Shell Rot Care

[fivelouies]

Hello, I have a three toed box turtle that is around 8 years old. She lived in a tiny bucket with a lightbulb and has a severely deformed shell. When I got her, I built an enclosure that is 4x8 and used topsoil/peat for bedding. She has a heat mat under her hut. UVA/UVB lighting. She will not eat greens due to always having dried food but eats mealworms, cucumbers and a few blueberries.
I read she needed more humidity than she presently had so I added a humidifier to help. She stopped eating, went straight to vet and she has shell rot and blushing. I’m dry docking her at 90 degrees and soaking for 30 minutes every other day. She is on chloramphenicol and meloxicam, plus iodine wash once a day.
After reading many posts on here I think I’m the cause of this with the humidifier. I also don’t think I’ve kept her warm enough nor have I used a ceramic heater at night.
Any input is helpful, I want to do my best to keep her. I’ve added pics

 

[Ink]

Thank you so much for helping her. Welcome to the forum. Please take the humidifier out of the enclosure. Can you post pictures of her enclosure now? What type of heat mat are you using and lighting? @Yvonne G @Maggie3fan @Markw84 and @DoubleD1996! Should be able to help you.

 

[fivelouies]

Presently she is in a 5 gallon tank with the walls blacked out for dry docking. The heat mat is a 120v with a green dry pad on top.

 

[fivelouies]

This is the lamp I have been using

Reptile Heat Lamp, Dual Head Basking Light with Cycle Timer, Dimmable UVA Reptile Light for Turtle Tortoise Lizard Snake Bearded Dragon and More, 4 Bulbs (2PCS 25W + 2PCS 50W)​

 

[jaizei]

This is the lamp I have been using

Reptile Heat Lamp, Dual Head Basking Light with Cycle Timer, Dimmable UVA Reptile Light for Turtle Tortoise Lizard Snake Bearded Dragon and More, 4 Bulbs (2PCS 25W + 2PCS 50W)​

You should stop using this light; it's unlikely that it's making UVB, but if it is, it's not a safe source.

 

[DoubleD1996!]

Well, as far as the shell rot, cleaning it with the iodine or even diluted peroxide works.

As cliche as it sounds, there's also a product called turtle fix by api that will help with shell rot.

You want to keep her in a sterile environment until it improves. Something like paper towel or a substrate that can easily be cleaned or removed.

Heating her at night isn't necessary. Ambient temperature will be fine. The set up you mentioned before sounds great.

As far as diet, you want it to be varied. They're omnivores, so try incorporating things like superworms, mealworms, isopodes, dubia roaches, earth worms, raw chicken, chicken hearts, clover, blue berries, strawberries etc.

They aren't keen on veggies, but will eat it on ocassion. I like sneaking them in a box turtke mash. A diet I feed maybe once a week that consists of a grounded meat, like turkey or chicken, a berry such as mulberrybor blue berry, and egg with shell, and chopped up veggies like dandelion green along with a multivitamin.

As far as lighting, maybe a zoomed 13 watt uvb bulb paired with the ceramic heat emitter. However, the natural sun is your best friend. If you can this spring, build her a secure, predator and escape proof outdoor set up with a canopy and plenty sun.

 

[fivelouies]

You should stop using this light; it's unlikely that it's making UVB, but if it is, it's not a safe source.

What light would you suggest?

 

[fivelouies]

Her enclosure is in my sunroom and she gets sunlight everyday if she wants it, sans winter weather. I do feed her mealworms, I started a mealworm farm for her . I will purchase the lamps and the turtle fix. Just for clarity, you only feed once a week or add that mix to feeding? Of course right now, she won’t eat.

 

[fivelouies]

How many watts on the emitter?

 

[Ink]

I feed my box turtle everyday because he is indoors.

 

[Maggie3fan]

She won't eat because you have changed things for her. (90 is really too hot for a box turtle 80 to 85) is better, and using iodine as an initial wash is fine...but betadine or iodine kills the white blood cells needed for regrowth so only 1 wash...also as for the shell rot, use a fungal cream like is for athlete's foot...box turtles like fruit...black, rasp, blue and strawberries are favorites melons, cooked squash... you've already been told about the live food... you can also use live minnows for box turtles...She will always be deformed, I have 2 like that...they aren't very pretty, but box turtles are a lot of fun...they are semi aquatic and love to swim...You will, no doubt enjoy her...welcome and I feed daily...in the wild they would eat something everyday...

 

[fivelouies]

She won't eat because you have changed things for her. (90 is really too hot for a box turtle 80 to 85) is better, and using iodine as an initial wash is fine...but betadine or iodine kills the white blood cells needed for regrowth so only 1 wash...also as for the shell rot, use a fungal cream like is for athlete's foot...box turtles like fruit...black, rasp, blue and strawberries are favorites melons, cooked squash... you've already been told about the live food... you can also use live minnows for box turtles...She will always be deformed, I have 2 like that...they aren't very pretty, but box turtles are a lot of fun...they are semi aquatic and love to swim...You will, no doubt enjoy her...welcome and I feed daily...in the wild they would eat something everyday...

My vet said for her to heal she needs to be held between 80-90 degrees when dry docking

 

[fivelouies]

Vet also said to betadine for two weeks, keep dry after. Wouldn’t the fungal cream keep it wet?

 

[Ink]

My vet said for her to heal she needs to be held between 80-90 degrees when dry docking

Just so you know, @Maggie3fan and her sister @Yvonne G have been rehabilitated, and cared for over a hundred of turtle and tortoises. They are very knowledgeable.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Vet also said to betadine for two weeks, keep dry after. Wouldn’t the fungal cream keep it wet?

I don't blame you at all for listening to the Vet...BUT...to be an exotic Vet they have to have spent several more years in school...most don't. I have explained my personal experience in rehabbing box turtles and I know it works...You do what you think is best.

 

[fivelouies]

My vet is an exotic vet but also realize he treats all types of animals. I am not questioning you, I just want to make sure I don’t make it worse. I’m at the point of realizing I know enough to be dangerous and now no confident in how I’ve cared for her the past three years.

 

[fivelouies]

Not