My Tortoises Shell

[hermy]

hey,
I wonder if anyone can explain what is wrong with my tortoises shell I thought he was pyramiding but cant see any other pics of tortiose like this

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Hermy:

Welcome to the forum!!

May we know your name and where you are?

It looks to me as if he suffered some sort of injury (light too close or something) when he was very small and now its growing funny. Might be some of the parts are dead. He's a beautiful tortoise, though.

I'm going to send this link to one of our more well-versed tortoise keepers for his opinion. Keep checking back and you'll get some answers.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

I'm thinking that Yvonne is right...little thing's shell was damaged somehow...

How old is it and what's it's SCL length.

Is it eating normally and in other ways seemingly normal?

 

[Mao Senpai]

I wonder if it's MBD...

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. You certainly have some abnormal growth there. My first guess would be MBD. What do you do for UV and calcium supplementation? Where are you? How much sun does he get?

 

[bikerchicspain]

I am thinking MBD through either lack of calcuim or the wrong diet causing rapid growth.
Still cute though,
I have a tort whose shell is very mangled, he was attacked by a dog before i rescued him..

 

[Maggie Cummings]

It's kind of hard for me to tell the picture being upside down and all, but I also have a Hermanni and her spine looks like that and her Vet said it's Scoliosis. Mine also has neurological deficits and walks on the sides of her feet. Her name is Queenie and she looks just like your tortoise...

 

[Madkins007]

I think I am with Maggie- that looks more like a birth defect than a growth issue. I would suggest a good vet and x-rays.

 

[Shelly]

I would suggest a good vet and x-rays.

Why? What could possibly be done to treat it at this point?

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

I would suggest a good vet and x-rays.

Why? What could possibly be done to treat it at this point?

Possibly nothing, but it could also help make sure there's no other health problems or stabilize whatever problem(s) there might be.

 

[Shelly]

I would suggest a good vet and x-rays.

Why? What could possibly be done to treat it at this point?

Possibly nothing, but it could also help make sure there's no other health problems or stabilize whatever problem(s) there might be.

I think it would be safe to assume that if the tortoise is active, eating and behaving normally, that there are no other health issues.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

I would suggest a good vet and x-rays.

Why? What could possibly be done to treat it at this point?

Possibly nothing, but it could also help make sure there's no other health problems or stabilize whatever problem(s) there might be.

I think it would be safe to assume that if the tortoise is active, eating and behaving normally, that there are no other health issues.

I'm very fond of my pets, so if something is not quite right, I take them to the vet, as I, myself, haven't a degree in veterinary medicine.

Tortoises can be very sick yet take years to show symptoms, and sometimes by the time they do, it's too late.

 

[Madkins007]

While I don't go for the 'take them to the vet for every little thing' philosophy, I do think it makes sense when something is very odd, like this.

A good X-ray and vet can help determine if the spine is at risk, if the diet and cares are correct and helping the tortoise, if there is a realistic chance of problems down the road, etc. If it finds something- you are armed with better knowledge. If it finds nothing, you are reassured.

I generally agree that "if the tortoise is active, eating and behaving normally, that there are no other health issues", but I can list a dozen things that can be wrong with an active, eating tortoise that can cause severe health issues without even cracking my Mader's medical book: herpesvirus, cancer, goiter, septicemia, lower tract respiratory infection, nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism, hypervitaminitis A or D, hypo-vitaminitis A or D, iron deficiency, and of course, shell rot.

You can argue that some of these eventually change the animal's behavior or feeding, but that is mostly in the later stages of most of these. Sadly, by the time many animals LOOK or ACT sick, it is often pretty severe.

 

[GBtortoises]

Looks like a tortoise that was raised on low or incorrect calcium ratio, lack of D3 along with too much protein in the diet. The growth shown in the photo of this Hermann's tortoise is absolutely typical of the above symptoms.

 

[hermy]

Thank you for your advice everyone,
I have a really got vet who specialises in tortoise's so I will take him to investigate further just wanted to find out some options first. I do use a UV light and neurobal and reptative regularly.

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And i forgot to say in response to his age he is 3

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Thank you for your advice everyone,
I have a really got vet who specialises in tortoise's so I will take him to investigate further just wanted to find out some options first. I do use a UV light and neurobal and reptative regularly.

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And i forgot to say in response to his age he is 3

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Hope all works out well for the little guy.