Hole getting bigger on Opo's shell.

Ray--Opo

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Oct 14, 2017
Messages
7,017
Location (City and/or State)
Palm Bay Fl
Here is a pic of a some holes that are getting bigger as Opo grows.
Any thoughts?
20210505_194019.jpg
 

Ray--Opo

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Oct 14, 2017
Messages
7,017
Location (City and/or State)
Palm Bay Fl
I checked the holes on the shell. They are about 1/8th" deep. Solid at the bottom with no drainage or smell. These are on the same scute about 3/4" away from each other.
20210506_085205.jpg20210506_085222.jpg
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,405
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
There's a scrape going off to the right of each hole leading me to think something with two sharp points fell on him, landing just right in the soft new growth seam, then he walked away, causing the 'thing' to scrape his shell.

We'll never know, and I doubt there's much to be done to help it. I think each hole would have to be re-injured and scraped to expose new tissue, then tended to while new growth happens.
 

mark1

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
1,932
Location (City and/or State)
ohio
i'd get an opinion from a vet ...i'd think markw would be a good source for an opinion .... i'd guess it's like an injury or detachment to your fingernail bed ...... the reason it would get bigger is because the shell is growing and the keratin is not forming in those spots ...... possibly nothing to be done about it or needs done about it , i'd just wonder why it happened , i believe fungal , bacterial infection , and injuries are causes in people with fingernail growth problems , what the consequences are , and if it were treatable ........ i'm guessing you'd need a pretty experienced vet ....... jmo
 

Ray--Opo

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Oct 14, 2017
Messages
7,017
Location (City and/or State)
Palm Bay Fl
Is there any chance he could have knocked it some time ago and split it slightly, but the split is getting wider as he grows?
Angie
It seems to be getting worse. My wife remarked on it also that it was getting bigger.
 

Ray--Opo

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Oct 14, 2017
Messages
7,017
Location (City and/or State)
Palm Bay Fl
After reading your responses, I really noticed the area after a little over a week ago when Opo dug a burrow under the shed. I am going to check the underside of the shed and see if there are any nails or screws pointing down that he could have got caught on. While starting the burrow.
Thanks for the input.
 

Ray--Opo

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Oct 14, 2017
Messages
7,017
Location (City and/or State)
Palm Bay Fl
i'd get an opinion from a vet ...i'd think markw would be a good source for an opinion .... i'd guess it's like an injury or detachment to your fingernail bed ...... the reason it would get bigger is because the shell is growing and the keratin is not forming in those spots ...... possibly nothing to be done about it or needs done about it , i'd just wonder why it happened , i believe fungal , bacterial infection , and injuries are causes in people with fingernail growth problems , what the consequences are , and if it were treatable ........ i'm guessing you'd need a pretty experienced vet ....... jmo
I will keep a eye on it. I just had Opo to a new vet awhile back. She had a sully there that got the side of the carapace and plastrom run over by a car. The sully is their office pet because no one claimed it. Seems like she would have some input if it gets worse. But hopefully time will mend this.
 
Top