Why is my baby’s shell dented?

[B’sMama]

I can’t recall if he had this dent when we bought him. Just worried if this is something not healthy or if I’m not taking care of him to the fullest.

He’s turning 3 this August. Very active, likes to walk around the house, bulldozing the furnitures and cuddling with his Mama ❤️

 

[wellington]

Walking around the floors of the house is a big no no. Dangerous and not warm enough
He needs his own proper sized enclosure with correct temps and humidity.
Possible something fell on him? Did he get stepped on? Squeezing himself under something?
@Yvonne G @Tom

 

[Tom]

View attachment 355586
I can’t recall if he had this dent when we bought him. Just worried if this is something not healthy or if I’m not taking care of him to the fullest.

He’s turning 3 this August. Very active, likes to walk around the house, bulldozing the furnitures and cuddling with his Mama ❤️

Some sulcatas just grow that way. Its normal.

I agree with Welington. Your tortoise needs to be in a large outdoor enclosure with a heated shelter for night time and cooler rainy days. If you continue letting him/her roam the floors, you are likely to lose him/her.

 

[B’sMama]

Walking around the floors of the house is a big no no. Dangerous and not warm enough
He needs his own proper sized enclosure with correct temps and humidity.
Possible something fell on him? Did he get stepped on? Squeezing himself under something?
@Yvonne G[
[/QUOTE]

Walking around the floors of the house is a big no no. Dangerous and not warm enough
He needs his own proper sized enclosure with correct temps and humidity.
Possible something fell on him? Did he get stepped on? Squeezing himself under something?
@Yvonne G @Tom

But we live in a condo. ☹️ we get to bring him outdoors every now and then but he always eats the rocks. ☹️
We got worried bec the vet showed us an xray of his belly with 9 pcs of pebbles. So we don’t bring him outside that often.

He has his own enclosure with UVB light. He sleeps in a big space in our room. With cushion and blanket.

No, he did not get stepped on. No squeezing himself under as well.

 

[wellington]

Living in a condo is not a proper home for a sulcata. Do you realize how big he will get and how destructive he can be? Unless you plan on moving soon to a single family house with a very big yard, I suggest rehoming him and get a Mediterranean species.
As for rock eating, that's usually do to a lack of something in the diet.
What do you feed him?
Also, it's your responsibility to remove the rocks or build him a safe area.
A sulcata or any tortoise for that matter, but specially the larger ones should not live their life in a condo or house, that's cruel!

 

[wellington]

Some sulcatas just grow that way. Its normal.

I agree with Welington. Your tortoise needs to be in a large outdoor enclosure with a heated shelter for night time and cooler rainy days. If you continue letting him/her roam the floors, you are likely to lose him/her.

What makes that happen, any ideas?

 

[Tom]

But we live in a condo....

Then you should not have a giant reptile with huge space requirements, for the same reason should shouldn't have a horse or a cow.

 

[Tom]

What makes that happen, any ideas?

Genetics. Mali tortoises.

 

[Beasty_Artemis]

Yeah, that's not the proper area for a sulcata.

 

[Yvonne G]

In my opinion, that dent is a lot worse than what Tom is talking about. It looks to me as if he had some skeletal damage that never repaired.

 

[TammyJ]

I agree with what Yvonne said. It just looks like crush damage. How long has he been with you in the condo?

 

[Tom]

In my opinion, that dent is a lot worse than what Tom is talking about. It looks to me as if he had some skeletal damage that never repaired.

It could be some early MBD from lack of calcium or lack or UV when it was a youngster. Sometimes the bone will re-calcify in a misshapen way when diet or conditions improve. I've seen this in kinked spines or tails in iguanas or bearded dragons.

Do you think walking on the slick floor could cause that?

 

[Yvonne G]

It could be some early MBD from lack of calcium or lack or UV when it was a youngster. Sometimes the bone will re-calcify in a misshapen way when diet or conditions improve. I've seen this in kinked spines or tails in iguanas or bearded dragons.

Do you think walking on the slick floor could cause that?

No, the slick floor affects hip joints.

 

[Markw84]

It could be some early MBD from lack of calcium or lack or UV when it was a youngster. Sometimes the bone will re-calcify in a misshapen way when diet or conditions improve. I've seen this in kinked spines or tails in iguanas or bearded dragons.

Do you think walking on the slick floor could cause that?

No, the slick floor affects hip joints.

However... that is where the ligaments from the hip joints/leg muscles attach to the upper shell. That is why tortoises with MVB develop that sunken shell in exactly that area when that stress overcomes the weakened shell with too little bone structure. My guess it that it can very well be related to both - hypoglycemic and improper locomotion.