Russian tort shell problem. Help please!

[chhalark]

Hello, This is our Russian tortoise that we've had for almost a year. He has a UV light, a heat lamp, a humidified terrarium, coco bark to burrow. He eats mostly red fruit, with calcium + and - D3 sprinkled on his food. He is soaked daily for 15min. He has seen a vet for his shell issue, but the vet did not seem too concerned, gave some red liquid to apply, and things are just getting worse. The top part of his shell looks normal. The bottom has scales all along the seams, and is very soft. It looks very scarred, for lack of a better description. He seems to behave normally, eats, walks around. Any suggestions would be helpful! It just looks so awful on his shell, and we'd hate to cause long term damage because of something we did/didn't do for him. Thank you!

 

[CathyNed]

Hey there. Thats not a Russian you've got there. Redfoot? It looks like he has shell rot to me but maybe some of the more experienced keepers will chime in here. @Tom @Yvonne G

 

[chhalark]

Hey there. Thats not a Russian you've got there. Redfoot? It looks like he has shell rot to me but maybe some of the more experienced keepers will chime in here. @Tom @Yvonne G

Yes! Redfoot. I apologize. My husband is the reptile guy, and I apparently don't retain specifics.

 

[Kasia]

Hello, This is our Russian tortoise that we've had for almost a year. He has a UV light, a heat lamp, a humidified terrarium, coco bark to burrow. He eats mostly red fruit, with calcium + and - D3 sprinkled on his food. He is soaked daily for 15min. He has seen a vet for his shell issue, but the vet did not seem too concerned, gave some red liquid to apply, and things are just gtoweletting worse. The top part of his shell looks normal. The bottom has scales all along the seams, and is very soft. It looks very scarred, for lack of a better description. He seems to behave normally, eats, wlks around. Any suggestions would be helpful! It just looks so awful on his shell, and we'd hate to cause long term damage because of something we did/didn't do for him. Thank you!
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Shell rot - he has it on his neck as well as on the shell bottom, and his a red foot tortoise - try clotrimazolum ointment/cream or any available fungus foot cream, some are diluted Terbinafine Hydrochloride solutions. Change your Vet to a reptile specialist. During the treatment put him on dry paper towels - moisture will do no good. Good luck

 

[chhalark]

Shell rot - he has it on his neck as well as on the shell bottom, and his a red foot tortoise - try clotrimazolum ointment/cream or any available fungus foot cream, some are diluted Terbinafine Hydrochloride solutions. Change your Vet to a reptile specialist. During the treatment put him on dry paper towels - moisture will do no good. Good luck

Thank you! So we would apply the cream and let it dry while he's on paper towels, then put him back into his normal habitat? Or he needs to be on paper towels 24/7 until he is healed??

 

[Kasia]

I would go for first week or two 24/7 on paper towels.

 

[jockma]

I've dealt with advanced rot before and kept him on substrate but the substrate needs to be dry, at least the top layer does. Paper towels would definitely be easier and more convenient. It looks like he has a lot of rot buildup so if I were you I'd also scrape some of it off, then use diluted betadine to give it a wash (one time only) and apply the athlete's foot cream twice daily until it clears up. It can take days, weeks, even months, just stay on top of it and it'll go away. I also recommend applying the cream for a few more days after the rot seemingly clears up to completely ensure the fungus has been eradicated.

You should also look into how this happened in the first place so it doesn't reoccur, usually this is caused by substrate being too wet. You can take half of the substrate and dry it out in the sun, in an oven etc then put it back on top.

 

[jockma]

I'd also feed less fruit and more weeds, ie dandelion, and leafy greens, too much fruit gives them runny poop

 

[Gillian M]

Welcome to the forum!

Shell rot caused by wet substrate.

 

[Tortugatron]

You found it! Welcome to the forum. Good luck with your tort and don't be afraid to ask any questions you may have. The people here are great.