Weird spots

[Nathan.]

My tortoise is getting these weird spots on the back of his neck. I'm not sure what they are and was hoping someone on here could help. His temps are 85 warm side 90ish warm side 100 basking and no lower than 80 at night. His humidity suits right sound 65-70% throughout the day and I spray him three times a day. Right after spraying his humidity shoots to right about 95. He has a water dish available at all times and I soak him for at least twenty minutes a day. He has a hide in there as well. I can't think of anything else to tell you so ask any other questions you might have.

 

[stojanovski92113]

I'm wondering if his spikey carapace is rubbing on his skin raw.

 

[wellington]

@Yvonne G may be able to help. It looks like his shell is poking him.

 

[Tom]

Where did you get this tortoise?

 

[Nathan.]

I got him from a reptile expo in Florida. He was definitely started dry by the looks of it. When I first got him I was keeping him dry as well until I found this forum and saw the error of my ways. He didn't grow much for the first two months we had him but, now that he is in breeder conditions it's growing right around 10 grams per week.

 

[HLogic]

There is very little chance the carapace is causing irritation - millions of years of evolution would eliminate that. Does it have a chance to dry out (e.g. when basking)? If kept in consistently wet conditions, it could be a bacterial infection. Try some antibacterial ointment and, if constantly wet, make provisions for allowing it to dry completely. Remember, a humid environment is not necessarily a wet one. They should be able to dry completely even though maintained in high humidity.

 

[Nathan.]

He is so skiddish there is no way I could get the ointment back there. He sucks his head in the second he sees a hand anywhere near his head. Do you have any ideas for getting it on him?

 

[Momof4]

Maybe you could put some on a q-tip and as soon as he comes out like he did for the pic you could dab it on. Or feed him his favorite food and sneak it on.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Maybe a plate of food or a treat would get his head out long enough to put ointment on it.

 

[Tom]

He is so skiddish there is no way I could get the ointment back there. He sucks his head in the second he sees a hand anywhere near his head. Do you have any ideas for getting it on him?

Normally if you hold a tortoise head up and tail down, they will stick their head out.

 

[Tom]

I got him from a reptile expo in Florida. He was definitely started dry by the looks of it. When I first got him I was keeping him dry as well until I found this forum and saw the error of my ways. He didn't grow much for the first two months we had him but, now that he is in breeder conditions it's growing right around 10 grams per week.

The 10 grams a week is great news and it likely eliminates my early suspicion.

I think HLogic's post is spot on and tells you what you need to know.

 

[Nathan.]

We started dabbing a little bit of ointment on the dots on his head and they look like they're drying out! Thanks for your guys' advice I really appreciate it.

 

[Yvonne G]

Evolution aside, when a tortoise is climbing, let's say the wall of his habitat, and he slips down, he's not always able to pull his head in quickly, and the shell causes an abrasion on the back of the neck, exactly where your 'spot' is.

 

[Nathan.]

It doesn't really look like a cut to me but, if it is a cut putting ointment on it wouldn't be a bad thing would it?

 

[Yvonne G]

Not at all.

 

[Nathan.]

Today when my wife was dabbing the look spots with antibiotic ointment they wiped right off! And while I don't have a lot of experience with tortoise anatomy it looks exact ly like what I think a tortoise scab would look like!