Tortoise too dry?

Eduardo Hernandez

Active Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2017
Messages
205
Location (City and/or State)
Orange County, California
Hello! I just got my Russian tortoise a couple of days ago. He's been pretty fine, eating and pooping and peeing almost every time I soak him and sometimes in his enclosure as well. Unfortunately, since my dad hasn't finished building his 8' by 7' table, we have to keep him in a 40 gallon tank for about 2-3 more days.

Unfortunately, I have noticed his shell has some dry, orange colored spots on his shell that are flaking off. Is this normal? The previous owner said he kept him outside yearround here in Southern California, and I'm thinking it could be too dry. I've soaked him almost every day since I got him 3 days ago, so hopefully he is doing better now. He also is peeling a lot on and around his neck and head, which I've heard also happens when they're dry? Should I try to flake off and clean his shell with a toothbrush, or just let it flake off on its own?

Also, he seems to rub his face with his arms a bit at times, mostly after eating or during his soak. Is this bad? Is his peeling skin bothering him? He doesn't usually have substrate on his face, although when he does have a bit after digging he seems to not be bothered by it lol.

Just to answer some common questions I've seen asked, I use only coco coir as my substrate, humidity is around 40-60% (checked by a digital humidity checker, don't know their exact name haha), basking temp (measured on his shell with a laser digital thermometer) is about 96 degrees, warm side is 85-90 degrees on the substrate, and cool side is 75 degrees on the substrate. Feeding spring mix, radicchio, endive, and escaroles with calcium supplements (only once so far, trying to limit it to 2 times a week) and zoomed grassland pellets (same frequency as the calcium).

Edit: Forgot to add, water bowl is a terra-cotta saucer sunk into the substrate, with a powersun 100 watt bulb about a foot above the substrate as both the UVB and heat source. Fed on a small terra-cotta bowl to help with his beak. Has a hide, which he sometimes sleeps in. And I keep a cuttlebone in there just in case.

IMG_0246.JPG IMG_0247.JPG IMG_0245.JPG
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
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Jan 23, 2008
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93,405
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Clovis, CA
I see absolutely nothing in those pictures to be worried about. The tortoise looks great. Do nothing with the peeling. Let it come off on its own.
 

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