close eye on him and hold off on the vet for now.

 

[wellington]

I agree not much I see to worry about. However, the enclosure does look very dry. Humid hide doesn't really work well for little ones as well as a closed chamber with high humidity all over. I'm thinking it may be to hot and dry.

 

[Lesa]

Thank you! I feel so much better. I should have taken a current picture of the enclosure. I had that pic saved from when I redid enclosure a week ago. I had to pull out all the plants the humidity killed and redid the substrate etc. I hadn't misted everything down or turned on the humidifier.

It is a closed chamber. Misting with a spray bottle doesn't seem to keep the humidity high enough now that it's winter and my furnance is running. I added two small humidifiers to help but I don't need to use them 24/7. Still working on keeping it consistant throughout the enclosure. I'll get 80 near the humidifer and 50 on the outer edge.

Another question of someone knows. I have three different humidity temp monitors and each one gives a different reading in the exact same area. It can be as much as 5 degrees for temp or 10 on humidity. Two are the exact same brand. It's very frustrating. Any recommendations on brand?

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I've seen way too many skin care infomercials on late night tv. Sorry I can't help.

 

[GGboy17]

Slow your role with humidity. Tortoises come from a dry area (*unless you have a Mediterranean, but even then not 80%*) that is dry.

 

[Yvonne G]

Slow your role with humidity. Tortoises come from a dry area (*unless you have a Mediterranean, but even then not 80%*) that is dry.

Please spend some time reading our threads about the roll humidity plays in keeping a tortoise healthy. Keeping them dry is old school, and not in the tortoise's best interest.

 

[Lesa]

I'm following the care sheets pinned to top of this forum from Tom. He is doing great. I was just being a nervous first time leopard Mom.