Shell rot on bottom and pyramiding?

[rltwaddle]

Just acquired a Russian tort from my sister, they were unable to take care of him because they had a baby. So I got his tank set up and let him soak in some shallow water for a little bit and decided to take a closer look at him. It appears that his bottom is peeling and potentially have shell rot. Wasn't sure if this was the case or not, his substrate is somewhat damp, which I should dry it out some more. What would be a good way to do that ?

Also what are the signs of pyramiding and a healthy grow ring/ shell?

 

[rltwaddle]

Some closer pics of potential problem areas

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi rltwaddle:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!


what would you like us to call you?

And may we know appx. where in the world you are?

It takes some really, really, I mean REALLY bad care to make a Russian tortoise pyramid. You don't have to worry about that. And at your tortoise's size, he doesn't need a moist substrate. Just add some more substrate (dry) to the existing, and allow what's there to dry out. The light will do that in no time for you.

What you see on the plastron might be old shell rot. Its hard for me to tell in the picture. It would not be harmful if you treat it as if it were an active case. Clean it well. I use chlorhexidine (you can buy it at the pharmacy). Dry it and apply athlete foot creme to the spots.

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Yes, I see better in your second set of pictures. When cleaning the shell, pay particular attention to the areas UNDER the edges. Use a toothbrush.

 

[rltwaddle]

Thank you. Should I peel of any of the really loose plastron? And how often should I apply this method in a day/week? About how long will it take for this to heal? Any other methods that will help?

 

[Yvonne G]

No, don't peel any of it off, some parts might still be attached strongly.

It doesn't take too long for the creme to clear it up. A week at the most. Clean the spots well and apply the creme daily. It wouldn't hurt to apply it twice a day.

 

[rltwaddle]

Thanks again for the help.