Overfeeding Aldabra?

[Levi the Leopard]

Is it possible the plastron crack could have been caused by living on plain plywood instead of substrate?

I know it's a mystery and people are chiming in to try and help you solve it.

I don't remember your housing specifics but I'm pretty sure you're the one who uses plywood indoors, no substrate. Right? I think you did it with your leopards too..

Just trying to offer more suggestions or pieces to the puzzle.

 

[ben awes]

hi Heather, Yes, mine lives on plywood when indoors (except his humid hide which is cyprus mulch), and i caught a lot of flack for it! but how exactly would plywood cause a plastron crack? do you have some theories about the plywood? i know some folks don't like plywood, but that seems a bit of a stretch to me.

unfortunately a cause has not been discovered, and worse - no solution! i think some type of epoxy patch, but all i here is that this can risk infection because of trapped bacteria. then why do epoxy patches exist! just clean the shell properly before the patch! its like saying infection is a risk with surgery - yes, but that doesn't mean you don't operate!

 

[wellington]

hi Heather, Yes, mine lives on plywood when indoors (except his humid hide which is cyprus mulch), and i caught a lot of flack for it! but how exactly would plywood cause a plastron crack? do you have some theories about the plywood? i know some folks don't like plywood, but that seems a bit of a stretch to me.

unfortunately a cause has not been discovered, and worse - no solution! i think some type of epoxy patch, but all i here is that this can risk infection because of trapped bacteria. then why do epoxy patches exist! just clean the shell properly before the patch! its like saying infection is a risk with surgery - yes, but that doesn't mean you don't operate!

I always wondered though, if patching it now, while still growing, probably more rapidly then when a few years older, if it would cause more problems, or would the patch stretch along with growth?

 

[Levi the Leopard]

hi Heather, Yes, mine lives on plywood when indoors (except his humid hide which is cyprus mulch), and i caught a lot of flack for it! but how exactly would plywood cause a plastron crack? do you have some theories about the plywood? i know some folks don't like plywood, but that seems a bit of a stretch to me.

unfortunately a cause has not been discovered, and worse - no solution! i think some type of epoxy patch, but all i here is that this can risk infection because of trapped bacteria. then why do epoxy patches exist! just clean the shell properly before the patch! its like saying infection is a risk with surgery - yes, but that doesn't mean you don't operate!

No real evidence to lead to my suggestion of the plywood... Just trying to think outside the box.
I've heard it said that tortoises kept on concrete can be rough on them...But no clue if that transfers to plywood, another hard, flat surface.

I wasn't trying to offend you with my suggestion. Although I'm not a personal fan of the plywood bottom, my bringing it up as a possibility was solely in trying to help you consider more possibilities. Maybe others have seen cracks from tortoises kept on flat surfaces? Maybe not?

Still hoping you figure it out. Uncle Bri is a cool looking dude

 

[wellington]

I always wondered though, if patching it now, while still growing, probably more rapidly then when a few years older, if it would cause more problems, or would the patch stretch along with growth?

Oh and all my tortoises floors are painted plywood. I will be covering it with shower liner, but that's just because the caulking is just not holding up. I have no shell problems from the wood floors. Wood floors in the shed. They go outside daily when weather/temps permit.

 

[ben awes]

No real evidence to lead to my suggestion of the plywood... Just trying to think outside the box.
I've heard it said that tortoises kept on concrete can be rough on them...But no clue if that transfers to plywood, another hard, flat surface.

I wasn't trying to offend you with my suggestion. Although I'm not a personal fan of the plywood bottom, my bringing it up as a possibility was solely in trying to help you consider more possibilities. Maybe others have seen cracks from tortoises kept on flat surfaces? Maybe not?

Still hoping you figure it out. Uncle Bri is a cool looking dude

Hi Heather, you certainly did not offend me - no worries there. I certainly appreciate any suggestions of possible cause, I was just hoping for reasons for your suggestion. I did not mean to offend you either! . I do think plywood has gotten a bad wrap and I have not read any real reason why. It is not a hard surface and not comparable to concrete. Their natural habitat, from my understanding, has a fair amount of sharp lava rock - not a soft surface. I've raised several tortoises on plywood and have not had any issues with health or shell issues. I tried a dirt/sand mix, but you cannot keep out spiders/bugs, and micro dust filled the house. I can appreciate using bark and mulch for holding humidity, but it's not great to walk on, especially for a young tort, and hides poop! I would imagine any substrate can harbor bacteria - plywood as well. My vet did not feel that the split in Uncle Bri shell showed any infection or bacteria, but she did not take a "sample" yet or do anything except look at it.

I will certainly keep the forum updated about what I find out but please don't hesitate to make suggestions, and if you have more thoughts on the plywood please bring it up!

I am surprised that Tom paints his plywood - I would think that would be a big no no because of eating paint chips, and would be slippery, etc. But clearly it would be easier to clean. It's working for him, so maybe something to consider!

 

[ben awes]

I always wondered though, if patching it now, while still growing, probably more rapidly then when a few years older, if it would cause more problems, or would the patch stretch along with growth?

HI Tom, thanks for the comments. Regarding a patch, I guess I don't understand the concern? Maybe I don't understand how shells grow! I thought that tortoise shell scutes add rings like a tree. Once the rings have been laid they don't change in size any longer? is that not what happens? The split I am dealing with does no cross a growth line so in our case a patch would stay within a scute. I am also thinking that maybe just a very small patch across the split just where the split begins real close to the growth line. The point would be to attempt to hold the shell together as it "leaves" the growth line. Maybe if it can get started (as Yvonne suggested) without splitting, then new growth would stay together? Still waiting for more vets to weight in who might have encountered this before.

Thanks!, Ben