Shell rot remedy confusion

[Skip K]

A few weeks ago noticed a very tiny raw spot on my smaller Redfoot in the growth lines between the costal and marginal scutes. Figured it was from the occasional ramming by other torts. Debrided, cleaned with antiseptic...applied neosporin and a coating of liquid skin to keep flies from the wound. It healed up quickly. Noticed my larger Redfoot has multiple small spots now in the same areas on both sides and one on the plastron. I have debrided best I can...washed with antiseptic and applied neosporin again. I am isolating the Redfoot in a dry enclosure for now. I believe this is a result of the Redfoots using moist burrows and staying in them because of the intense heat. I’ve read many TF threads about shell rot but there seems to be too much info. Betadine, methylene blue, nolvasan, foot fungus medicine, etc. Since I’ve never run in to this issue before...kinda overwhelmed with the best course of action to use while I figure out how to eliminate this recurring. Input appreciated....

 

[Blackdog1714]

Atheletes foot creme works well. Cheap dollar store brand or big store brand

 

[Yvonne G]

And try to present a humid environment without them having to live on a wet surface.

 

[Srmcclure]

My che dries the top layer of cypress and when needed, I add water into the corner of my closed chamber so the rest is still dry, but it traps that moisture for humidity.

 

[Skip K]

I’m using just newspaper initially in the quarantine enclosure. Trying not to have any substrate adhere to the neosporin I’m using now....and it’s easy to keep clean. She’s drinking and eating and am contemplating soaks in antibiotic/anti fungal fish tank solutions...which I have used rehabbing seriously injured water turtles. Have ordered Nolvasan. I want something powerful. Debriding causes obvious discomfort for our Redfoot...and I’d rather not do any more if possible.

 

[Tom]

I’m using just newspaper initially in the quarantine enclosure. Trying not to have any substrate adhere to the neosporin I’m using now....and it’s easy to keep clean. She’s drinking and eating and am contemplating soaks in antibiotic/anti fungal fish tank solutions...which I have used rehabbing seriously injured water turtles. Have ordered Nolvasan. I want something powerful. Debriding causes obvious discomfort for our Redfoot...and I’d rather not do any more if possible.

Shell rot is a fungus. Fungi and bacteria are enemies competing for the same resources. When you use Neosporin, you are knowing out the competition and allowing the fungi to thrive unimpeded. You need an anti-fungal agent to get rid of fungus.

I would not soak your tortoise in any of those solutions. They will incidentally take some in, and that will be bad. Apply topically.

A picture of the spots in question might help us to confirm what is going on there. About two thirds of the time when people come here and profess "shell rot", it isn't.

 

[Skip K]

Thanks, Tom. Pics tomorrow

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Some cheap athletes foot cream applied a few days will knock it right out.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Shell fungus
Shell rot
Not the same animal.
Not the same treatment.

 

[Skip K]

Here are the photos. I debrided the white areas...although not aggressively because I wasn’t sure exactly what I was dealing with. The scrapings had a consistency of hard cheese. The small wounds on either side ( between the costal and marginals..and in the same basic locations ( hard to see) were what I first noticed ( exposed red tissue ). The glistening is from neosporin till I get in the nolvasan which is what I’ve read works on both fungus and bacteria. Now the mysterious part...a smaller Redfoot...a few weeks earlier...had the exact same wound? as the larger Redfoot...in the exact same place. Neosporin or maybe just natural healing has taken care of this issue and is completely healed. Thought it might be from ramming... but the size difference makes me believe otherwise. The small Redfoot only had the one little area...not multiple white areas.
Background....the weather here has been blistering. Upper 90’s and horrible humidity. After eating ...the other torts go to shaded areas but this Redfoot likes to use the man made burrows...and stays in them all day...except to eat. I’ve found her immersed in mud on many occasions. There are no “things” like nails protruding that could cause injury. In the pics because of the gentle scraping and the neosporin the white areas are not so pronounced now.
Been a long year. Never a problem in decades...and now this. Also took a couple of months to fix the new baby Sulcatas initial problems of being shipped badly dehydrated with bad urates and soft shells...but at least these issues are corrected. Thanks to all... in advance for future help and with getting the baby Sulcatas up to speed