General Care Discussion :: About To Shed...2 Months Later?

Taking care of your turtle's overall health.

Post Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 8:42 pm   About To Shed...2 Months Later?

My RES Charlotte is almost 4 months old. Since I brought her home she has been shedding skin, but never her scutes. For the past 2 months now more and more scutes are looking like they need to be shed (alot look like they have pockets of air inside). The problem is, she hasen't been shedding ANY scutes at all! I've been giving her some foods that are supposed to aid in shedding but so far..nothing.

Is it possible that it can take this long before a RES actually starts to shed

* NOTE: She has never shed any scutes before.
Charlotte - 1yr old RES
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Post Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 9:15 pm   

My RES is probably around 8 minths or so old and has been having a rly hard time shedding. i cant rly help since im having the same problem

but they shed their skin like every 2 weeks i think
65 Gallon
-1 RES (Myrtle)
-1 Pleco (unnamed)
-1 four lined pimelodus catfish (unnamed)
-1 shubunkin (unnamed)
29 Gallon Planted Tank
-3 cory cats
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Post Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 9:28 pm   

Last edited by LilTurtSquirt on Sun May 23, 2010 2:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 9:38 pm   

I wonder if it has something to do with the seasons? Perhaps in the summer they will shed more?
Charlotte - 1yr old RES
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Post Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 9:39 pm   

its finally like 70 outside around noon where i am so im taking myrtle outside for the first time this year. ill probably try to get some good pics
65 Gallon
-1 RES (Myrtle)
-1 Pleco (unnamed)
-1 four lined pimelodus catfish (unnamed)
-1 shubunkin (unnamed)
29 Gallon Planted Tank
-3 cory cats
-# guppies!
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rsour24
 
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Post Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 9:44 pm   

I'm sure Myrtle will love that! It's still quite cold up here so it'll be a few months yet until Charlotte can venture outside :(
Charlotte - 1yr old RES
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Post Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 9:47 pm   

Last edited by LilTurtSquirt on Sun May 23, 2010 2:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 9:53 pm   

my idea might fail, i feel liek natural sunlight should help with shedding. but they r calling for rain tomorrow. cross ur fingers it doesnt come till like 2 haha
65 Gallon
-1 RES (Myrtle)
-1 Pleco (unnamed)
-1 four lined pimelodus catfish (unnamed)
-1 shubunkin (unnamed)
29 Gallon Planted Tank
-3 cory cats
-# guppies!
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rsour24
 
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Post Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 9:59 pm   

I know! Now that it's officially spring the winter weather has come back. It's supposed to rain here tomorrow too. We've been getting alot of rain here lately that we don't usually get. I used to live in England and when I moved to Canada I thought i'd escape the rain, but it seems it's followed me :)
Charlotte - 1yr old RES
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Post Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 3:19 am   

patience.. it could take months for them to come off :)
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steve
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Post Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 3:36 am   

How often do scutes should shed? How old do they start shedding? My hatchlings are nearly a year old and this question's been bugging me.
1 Mississippi Map Turtle 3.25'' (Landslide)
1 Ouachita Map Turtle 4.0'' (Hurricane)
The rest of the turtles have been adopted to good homes. :)
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n00bEmpty
 
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Post Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 10:11 am   

steve wrote:patience.. it could take months for them to come off :)


haha thanks steve. but its still frustrating
65 Gallon
-1 RES (Myrtle)
-1 Pleco (unnamed)
-1 four lined pimelodus catfish (unnamed)
-1 shubunkin (unnamed)
29 Gallon Planted Tank
-3 cory cats
-# guppies!
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rsour24
 
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Post Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 11:29 am   

Scute shedding largely depends on how much a turtle is growing. Whether or not the shedding actually occurs, basically depends on habitat and diet. Some turtles need to shed but don't, leading to retained scutes (layers of scutes that don't come off). They grow more and faster when they're younger and then gradually slow down.
"You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed." -Antoine de Saint Exupery-
marisa
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Post Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 1:02 pm   

Thank you everybody for your replies! I think i'm just being overly cautious. I can't help it :)
Charlotte - 1yr old RES
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Post Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 2:27 pm   

I also want to know at what age they're supposed to start shedding. i've had my guy for a year now and he hasn't shed his scutes, but I can peel off small layers on some of them so would that mean he has retained scutes?
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