Shell rot and peeling neck?

[TaylorLO]

Is this scute developing shell rot? Is it just a scratch? Also, is it normal for her neck to be that color and peely? When we first got her she had a small patch that was colored lighter than her skin and ever since she's been growing more has come off and changed color.

 

[Yvonne G]

The neck is normal. The new growth between the scute is dry. How often do you soak the tortoise and is he kept in a humid environment?

 

[TaylorLO]

We soak all three of them daily. Their hide is normally 80% humidity or higher. They stay under their heating lamp almost all day when they're not in their hide and I've read that that can dry them out.. do you think that could be the problem or is it something else?

 

[Yvonne G]

How close to the top of the tortoises is the light?

 

[mini_max]

Just curious, could he be rubbing on something? Our little guy grew and had some similar markings on his most raised scutes. I realized since he had gotten larger his shell was dragging a bit on the entrance to his hide when he was going in and out.

 

[mini_max]

And changing skin color is normal. Over the time we've had max, and I think as he's gotten more hydrated as well, the coloration under his nostrils and around his mouth has gotten really dark...like a moustache and goatee. It's hilarious, we call him Zorro now.

 

[TaylorLO]

I would say the heat lamp is a little less than 1 foot and a half above them. We got the lowest wattage they had which was 50w. I always put my hand underneath just kind of to see how warm it is and it's always been a comfortable temp to me. I just didn't want to move it too far away and then they get no heat. But if that is too close then we'll definitely move it. There's nothing in their enclosure she can scrape on.. I always wondered maybe if it was her shell scraping against her neck but wasn't sure.