General Care Discussion :: Tail

[jwinters]

I got a new musk turtle today and I just noticed it doesn't have a tail. It is currently about 2 inches. Has the tail just not grown or is this a deformity? Then again it was in a tank with 3 other babies. It doesn't look like my musk has a wound though. Also, do all musk turtles have such long necks?

[BullDog]

May be a birth defect or it may have been bitten off by another turtle. If the area still looks raw (red or pink), make sure he has clean, warm water so it can heal up. If it's already healed, there's not much you can do. There's a few owners here I think that have turtles missing tails.

[jwinters]

It doesn't look raw. Also, I went to the pet store today to get him a heater and saw that the other hatchlings didn't have tails either.

Edit: Except one of them.

[papoopeepoo]

was it the same pet store where you purchased your turtle?

[jwinters]

Yes, it was. Now to think of it they're violating the 4 inch law.

[planet.caravan]

I think it is a birth defect then....

[jwinters]

Either that or the one hatchling with a tail bit the tail off the other three