Shell rot/hatchling issues?

[milkandsam]

Hi! I recently acquired a hatchling Greek tortoise. I noticed when I received him that he had some lines on his plastron. Being a first time tortoise owner, I didn't think much of it. However, now there is a small black spot next to it and I'm afraid I have a mbd or calcium deficiency. His plastron seems a little squishy. He has a power sun uvb/heat/light lamp that is on for a substantial amount of the day. His diet consists of dandelion greens and endive. I have tried spring mix (minus the spinah) and he will eat a bite of it and then refuse to touch it anymore. His substrate is coco coir and cypress on top.
Thoughts? Solutions?

 

[Tom]

The lines are normal. I don't know whether the color is normal for your type of greek at this age, or if its something else. Given how you are housing him with UV, it seems like it would only be normal color. The plastron should have some give to it. It should feel like a plastic butter tub lid. If it feels more like a sponge, then you might have a problem.

Your diet should consist of two dozen items or more. Broadleaf weeds, leaves, succulents and a variety of flowering plants should be offered. Because tortoises are creatures of habit, and they will pick out their favorites, it will take some time and effort to get them on to new and better foods. Start by finely mincing up their favorite foods, and then mince up a small amount of the new food. Mix them all together really well and offer it. Keep doing this until your tortoise starts to eat it all up, and then gradually increase the ratio of new food to old. It may take months to accomplish this, but since your tortoise will live for decades, you have time to get him eating a good diet. Here are some suggestions:

Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food

Good luck!

 

[milkandsam]

Phew! Thank you so much! My fiance and I have only had him for a week, so we are planning on gradually introducing more foods. I think I have been reading so much about shell rot and other shell issues that as soon as I noticed something slightly different I freaked out! Do you have any suggestions on how to get other foods? I am in Kentucky so right now any leafy things are covered in snow.