Turtle Scute Cracked!!

[haydog03]

Hi! I’m posting this for a friend who has some turtles! They’re 10 months old! One is 66 grams and the other is 54 grams! Their shells are cracking a bit. I hope you can see in the picture that the top scutes have gaps instead of it all being smooth. Is this normal? I’ve tried to look at other pictures of turtles to see if that gap is common but I can’t really tell! Is it something to cause concern and if so what would fix it? The humidity is kept in the 80s with their basking spot 88-90°! They mostly eat bloodworms and turtle pellets. Their soil is coco fiber and peat moss! Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[wellington]

That's a type of box turtle right? It should have a much better diet than just two items.
@Yvonne G
@Maggie3fan

 

[TammyJ]

I think you will soon get some expert help! Hang on.

 

[Ink]

I'm not an expert, how far away is the lights from the top of the turtle? And what type of lights are they using? What species is this turtle? Can you post pictures of the enclosure?

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't see the cracked part you refer to?

 

[haydog03]

That's a type of box turtle right? It should have a much better diet than just two items.
@Yvonne G
@Maggie3fan

It is! They also sometimes have tuna, egg, sowbugs and earthworms!

 

[haydog03]

I'm not an expert, how far away is the lights from the top of the turtle? And what type of lights are they using? What species is this turtle? Can you post pictures of the enclosure?

Hi!! They just got a new light in! I’ll ask for a picture of the enclosure as soon as I can! It’s a plastic container as far as I’m aware though! They’ve upgraded size of the enclosure as the turtles grew! It’s a box turtle!

 

[haydog03]

I don't see the cracked part you refer to?

It’s where the first two scutes on top aren’t smooth or grown together I should say. There’s a gap in between scutes while the rest are smooth! I’m not sure if that’s a normal part of growth or not though! 😓

 

[haydog03]

I think you will soon get some expert help! Hang on.

Thank you! 🤗

 

[Chefdenoel10]

@Yvonne G
@Maggie3fan
@Tom
@ZEROPILOT
@wellington

Help!!!! ❤️🙏

 

[wellington]

I don't know much about housing Box Turtles. It does need a water source it can get into, a dryer land source and a moist/damp land source.
It likely either too dry or heat source too close.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'm not an expert, how far away is the lights from the top of the turtle? And what type of lights are they using? What species is this turtle? Can you post pictures of the enclosure?

My first thought was also heat desicating from an overhead heat source.

 

[haydog03]

Help!!!! ❤️🙏

Thank you for the tags!! 🤗

 

[Maggie3fan]

I don't see a crack either. Box turtles are semi aquatic, they spend a treat amount of time in the water. They eat fruit...berries and mango etc. They also need protein, nightcrawlers, meal worms, slugs and snails...read the care sheet and you will see how you need to change the care of this poor turtle

Box Turtle Care Sheet



box turtles eat a combination of fruit and live food, protein. I mean no disrespect, but you need to read the care sheet and change the way that turtle lives...they have a wide variety of foods, they are easy to feed....I use 65 watt incandescent light bulbs for basking...and mine are outside daily...

 

[haydog03]

I don't know much about housing Box Turtles. It does need a water source it can get into, a dryer land source and a moist/damp land source.
It likely either too dry or heat source too close.

I’ve passed along this information!! Thank you!! Also some more information on their care: she takes them outside and soaks them every other day!

 

[haydog03]

My first thought was also heat desicating from an overhead heat source.

She said she will try to encourage them to move away from the lamp! She puts it low enough to keep the temperature 88°! She got the heating lamp from Walmart!

 

[haydog03]

I don't see a crack either. Box turtles are semi aquatic, they spend a treat amount of time in the water. They eat fruit...berries and mango etc. They also need protein, nightcrawlers, meal worms, slugs and snails...read the care sheet and you will see how you need to change the care of this poor turtle

Box Turtle Care Sheet

View attachment 358472
View attachment 358473
box turtles eat a combination of fruit and live food, protein. I mean no disrespect, but you need to read the care sheet and change the way that turtle lives...they have a wide variety of foods, they are easy to feed....I use 65 watt incandescent light bulbs for basking...and mine are outside daily...

I’ll let them know and link the care sheet! I think they add fruits like strawberries and watermelon occasionally! Is that your turtle? Super cute!! I wanted a turtle so bad two-ish years ago! I even posted in this forum to get prepped! I think the crack they’re referring to is where the scutes haven’t grown together. Can turtles outgrow their scutes if they grow too quickly? I’ve circled where I think the “crack” is! I hope this helps!

 

[Yvonne G]

The light is too close to the turtle and is burning the new growth (hence the crack, or burned new growth, you're asking about).