white marking? is that new shell growth or something else. w pics

[labanog]

Hi have Uni and Yoshi for about 7 month old, only noticr now that both have white flecks on their top most scute. is this normal shell growth? just find it weird its right only on the middle area of the shells?

they are cam shy hehe

 

[Markw84]

That looks like scrapes/abrasions to the top scute. Is there something hard they crawl under in their enclosure to hide?

They also look like they are starting to pyramid. Have you read the care sheet pinned to the top of the star section? Are they housed in a closed chamber type enclosure?

 

[Tom]

Hi have Uni and Yoshi for about 7 month old, only noticr now that both have white flecks on their top most scute. is this normal shell growth? just find it weird its right only on the middle area of the shells?

they are cam shy hehe

Hard water stains. Use regular water for soaking and drinking, but use de-mineralized water to rinse them after a soak, or to spray them or the enclosure. Rain water, reverse osmosis water, and distilled water are all examples of water with no minerals in it. I use collected and filtered rain water in a hand sprayer to give my babies a rinse after every soak.

 

[wellington]

Hard water stains. Use regular water for soaking and drinking, but use de-mineralized water to rinse them after a soak, or to spray them or the enclosure. Rain water, reverse osmosis water, and distilled water are all examples of water with no minerals in it. I use collected and filtered rain water in a hand sprayer to give my babies a rinse after every soak.

If it were hard water stains and not scrapes, wouldn't it be all over and not just the top?

 

[Tom]

If it were hard water stains and not scrapes, wouldn't it be all over and not just the top?

Water on the sides tends to cascade off. Water on top will pool long enough to evaporate and leave the minerals behind.

 

[labanog]

okay got it thanks tom and mark, the water explaination make sense. i usually use just tap water for bathing and usually pour from the top, is rain water considered un mineralized water? so after bath i rinse them with that instead?

this is a photo of their enclo

i have a question, the weight of my IS seems to grow very slowly, and some are even dipping at some weeks, should i be worried? they eat but not as heavy as the sully, there are always left overs from their plates. but i leave it until end of day before removing it to lessen spoilage

 

[labanog]

this is their weight in

 

[Tom]

okay got it thanks tom and mark, the water explaination make sense. i usually use just tap water for bathing and usually pour from the top, is rain water considered un mineralized water? so after bath i rinse them with that instead?

this is a photo of their enclo

i have a question, the weight of my IS seems to grow very slowly, and some are even dipping at some weeks, should i be worried? they eat but not as heavy as the sully, there are always left overs from their plates. but i leave it until end of day before removing it to lessen spoilage

Rain water has no minerals in it. This is good for a rinse after the soak, but not for the soak. Use regular tap or bottled water for soaking and drinking, and use the rain water for rinsing after a soak or to spray the enclosure and tortoise throughout the day.

The food plate is too slick and difficult for a baby tortoise to navigate. Use a terra cotta saucer sunk into the substrate instead.

Are you housing them separately? How many stars and how many sulcatas? Who lives with who?

 

[labanog]

got it tom, thanks

ok will try to but another terra cotta for their food

I house the IS seperate from the sully, Have 2 Sully and 3 IS in their own encloaure, but making a new home for the Sully to seperate them.