General Care Discussion :: Scute shedding

[TAHNEE]

How often are they supposed to shed them? I don't think mine ever has. Do they come off hard or soft? I assumed hard, but when I rubbed him with the toothbrush to get the algae off, they are like, slimy I guess I would say. Kind of roles up while I was rubbing. Hope I make since. I have almost confused myself.

[marisa]

They shed them as they grow, unless they're growing too fast, and then you'll likely have shell problems...When my RES sheds, the scute comes off in one piece, is usually translucent (may have a faint pattern if the place it shed from had one) and pretty much looks like the underlying scute (you could, I suppose, compare it to a thin fingernail). If the shell was slimy, it sounds like a film of bacteria had developed on the shell (which is good to wipe off).

The scutes are so thin that they bunch up when you rub them? How are are you rubbing/brushing the shell (it should not be hard)?

[TAHNEE]

They are not hard. They are translucent like you said. Just really thin and bunches up when I rubbed them with the brush. I used it with warm water.

[marisa]

Can you post a picture of your turtle's (dry) shell? Perhaps the scutes are coming off in pieces.

[TAHNEE]

Here is one from that day actually. Can you tell much?

[TAHNEE]

Also, remember he is just alittle bigger than he was the day I got him.

[TAHNEE]

Heres another one. I forgot you said dry.

[Bumby's Mom]

It is over 3 years old and hasn't grown? Either you aren't feeding him and giving him a proper enclosure or it has problems. What are you feeding him? Do you have a UVB light?

[LOBO]

wow he could look a hole in a steel wall :p

[TAHNEE]

I do feed him thank you. He eats about every day. He skips a day now and then. Hes very picky. I offer all the time. He just won't eat it. He eats hatchling pellets and some other small ones I have. He has only ate boiled chicken and tuna. He will eat dried shrimp and those green turtle flakes. He will eat no fruits and veggies so far. He has filter,heat, water and light and basks all the time, sometimes too long in my opinion. I had another turtle and he grew to about 6 inches in the same living conditions. Just had to get rid of him, he was attacking this one.

[Bascomb]

Tnee -- Please don't forget that they will eat their own scutes even if you feed them well. Please don't over feed them they are the world's best beggers.

[TAHNEE]

Thanks. I don't feed him a whole lot. He used to only beg every other day. Now he does every day but I don't give much. If he doesn't beg and I try to feed him, he won't eat. So, I just try to give alittle when he does, and only once in a days time. He does eat his own poop sometimes, so I guess the scutes could be going the same place. Thanks again. I never thought of that.

[SpotsMama]

He is definitely a little turtle with some shell shedding to do. It looks like layers and layers of scutes have built up. Usually those layers pop off or peel off on their own. Sometimes the layers don't come loose as they should and the layers build up, which will lead to shell infections.

Some of the reasons for not shedding are problems with diet or problems with basking.

You already mentioned some of what your turtle is eating but you said his appetite is poor. What brand of pellets does he eat? How much does he eat? Does he have a cuttlebone in the tank?

On the basking, you mentioned that he basks a lot. When he basks, what kind of light does he bask under? What is the brand and strength of his UVB bulb? How old is the UVB bulb? Has he always been able to bask under a uVB bulb?

Since he felt sort of slimey when you cleaned him, why don't you go ahead and disinfect in case there is a layer of bacteria on the surface. Get some Hibiclense (it's a hand wash for people you can get at places like Walgreens). Dilute some to 50% strength with water. With your turtle in the sink, rub some of the solution on his shell - top and bottom - takiing care not to get any on his face or eyes. You can use the soft toothbrush to GENTLY clean him. Then, rinse thoroughly. He's not going to like it so will be squirmey. The Hibiclense will make him very slippery so handle with great care, holding him low in the sink so if he gets away he won't take a bad fall.

I'm puzzeled as to why he won't grow. Has a vet checked him for internal parasites? It's a pretty easy thing for a vet to do - they just need a stool sample. My vet charged about $18 to do it.