Sulcata Spur torn off

[DawnH]

Tuleo managed to rip off one of his smaller spurs on his front leg. I cleaned it well, soaked him and made sure he was in a more grassy area (no dirt) the next day so it could heal. It's higher up on his leg so it's been kept clean. Is there anything else I should be doing? Will it grow back eventually...? He doesn't fuss with it so it doesn't appear to be bothering him...

 

[Tom]

You did everything right. Not much to do about it. Should not be any problem long term.

 

[Yvonne G]

He's so purdy!

 

[DawnH]

You did everything right. Not much to do about it. Should not be any problem long term.

Thank you, sir! Do those grow back or is SOL?

 

[DawnH]

He's so purdy!

Thank you! He's a nut. Races up to you if you have Hibiscus (must be pink or he will ignore you) and HATES the color orange. He will ram anything orange...lol Bucket, flower, you name it. It's pretty silly.

 

[sibi]

Thank you! He's a nut. Races up to you if you have Hibiscus (must be pink or he will ignore you) and HATES the color orange. He will ram anything orange...lol Bucket, flower, you name it. It's pretty silly.

That's a unique personality! Maybe he got spooked with a cutout pumpkin and is now on attack with anything orange

 

[DawnH]

That's a unique personality! Maybe he got spooked with a cutout pumpkin and is now on attack with anything orange

HA! He won't eat roses, can't stand red or yellow Hibiscus and weeds are his crack. 2.5 years old and already hard headed...lol. I sure adore him!

 

[MPRC]

I have no idea if it will grow back, but I am following this thread to find out. It sounds like you did everything right. I have you gave him an extra treat after playing doctor. The lollipop was always the best part.

 

[sibi]

HA! He won't eat roses, can't stand red or yellow Hibiscus and weeds are his crack. 2.5 years old and already hard headed...lol. I sure adore him!

Think about it. You mix red and yellow, and what do you get? Orange. Wow, at least he's consistent. You've got a truly special tort there

 

[Tom]

Thank you, sir! Do those grow back or is SOL?

I've never had that happen, so I don't know.

@Yvonne G ,
Do you know?

@Will
@DeanS
@Lancecham
@motero
@N2TORTS
@Alaskamike

Anyone else know?

 

[motero]

It will grow a covering again. It might grow back as one spur or grow back as smaller scales or segments. Over time it will harden and blend in with the other scales. Keep us updated. Did you find out how it happened? Has he been climbing or digging?

 

[DawnH]

It will grow a covering again. It might grow back as one spur or grow back as smaller scales or segments. Over time it will harden and blend in with the other scales. Keep us updated. Did you find out how it happened? Has he been climbing or digging?

I sure will. I have no idea how he managed to do it. I have searched his area to no avail. He likes to dig a fox hole to hang out in (ignoring his hide) but I can't see how it would be in the soil as we are the ones who put on the soil into his oasis (debris free.) No sharp edges around his enclosure (both myself and my husband checked when we built it, check it weekly and SUPER checked it when this happened) nothing. He does climb but it is over his hide and I can't see how he could have gotten hung up on anything. Of course now I am paranoid and checking him even more often (I work from home) and he is acting like nothing doin'. I don't get it. Eating fine, still running up to you if you have a treat and his version of happy as a clam.

I'll keep you all posted on how it heals. Thank you all SO much!

 

[Tom]

In this last pic it looks like the soil has perlite in it. That is potentially very bad. Perlite can line their intestinal tract and prevent digestion.

Personally, I would remove all of that and not let him have any more access to it. For some reason, many tortoises like to eat perlite bits, as if its calcium. I bought some hatchlings from a guy that failed to thrive. Necropsy revealed that their intestinal tracts were lined with perlite, which is what the breeder incubated them on.

At the very least, I'd feed him on a tray instead of the ground out there.

 

[sibi]

There's organic soil that doesn't have perlite in it. Buy, you'll need to check what it may have in its soil since not all organic soils are completely safe. That's why many members use a substrate like orchard bark in their enclosures.

 

[Pearly]

I sure will. I have no idea how he managed to do it. I have searched his area to no avail. He likes to dig a fox hole to hang out in (ignoring his hide) but I can't see how it would be in the soil as we are the ones who put on the soil into his oasis (debris free.) No sharp edges around his enclosure (both myself and my husband checked when we built it, check it weekly and SUPER checked it when this happened) nothing. He does climb but it is over his hide and I can't see how he could have gotten hung up on anything. Of course now I am paranoid and checking him even more often (I work from home) and he is acting like nothing doin'. I don't get it. Eating fine, still running up to you if you have a treat and his version of happy as a clam.

I'll keep you all posted on how it heals. Thank you all SO much!

View attachment 165463

Just wanted to say: that's a gorgeous tort!!!

 

[Lancecham]

I have never had this happen to any of my sulcatas. So, I am not sure if it would grow back. I would speculate that what Motero said should be accurate.

 

[DawnH]

There is not one lick of perlite in his soil! I crush his cuttlebone since he refuses to eat it "whole" and sprinkle it all over his area (which was done that morning.) I don't even plant with the stuff!!

 

[Toad626]

Tuleo managed to rip off one of his smaller spurs on his front leg. I cleaned it well, soaked him and made sure he was in a more grassy area (no dirt) the next day so it could heal. It's higher up on his leg so it's been kept clean. Is there anything else I should be doing? Will it grow back eventually...? He doesn't fuss with it so it doesn't appear to be bothering him...

View attachment 165413

In 2016 you posted a picture of your tortoise with a spur that was torn off I noticed mine was missing one today it's 2 first year to be outside for any length of time I was wondering how it healed?