General Care Discussion :: shell problems? {pics}

[wordemup]

It seems that Treefall's shell has lost some color since i got him 2 weeks ago. I'm not sure if im just over reacting since i just got him or if it should concern me , maybe its just from the pet store care? anyways. He seems to be really active and eats well, im not overfeeding him but im stil worried? how does he look to you guys??





How big is your turtle? 1.5 inches
How long have you had it? 2 weeks

What is the water temperature? 79
Did you use a thermometer? yes
Are you using a water heater? yes
How much water is in there? 2/3 full
Are you using a water conditioner? yes
Are you using any filtration? yes

What is the basking temperature? around 90
Is there a basking light? yes
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? i think so
What kind is it or what is it made out of? small river rocks
Is there a UVB light? not till payday

What have you been trying to feed it? nutrafin pellets
When was the last time your turtle ate? today

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 35G tank
Is the tank near a window? no
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? no

Have you read the Basic Care section? yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? yes

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms?

he doesnt seem to bask much. I've seen him basking twice in the last week when i get hom efrom work. I only had it for 2 weeks so i dont know

[taylor_a]

To me it looks like he's growing really really fast, hence the big seams between his scutes.

How much are you feeding him?

[taylor_a]

Sorry for the double post.

Also, it looks to me like there's a crack along the midline of his shell. Without a UVB bulb, your turtle likely isn't synthesizing enough calcium to keep his shell hard, and this might have contributed to the crack. I'd definitely keep a close eye on that to make sure it doesn't get any worse.

[Topbell]

Looks like shedding scutes to me from those pics. Any sign of skin too? Poss from an environment change?

Also could be mineral deposits but I doubt it if you use conditioner.
The worry thing is he's not basking because he/she needs to to avoid retaing them. Maybe your temps are a bit out. You could try lowering the water temp & the basking temp abit . try 75 & 85 for a while & see what happens.

Avoid over-feeding and get a UVB fast.

[wordemup]

im only feeding him what would fit in his head which is not much and i've only had him for 2 weeks, 2 weeks is enough to do this to him or do u think that it was the diet he had at the pet store>?? and yes, he seems to be shedding skin as well

[SpotsMama]

Looks to me like he's getting ready for a major scute shed. You'll want him to go ahead and lose that top layer to keep his shell healthy.

For a healthy shell, a turtle needs to bask a lot under a good UVB bulb. A short time without UVB won't hurt but the sooner you can get one the better. If your guy is like most new turtles, the place he came from had lousy light and habitat, so he may have been without good light for a long time. Make sure he basks regularly so that his shell can dry out completely - top and bottom. This will also help with the shed.

Make sure also that there's cuttlebone in the tank for him to nibble on. It's an excellent source of calcium. Without the UVB, however, he won't be able to absorb the calcium he eats.

He's really cute, by the way!

[RES4ever]

He is probably (like stated before) growing fast. Turtles molt and this will continue for his entire life. Make sure he gets that UVB light and keep in mind that as he gets bigger and his shell grows he will change slightly in color like the yellow streaks... they will fade with growth.

[RESnTX]

He's really cute. It may take a while for him to get used to his new surroundings and start to feel comfortable and secure anough to bask.

[Chrisbarnett]

I agree with all others. Looks like a major scute shedding situation. Totally normal, considering how much he is growing judging by the seams of his shell.

[wordemup]

thanks everyone, I do feel better now. I feel that he just needs to get used to his new home and get him healthy again after being in a pet store. It seems I'm doing just about everything right and I'll jsut give him some time and hopefully he sheds soon and get him that light on payday

[marisa]

The seam is really quite wide, which means he's grown a fair amount in a relatively short time. Some of the scutes look like they're getting ready to lift (eventually they'll shed). Make sure he's got a lot of opportunity to bask under proper lighting.

[mikee]

Word -- Water temp is OK, but I would lower it a little about 76 to 77 degrees. Proper light with uvb and plenty of calcium and a little less food. It is a good looking turtle and only needs a few adjustments. More vegies may be in order. m.

[Topbell]

I agree he has definately had a growth spurt or two. I dont know the content of the pellets your feeding but not too much protein too quickly is what you want.

On the basking - apart from the temps - is the tank in a noisy busy room? If so this might be whats putting him off basking for longer periods. Sliders can be quite shy until they acclimatize to their surroundings. Any noise (including loud TV or radio etc), and any movements will send him back to the water. He needs to dry out completely for as long as he wants for basking to get them scutes off properly.

[wordemup]

thanks again every1 for the advices you are giving, i lowered the temp to 77 and have put him in a strict diet. Something else i noticed as i layed in bed and napped was that he gets close to the basking spot and kind just floats the entrance as if just checking things out, almost as if he wants to go out there but still scared of it, hopefully he uses it when im at work.