Shell rot?

[amber.noelle]

Hi! So, I noticed on my baby Hermann's a soft spot on the under side of his shell. I didn't know if that was shell rot starting? If so, what causes that and how can I treat him? The top side of his shell seems to be okay.

 

[Yvonne G]

That's just the umbilical scar. Hopefully it will slowly start to disappear as he grows more shell. All baby tortoises have fairly soft plastrons for about 6 months to a year from hatch.

 

[amber.noelle]

That's just the umbilical scar. Hopefully it will slowly start to disappear as he grows more shell. All baby tortoises have fairly soft plastrons for about 6 months to a year from hatch.

That didn't even occur to me, that makes me feel better lol. Thank you!

 

[zovick]

Hi! So, I noticed on my baby Hermann's a soft spot on the under side of his shell. I didn't know if that was shell rot starting? If so, what causes that and how can I treat him? The top side of his shell seems to be okay.

View attachment 304565View attachment 304566

Yvonne is correct. That area should be treated like the "soft spots" (fontanelles) on the top of a newborn human baby's head. Please be careful not to poke at that area and break through the newly healing shell and bone into the abdominal cavity. That would be very bad.

 

[amber.noelle]

Yvonne is correct. That area should be treated like the "soft spots" (fontanelles) on the top of a newborn human baby's head. Please be careful not to poke at that area and break through the newly healing shell and bone into the abdominal cavity. That would be very bad.

Noted, thank you for the info!