shell taking a turn for the worst

[motero]

Back ground, This pretty fella spent the first three years of his life in Oregon, Then spent the last 8 months In Sedona, AZ. So he went from humid to not humid, check out his shell.

He will be getting lots of extra soaks and spraying to ensure hydration.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

How funny...Bob's carapace looks just like that too. I was thinking he wasn't getting enough humidity. But after all, this IS Oregon and it is freakin raining all the time. Where in Oregon did your guy live? Bob's carapace looks just like that and I was thinking that his shed is too dry, not too humid. My Vet says it won't go away. Just like pyramiding, you can only make the new shell look good. Bob's is much worse then yours is. Maybe tomorrow I'll take some pix of it to show y'all

 

[bikerchicspain]

I dont think its that bad,
The 2 cherry heads at work are like yours, and they have plenty of humidity, they are not over fed with protein and have a cuttle fish to gnaw on when they want, so i am stumped as to why.

But its not got worse, so i am happy with that, I think it was lacking in everything before we got them at the shop, as you know "breeders" are not always looking out for the best interest of the animal, just the $$$$$$

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Karl:

I don't like the way the new growth areas are so sunken in. I don't know what would make it be like that, but my first thought was to add some sort of cream or lotion to those areas. Maybe get some vitamin e and paint it onto the new growth areas.

 

[Tom]

What was that guys length and weight when he was moved to AZ and put outside. Has he been outside in AZ full time since you got him 8 months ago?

Another member showed me a leopard that was raised indoors and pyramiding. He had gotten it six months before showing it to me and it had been living outside full time in AZ during that entire 6 months. You could clearly see the new growth smoothing out and coming in much better even though this tort was outside in the dry AZ sunshine all day every day. I've seen other similar examples too. It SEEMS like living outside in AZ would have the opposite effect of what you are seeing there.

Also, I'm guessing that in Oregon he was housed indoors under hot lights most of the year. Would the indoor air in a heated home in Oregon still be humid? And would it still be humid if he was kept on a dry substrate with a heat lamp? I know someone who grew up in OR. I'll ask her about this. Maggie is up in that region too. Maggie is it dry in your house despite all the rain outside?

This is a fascinating case for me. In the past I've seen nothing but good results from any tort living outside in AZ DESPITE the dry air. I've been unable to explain this. It looks like your guy might be the first case of the dry air NOT agreeing with the new shell growth. I'd love to figure out why...

 

[motero]

Good questions Tom, I brought him home last month, So I don't have all the answers. He was kept out side when it was warm, he had an inside home with heat lamps. He looks really good and healthy other wise, Has had a good diet. The growth change and climate change are perfectly related time wise. That is all I based my guesses on. He will be a full time outside tort from now on. We will see what happens next.