Shell blemishes normal?
- Thread starter lbailey4487
- Start date
I would have a little concern with the crack in the first pic
I would use a soft tooth brush, with warm water try to clean it up a bit getting anything that might be in it and then I would put some antifungal cream on it. Do this daily. If after a week, you see zero improvement, switch the cream to an antibiotic cream.
You can even try the antibiotic cream first if you want.
If you see improvement with either cream, keep using it until healed
@Yvonne G
I would use a soft tooth brush, with warm water try to clean it up a bit getting anything that might be in it and then I would put some antifungal cream on it. Do this daily. If after a week, you see zero improvement, switch the cream to an antibiotic cream.
You can even try the antibiotic cream first if you want.
If you see improvement with either cream, keep using it until healed
@Yvonne G
lbailey4487
Active Member
Thank you! What might cause it?
Hard to say. He looks very dry, he needs 30-50% humidity. Do you soak him in warm water for 30 minutes? Do this 2-3 times a month. He also needs a minimum of a 3 or 4 x8 foot enclosure.
Something could have fell on him, he could have gotten it stuck under something and cracked it push up on whatever he was under. He lives alone correct?
Something could have fell on him, he could have gotten it stuck under something and cracked it push up on whatever he was under. He lives alone correct?
lbailey4487
Active Member
And are the other spots typical?
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
This guy is in a great 8x4 enclosure they made and has followed all the forum advice
@lbailey4487 i believe I sent you the thread with that diy top idea? That’d definitely help with the humidity, generally these guys don’t need it too high, but seeing as his shell is looking a little dry, it might be handy here
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
The others just look like the average wear and tear of a wild caught, but you say they seemed to have worsened? Don’t suppose you could circle the areas in question?
lbailey4487
Active Member
His humidity is room level in some areas, higher in others. His favorite area read 52% today. I keep one hide higher by pooling water in it every couple of days. He doesn’t tend to use that area often, though. I soak him every week day for 30 minutes during my lunch. He has a large enclosure, currently 4 x 8. He has only been in it since last Thursday and is not too active in it yet, though I have found indications that he’s moved around some of the evenings. Still not eating much. I usually give him a once over before and during his soak and did not notice this spot yesterday. I tend to give him more time on Friday afternoons because I have decided it’s best to leave him at school for the weekends to minimize moves. I live 5 minutes away and could access the school should an emergency occur. I have worried about the dry look of his shell despite soaking regularly. All I can figure is that he stays under the basking light most of the day. I don’t know of anything else. Yes, he lives alone.
lbailey4487
Active Member
Pouring, not pooling. I checked pictures and the dry end humidity said 29%. That must be room humidity. Our building draws moisture and so they try to keep on top of it to prevent mold.
lbailey4487
Active Member
I’m looking back at pictures from when I got him in early October and really he only looks drier besides the crack. One spot on the top front looks kinda flaky. I circled areas I was looking at today. The last picture is from the day I picked him up. I did increase the time his basking light is on by an hour and added two hours to the UVB but not until yesterday. He does have rocks and branches in his enclosure.
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Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
I’m inclined to say if he’s under his basking light most of the time, he’s trying to warm up, this will definitely dry his shell. I’m guessing all your monitors have good temperature readings? Middle? Cooler side? Again I’m inclined to say a topper will help retain the heat better, usually if ground readings are fine in the enclosure, there’s no need for toppers with this species, but sometimes we can only go off different environmental factors and make adaptations where needed, does the building run air con?
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
If you’re unable to build a topper perhaps it’d be worth having a CHE in the middle by the ambient light, bringing the ambient temperature around 80 during the day, I’d be interested to see if that perks him up and stops him sitting under the basking light so much, but if your temperatures are reading fine and as he’s still in his settling in period, you can hold off on that for now, just a thought if all else fails
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
For what it’s worth I don’t think those areas have been caused in the time you’ve had him, he looks as though he was flaky in some areas when you got him, if areas are already flaky I imagine they’ll naturally progress a little bit, then heal, leaving the odd old healed looking dinks you can see on other parts of his shell(normal with wild caught)It could be possible the area that’s cracked was already in progress of doing that and it’ll heal over like his others have(obviously keep it clean and follow wellingtons instructions) I’d be more worried if in 6+ months he was still developing cracks and dry areas. With any luck now, the overall condition of his shell will improve under your care, this will take time and possibly the above suggestions depending on his behaviour after a few more weeks of settling
I second what Wellington and LittleRedFoot said.
His shell is quite dry and the focused light of the basking bulb makes that even more dry (kind of cooks the surface). Could you get a sheet of plastic (shower curtain from the dollar store? Some Visqueen from a builder you know?) and spread it over the top each night , like a blanket, as stop-gap measure until something better can be figured out? (Don't let it touch any of your lamps or heating devices, could cause a fire or release fumes.) It should keep some of the day's heat and humidity in overnight. As it is, that just drifts off into the room while you are gone. I'm betting the school cuts their heat down for much of the time people are not actively present and your poor little tort is chilly.
Your set-up is very nice (except I'm not fond of open-to-air tops, but that's just me). I'd love to have something similar. Good job! Gold star!
What's the tortoise's name? You should write a little book for the kids, how he came to the classroom, all the cool things about tortoises, where his ancestors evolved, etc. You could print several yourself with stapled centers to hold them together, perhaps have the kids illustrate it, and maybe add to it each year. You are creating budding herpetologists!
.
His shell is quite dry and the focused light of the basking bulb makes that even more dry (kind of cooks the surface). Could you get a sheet of plastic (shower curtain from the dollar store? Some Visqueen from a builder you know?) and spread it over the top each night , like a blanket, as stop-gap measure until something better can be figured out? (Don't let it touch any of your lamps or heating devices, could cause a fire or release fumes.) It should keep some of the day's heat and humidity in overnight. As it is, that just drifts off into the room while you are gone. I'm betting the school cuts their heat down for much of the time people are not actively present and your poor little tort is chilly.
Your set-up is very nice (except I'm not fond of open-to-air tops, but that's just me). I'd love to have something similar. Good job! Gold star!
What's the tortoise's name? You should write a little book for the kids, how he came to the classroom, all the cool things about tortoises, where his ancestors evolved, etc. You could print several yourself with stapled centers to hold them together, perhaps have the kids illustrate it, and maybe add to it each year. You are creating budding herpetologists!
.
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
Also maybe more 3-4months lol, the dryness could definitely progress if he keeps staying under the lamp, just when zooming in I could see those areas already appearing to be flaking, I guess it is possible the lamp drying it could’ve flaked them further, but I can’t say for sure that’s the case either as he’s not been with you longFor what it’s worth I don’t think those areas have been caused in the time you’ve had him, he looks as though he was flaky in some areas when you got him, if areas are already flaky I imagine they’ll naturally progress a little bit, then heal, leaving the odd old healed looking dinks you can see on other parts of his shell(normal with wild caught)It could be possible the area that’s cracked was already in progress of doing that and it’ll heal over like his others have(obviously keep it clean and follow wellingtons instructions) I’d be more worried if in 6+ months he was still developing cracks and dry areas. With any luck now, the overall condition of his shell will improve under your care, this will take time and possibly the above suggestions depending on his behaviour after a few more weeks of settling
The enclosure temp needs to be 80 during the day, only 75 on one cooler end and the basking at the other end with most the enclosure 80. Staying under basking for a long time means it's too cold and will dry them out.
Uvb needs to be on 4 hours a day, 11-3 or 12-4.
Basking and all other lights on for 12-14 hours and be bright to keep him up. Night heat/temp should be 70. It can be as low as 65 at night but I would keep it warmer at 70.
Not being there at night to know the exact temps once every one is gone is another reason tortoises should not be in schools as a class pet.
You would be better off bring him home every night and for weekends. Once he gets used to the routine, he will adapt better to it. Stopping and starting down the road will just keep setting him back. Also setting up his home enclosure as a duplicate of the one at school will help to.
Uvb needs to be on 4 hours a day, 11-3 or 12-4.
Basking and all other lights on for 12-14 hours and be bright to keep him up. Night heat/temp should be 70. It can be as low as 65 at night but I would keep it warmer at 70.
Not being there at night to know the exact temps once every one is gone is another reason tortoises should not be in schools as a class pet.
You would be better off bring him home every night and for weekends. Once he gets used to the routine, he will adapt better to it. Stopping and starting down the road will just keep setting him back. Also setting up his home enclosure as a duplicate of the one at school will help to.
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
Are you sure all that back n forth won’t further stress him? That seems like a whole lot of moving, would it perhaps be better for them to look into a smart meter?
People do it a lot with younger ones, taking them out daily for sun time.
I do it all the time in spring and fall when some days are good but maybe not all of them yet to live outside,.
I have done it for years!
I don't know anything about either basking lights or Russian tortoises. Just thought I'd mention that my Redfoot tortoises, kept outdoors because I am in the Tropics, spent a lot of time in their pool, while the sun was their "basking light". The water was half way up their shells, and it never got too hot. Later, as the day grew cooler and later, they would leave the cooling water and retire to their hide. I don't know how hot a pool of water would get under a basking light in an indoor situation. Maybe it would get hotter and hotter and be a bad thing. But being in warm water under a basking light might be a good thing to prevent the drying effect of the light?
