Urgent Care :: Flaking shell...is this bad?

[turtlesitter]

Okay, I've posted my introduction elsewhere; suffice to say I'm temporary foster-mom to 2 RES that are living in crowded conditions (15 gal? tank).

I've noticed on the larger turtle that the shell is flaking off in places...I've also found shell flakes in the water when I changed it. Now, these turtles did not have a basking area nor UVB light when I took them in. I'm working on correcting both these errors. Could this be the cause of the flaking? If not, what can it be and what do I do?

The details:
Turtle is 5" long (the other is about 4.5")
Appetite and activity level seem okay (to my novice eyes)
Water (now) has heater set at 78 F

I've set up a basking area today and they're LOVING it. I'm getting the UVB light tomorrow and (hopefully) a much larger tank and filtration set up. I'll try to figure out how to post a pic but if you can give any advice minus a picture, I'd appreciate it.

[megcornell]

Without a picture I can't tell if its normal or not, but what you're describing sounds like a healthy shed, which if they haven't been basking, the turtles are probably overdue for.

[turtlesitter]

Thanks, MegCornell! I think your right...I finally found the "shell condition" FAQ page and I think it might be a normal shed. Hopefully, I'll figure out picture loading by the time I set up the new tank and get some feedback from the good folks here!

[marisa]

Generally, a scute will shed in one piece, and if this is what's going on, it's normal. If the scutes are flaking off in little pieces, however, something else could be going on, especially since you said they've never had a basking area or UVB light. Their improved habitat (and diet?) will encourage shedding, especially if they haven't done so in a long time.