Hi! I have a male rescued RES with shell deformities ever since we got him, unsure of his age but he's been with us for 12 years. He's been this size ever since and has been through 1-2 sheds (rare) and the shed scutes were always clear and thin.
Recently he's shedding again but it's taking long and the scutes are taking a golden appearance (in water and more prominent when dry). Water comes out when I press on the scutes and the 'almost shed scutes' appear to be in complete pieces. I'm worried there may be a build up of gunk/bacteria/etc underneath these scutes as they look weird and an unusual colour. He has a UVB light(Exo Terra UVB 100) in his tank, basks and eats normally and is very active. Is this a cause of concern or is this normal?
Thanks!