Uh oh--- the rot?

[jerbs]

Hi all,
Please take a look at these pics and let me know what you think. Is this shell rot?

A little over a month ago I moved him to a viv with a bioactive substrate. I pour water down the side in to the lower levels where there are heat ropes, so the top stays pretty dry. There is dirt, coco coir, and cyprus mulch all mixed up in there. I sprinkled cypress on most of the top later to help with keeping dry.

I had sent in a few pics in March of his plastron, asking if some very small black spots was shell rot. No one said that it was. (Sorry, for some reason the pic won't load again.)

I just took these pics a few minutes ago. Those same exact spots are now light in color. They look like the shell was bleached white, and won't come off when I scrub lightly with an old toothbrush.

All other signs point to a health tort. He is alert and curious, poops really well, eats a varied diet, and has been growing like a weed.

Thanks!!

 

[erica anne]

I do see what your talking about but am not experienced enough to diagnose. It is good you are keeping that area off the really damp substrate. Especially until hear from someone on what this could be. Good luck!

 

[Kathy Coles]

These white lines look like new growth to me. Are the light colored lines between plates what you are talking about?

 

[jerbs]

Yes, there are those. But then there are several that radiate out from the lines between the plates a bit. Look at the cross-section of the lines, about half-way up his shell, and how that whiteness grows out from it. It looks somewhat splotchy.

There are also a few that are in the middle of a scute, isolated from the rest.

---

A few more pics. Sorry if they all look the same. The stuff I'm talking about, which is not on a growth line, looks slightly splotchy and/or chalky.

 

[abclements]

Yes it looks to me like you have an extremely minor case of shell fungus. A couple days of athletes foot cream will clear that right up!

 

[jerbs]

Yes it looks to me like you have an extremely minor case of shell fungus. A couple days of athletes foot cream will clear that right up!

Thanks! Is both the fungal and bacterial rot caused by damp substrate?

I've read about using Betadine first--- just do the Athlete's foot cream?

Also, do I need to take him out of his viv and put in a completely dry bin?

 

[abclements]

No with something that minor I wouldn't use bedatine or dry dock him. Just a little foot cream for maybe 3-4 days should clear that up nicely. And yes both are caused by wet substrate. Don't worry too much about it though cuz it's just a little bit...

 

[jerbs]

Done. Thanks for the help. Much appreciated.