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Turtle not shedding scutes

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:54 pm
by lunabebe4
My turtle seems to have retained scute issues I think. It looks like her scute wants to start trying to shed because I can see a smaller area on her scute and then the whole scute. ( I will get pics a bit later to show you). But the scutes are not trying to peel up they are staying attached completely.... I have given her some sweet potato a couple of times and she eats that but she doesnt really like blueberries and wont eat apple peel at all. I am hoping a shed would really help her shell out since I am worried she has a fungus or something. Is there any other way to help her shed. She basks a lot. Her basking area is about 90 degrees and her water is at 75-78. She also gets dry during the night since most of the time she sleeps under a infared heat lamp. I just want to make sure she can have the best shell she can. She is very happy and gets lots of love and care. I have all the normal things you need. A 50 gallon tank, filter, heater, baskingdock, heat lamp, uvb lamp, water conditioner, pellets(10 everyother day), a mixture of greens every day. Hope I do still doing everything ok. I just added sand to the tank and she seems to like touching and playing in it, and chases fish that she doesnt catch around the tank lol =)

Well, got off track sorry. Any suggestions or advise for her shell shedding?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:29 pm
by SpotsMama
Besides giving her a little steamed sweet potato (one serviing a week should be enough) you should make sure she has plenty of calcium (cuttlebone in the tank) and basks regularly under a good quality UVB light bulb. (Turtles need UVB to metabolize the calcium they eat). This will speed up the shedding.

What kind of UVB bulb do you have?

In addition to sweet potato, blue berries and apple peel, turnip greens are also good for vitamin e.

Waiting for a shell to shed is kind of like watching paint dry - it's slow slow slow. You'll just have to be patient. If conditions and diet are right, it will happen....eventually.

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:50 pm
by lunabebe4
I normally have a couple of chunks of cuttle bone in there all the time, forgot this week but will add more, I noticed most of it just ends up sitting there and dissolving into the water, she doesn't like it much, will nibble at it sometimes but for the most part ignores it, I have been using the calcium dust on any crickets or things I give her sometimes. The uvb light is a exo-terra reptio glow 5.0 uvb blub. I got the wrong one the first day and someone on here told me to get that one. I think its the 50w one. Maybe I can find turnip greens. is that what they are called at the store is that just a group name?

PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 1:04 am
by SpotsMama
You're doing good. Hopefully, the bulb you got is the 25 watt one (that's the highest available in the 5.0 strength).

Turnip greens are called turnip greens in the grocery store. It's a specific thing not a group.

PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 6:58 pm
by lunabebe4
It's 26 watts sorry LOL, I haven't found turnip greens I will try a different store.