Hello
I have signed up here as a relatively new tortoise keeper and to get advice from other tortoise lovers! I have two Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoises who I believe to be male at this stage, they enjoy a large indoor run as I am from England where the climate is unfortunately mostly too cool for them to be outdoors, with a diet based on leafy green vegetables, calcium supplements (cuttlefish and occasional multivitamin) and adequate UV-B and shade. Both seem to be thriving and are now a little over a year old, active and eating well. I have seen increased growth in them both particularly over the last few months and they are both developing faint pink lines on their plastrons which I understand to be fairly normal with a growth spurt. However, on one of them there is an ever so slightly small soft spot on the plastron - I'm uploading a photo where I have marked the area that is a bit soft. It's only very slightly soft and springy, as opposed to the rest of the underside of the plastron which is hard. As my boys are both still so young, is it possible that this is just normal growth / hardening in juvenile tortoises that I should just keep an eye on, or should I get him to the vet pronto? I know a check up can't harm, but I was made redundant only yesterday sadly so am having to keep a very careful eye on money, of course I'll take him if it's necessary but I thought I would check the situation here first! The other one's plastron is fully hard - neither are rock hard or anything but definitely other than this one small soft spot on the first tortoise they are hard enough I think. Very grateful for any replies and advice.
I have signed up here as a relatively new tortoise keeper and to get advice from other tortoise lovers! I have two Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoises who I believe to be male at this stage, they enjoy a large indoor run as I am from England where the climate is unfortunately mostly too cool for them to be outdoors, with a diet based on leafy green vegetables, calcium supplements (cuttlefish and occasional multivitamin) and adequate UV-B and shade. Both seem to be thriving and are now a little over a year old, active and eating well. I have seen increased growth in them both particularly over the last few months and they are both developing faint pink lines on their plastrons which I understand to be fairly normal with a growth spurt. However, on one of them there is an ever so slightly small soft spot on the plastron - I'm uploading a photo where I have marked the area that is a bit soft. It's only very slightly soft and springy, as opposed to the rest of the underside of the plastron which is hard. As my boys are both still so young, is it possible that this is just normal growth / hardening in juvenile tortoises that I should just keep an eye on, or should I get him to the vet pronto? I know a check up can't harm, but I was made redundant only yesterday sadly so am having to keep a very careful eye on money, of course I'll take him if it's necessary but I thought I would check the situation here first! The other one's plastron is fully hard - neither are rock hard or anything but definitely other than this one small soft spot on the first tortoise they are hard enough I think. Very grateful for any replies and advice.
