Urgent Care :: What's up with Lencho's Shell?

This is not a substitute for qualified and relevant veterinarian care.
Read this before you post a new topic here.

Post Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 1:45 am   What's up with Lencho's Shell?

Form Questions
------
How big is your turtle? 6 Inches
How long have you had it? About 9 years

What is the water temperature? It hasn't been in tank for a few days
Are you using a water heater? Hadn't had one
Are you using a water conditioner? No
Are you using any filtration? Had A "Whisper" ReptoFilter, One that worked for shallow water

What is the basking temperature? Had About 80 degrees
Is there a basking light? Yes
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? Not Easy Enough, Sometimes he slipped. It was really meant as a cave, it's a half-log decoration.
What kind is it or what is it made out of? Not Sure What It's Made Of
Is there a UVB light? Now yes,hadn't had it.

What have you been trying to feed it? Pellets, Wardley's 'Turtle Treats,' romaine lettuce, carrot, he ate 1 whole shrimp (which now I know was bad)
When was the last time your turtle ate? He just ate some carrots. He refused to eat pellets the past few days.

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? He was in a 40-ish gallon... About 1ft x 3ft. Past few days he's been in a bucket-like thing, dry docking.
Is the tank near a window? No
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? Yes

Have you read the Basic Care section? Yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? Yes, now I think it might be fungus.

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? No
------


Hi all,
I introduced myself briefly over the winter break. I had noticed something wrong with Lencho's shell that I never saw in the many years I've had him.

Here is a (large) picture of what I mean:
Image
It does not smell, there is no soft stuff that I can feel, it just looks like that.
Also, when Lencho is in water (I have him swimming for a little) there is more contrast between the lighter white and the darker.

I dry docked him a few days and stopped one day, thinking I was done, then one day it showed up again. I really underestimated whatever this is, though I should've asked more about it earlier.

The day it showed up again I panicked and put some hydrogen peroxide on the spots and there was the fizzing and the areas became more all white again, though since it was so sudden that wasn't the same. Anyway, I have not put any more of it again after that.

I've just been using the Betadine stuff and some anti-bacterial cream. I guess if it's fungus I'm dealing with, anti-bacterial cream may be useless?

Lastly, today I went ahead and really salted the water I put him in for an hour. When I took him out, I noticed random little white clumps of stuff in the water, not like balls but weird, non-uniform stuff. I don't know how to describe it, just cloudy white clumpy stuff, very small and I considered just "gunk" (non-poop) I don't know if that was related to this.
When I touch the turtle, nothing soft or squishy seems to be on him. But then, I guess when he's wet the salt can get stuff off him that I did not know was even on him :shock:

I used to let him swim in salty water for a bit ever couple weeks in the past just as routine and it always seemed to get at least a little gunk in the water. Non-poop gunk, again.
I can't remember the last time I had done it before today. I think the salt then must be very helpful. I used to also have him in the salty water while being outside in the sun (with about half space of shade). Maybe the fact I used to do this all the time helped him in the past and I should not have stopped.
I wish I could have him out now too, but it is winter and even if the sun is out the temperatures are too cold :(
Vynzent
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Dec 21, 2016
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 3:47 am   Re: What's up with Lencho's Shell?

It looks like a breach in the scute. Not sure what could have caused it, maybe something was rubbed against it or some scutes forcefully came off?
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 12:29 pm   Re: What's up with Lencho's Shell?

Yeah the scutes are definitely chipped there. He may have scraped himself inside the turtle cave or slipped off when trying to climb it and hit the gravel hard (I threw out the gravel already). He's been upside down a few times before. Not sure exactly.

Do you think I should be dry docking and medicating at all?

Sorry if my previous post is too much useless stuff, I am just worried.
Vynzent
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Dec 21, 2016
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 2:26 pm   Re: What's up with Lencho's Shell?

I have not had to deal with areas as large as in the pics, but what usually happens is that the white part (a thin boney layer) comes off and will be a little fleshy and bloody. That's actually good because it will scar up and heal. Keep the water clean and make sure the turtle can bask, to help prevent infection, but you might need veterinary assistance if it does not start to get better.
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 2:56 pm   Re: What's up with Lencho's Shell?

steve wrote:I have not had to deal with areas as large as in the pics, but what usually happens is that the white part (a thin boney layer) comes off and will be a little fleshy and bloody. That's actually good because it will scar up and heal. Keep the water clean and make sure the turtle can bask, to help prevent infection, but you might need veterinary assistance if it does not start to get better.

That makes sense. Thank you for your help :)
I'll make sure he is always in clean water, and I'll be sure to give him a great basking spot.

If I don't see any progress after some time, I will contact a vet. Better safe than sorry.
Vynzent
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Dec 21, 2016
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 2:01 am   Re: What's up with Lencho's Shell?

Sounds like the right course of action, good luck!
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male


Return to Urgent Care

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 20 guests