Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 2:04 am
It's funny that most of our turtles don't like to be held. They seem to want attention, but don't want us to go so far as to pick them up. Oh well, if you want a pet to snuggle with, get a cat!
On the shell, I assume you are concerned about the white borders around the two large scutes in the middle. Even though it's not fuzzy or slimy, it could be some fungus underneath or in the scutes. A characteristic of this sort of condition is that it starts in a small area and spreads slowly. Other conditions that look similar tend to have different patterns. Mineral deposits tend to affect the whole shell at once, gradually coating it with a white glaze. Shedding also tends to be apparent on most of the shell at the same time and when scutes are about to shed you can often see the edges lifting, and air that has gotten trapped underneath a loose scute makes it appear silvery or coppery under water, and water trapped under a loose scute will squish out when you press on it gently.
A round with Turtle Sulfa Dip (by Zoo Med, comes in a blue box) might help your turtle. You can get it at most pet stores. Just follow directions. If the condition continues to spread, come back and let us know and we'll let you know about some other things to try.
In the meantime, the very best thing for shell health is lots of basking under good UVB light where the shell gets to dry out completely. Fungus and other infections tend to grow in moist conditions so drying out keeps them in check. Also necessary are a good diet with lots of calcium (cuttlebone, for instance) and very clean water.
In the pictures your turtle's shell looks kind of lumpy and uneven (though he's still a very beautiful turtle!) and the white around the edges of the marginal scutes suggests that he needs a good shed. He's probably not had the best conditions for a good shell in the past. Just be sure he basks a lot under good UVB and that his diet and water quality are good and with time his shell should improve.
SpotsMama
