General Care Discussion :: Scratching/Rubbing--Shell Checkup?

[queenjane]

Tank has been doing something odd recently.

I let him out of his aquarium to walk around my living room because I think it is good for him to have exercise on "land." He has always had a habit of going under my couch and tooling around under there because it is dark and tight and he feels safe.

Since it's a sleeper sofa it has a bunch of metal gidgets under there to make the bed pop out. Tank has a habit of going to the edge of one of them (it's pretty dull, so don't worry), and rubbing his back on it for like 20 minutes at a time.

I've checked to make sure he's not stuck under there or struggling or anything, and he's not. If I move him away from the scratchy sofa thingy, he goes right back to it and starts rubbing.

Is he trying to shed or something?

There's nothing really to rub on in his habitat because everything is pretty much smooth.

I've just finished this note and he's STILL under the couch rubbing.


Also, he has not shed in several months. He about a year and five months old now. His behavior, diet, habitat, and health are all great. He shedded scutes constantly up until the time of his first birthday, but now he has stopped. His skin does not shed much either anymore.

Shell pictures:

[blackforces get you]

it seems like he wants to shed. i never had this problem but the worst thing you can do is force the shedding scute. it can cause an infection

[queenjane]

Well, none of his scutes have even turned gold yet. There has been no sign of shedding in over four months. He gets all the right food.

Should I turn his water temperatures up? Would that help?

I just gave him a scrub bath with a toothbrush, and apparently it's fine when he rubs himself on my couch, but not when I bathe him with a toothbrush, because he fought and stabbed my hands with his insanely sharp feet. I need chainmail to deal with him when it's time for anything medical, grr. (I know a girl on putyourpetonline who has a snapping turtle who will let her do absolutely anything to him... flip him over... scrub him... whatever. But my RES tank tries to kill me!) Anyway, a bunch of white crap came off of his shell. He's extraordinarily mad at me right now, lol.

[Gianni989]

My RES goes all into his shell when I take a toothbrush to clean his shell. I don't know if thats fear or comfort though lol.

[queenjane]

I have holes in my hands from my dear, sweet, loveable little Tank. Jerkface.

(Actually, my arms are usually covered in turtle scratches anyway because he likes to climb on me. )

[blackforces get you]

My RES goes all into his shell when I take a toothbrush to clean his shell. I don't know if thats fear or comfort though lol.

sounds more like fear lol

[Gianni989]

Yeah I thought so, but I like it when his shell looks nice so I suppose he will either get used to a whole 1 minutes a week out of his tank or... he won't.

[untsmurf]

They actually exercise all the time, except when they're sleeping. They're constantly swimming which is why their leg muscles are so strong. So they don't need to come out for it too.

His shell looks fine though. He should shed soon because he's retained his scutes for a while, but it doesn't look like it's starting to yet.

[Kemul]

Have you tried feeding blueberry? Usually, it's good source of vitamin E which
encourages healthy skin and shell, and shedding. (That's what I remember from
Spotsmama's post)

[theartbook35]

Have you tried feeding blueberry? Usually, it's good source of vitamin E which
encourages healthy skin and shell, and shedding. (That's what I remember from
Spotsmama's post)

I remember her post too. And she was right. I give mine blueberries once a week, which helped speed up their skin shedding a little bit, and it's helped with their shell shedding a bit too.

[tammi]

My guys won't eat blue berries or fruit I try but no success

[queenjane]

But what about the rubbing?

Does his shell look all right?

[untsmurf]

It looks perfect to me. Just some retained scutes that will come off with the next shed.

[ESG4Life]

yeah... have you been giving him cuttlebone
???

[queenjane]

Yes.