Shell Rot?

[Bluze412]

I inherited those tortoise grim l from a vet a couple of years ago and heard always been healthy. He's had this on his shell since I got him. Is this shell rot and if so how should it be treated. It is not wet, does not smell and had not gotten worse. He scratches his shell allot in his outside enclosure where he spends most of the day, He is a climber and flips over often. Thanks for your help!

 

[wellington]

Shell rot happens on the bottom shell
Yours looks like it either got to close to a heating element or scraped it on something, my guess would be scraped it. Possibly when they do their butt dance, swinging their butts side to side when They walk under something that touches them on their shell. It should eventually heal up better than what it looks.
I would just clean it with just water and a soft tooth brush to get any dirt out and let it do it's thing.

 

[Jennpaints]

Also looks like a scrape to me versus rot, anything they could have been rubbing against in the enclosure?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Definitely not a fungal issue

 

[Sarah2020]

Agree with previous comments. I also think it looks dry! If your not doing soaks I really recommend introducing regular shallow warm water soaks in a high sided container, because it is and excellent way to hydrate your tortoise. I would use coconut oil gently on the shell to help moisturise. Lastly check calcium is in the diet to help shell strength and growth/repair.

 

[Bluze412]

Shell rot happens on the bottom shell
Yours looks like it either got to close to a heating element or scraped it on something, my guess would be scraped it. Possibly when they do their butt dance, swinging their butts side to side when They walk under something that touches them on their shell. It should eventually heal up better than what it looks.
I would just clean it with just water and a soft tooth brush to get any dirt out and let it do it's thing.

Thanks, I didn't think it was a good friend of mine who had many reptiles days the same thing. This guy climbs allot and also flips on his back allot outside in his enclosure which is surrounded by rocks and blocks on the bottom. I think it was there when he was given to us and maybe he made it worse But I do clean him a cooler of times a week with a gift brush WI l while he is soaking and he seems healthy and happy otherwise. In in Brazil a bit south of his natural environment and in the mountains but it doesn't cold very cold and when it does he's inside. His heating ceramic elements are high and enclosed, I think he wasn't taken care of well before. Again thanks!

 

[Bluze412]

Also looks like a scrape to me versus rot, anything they could have been rubbing against in the enclosure?

I believe it was there hbefore I got him just seemed like it was more noticible now.

 

[Bluze412]

Agree with previous comments. I also think it looks dry! If your not doing soaks I really recommend introducing regular shallow warm water soaks in a high sided container, because it is and excellent way to hydrate your tortoise. I would use coconut oil gently on the shell to help moisturise. Lastly check calcium is in the diet to help shell strength and growth/repair.

He is outside much of the time and we are in the mountains in Southeast Brazil where it is humid and wet.I hose the entire enclosure down at least 3 times a day he had a soaking area and I soak him twice a week.I tried calc in good but he won't eat it then but he eats snails. I put a cuttle fish bone in his enclosure but he just nibbles. Hard to get good food here but he eats all natural stuff, okra, arugula, kale, all greens, berries, grapes, a little banana, papaya and mango. Plus his enclosure had plants that are edible and flowers native to this area. Diet is not a problem but I would like to see his shell less dry. Seems like right after I soak him it's dry again. Maybe too much heat at night or never gets better 55 here until winter and then only into the high 30s at night. I will try the coconut oil.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Even though his shell LOOKS dry in that photo. That shell is also relatively smooth. Which would indicate that the humidity has been nearly perfect.
It's important to remove anything in his/her enclosure that the tortoise has flipped over on.