General Care Discussion :: Dark lines along scutes

[daredevilgirl013]

I was just trying to remember, does really really dark lines along the scutes mean he is eating too much? I looked today and Michelangelo's lines were almost pitch black. I know he's been a pig lately but it hasn't been a year since I've had him so I don't think he's ready to go to an every other day feeding. Though I noticed today when I was feeding my fish, he was going after the fish food and eating it as if I had never fed him. I know they eat when they can but that's the first time I've seen him do that. So I was just wondering so I can figure out if I need to cut back on his once a day feeding or not.

[sonyj]

I've read on other sites that it's recommended to cut back feeding to every other day after 6 months, and then on other sites at a year. I've cut back Koopa's pellets to every other day but give veggies daily and he's 8-9 months now.

In reference to the black lines, I've heard they represent fast growth. You may want to just monitor his food intake and on days he eats feeders, cut back on pellets.

[cam722]

How big is Michelangelo? He looks rather tiny in those pictures.. I mean the snail looks larger than he does..

How much are you feeding him?

[daredevilgirl013]

He's 1.75 inches and I've had him for almost 7 months now.

As for feeding I feed him at night, which night time for me is daytime for him. He gets three small piches of zoo med hatchling pellets. I have watched before and the fish and shrimp will at least eat half of the pellets I put in there so on average I would say he's getting about 10 pellets, which is what I was feeding him before but it was put into five pellets at a time.

But other food wise he has the fish, the shrimp, the snails, and the anacharis and like I said, the fish food from me feeding my sword tail and my minnow.

So there is plenty of food there along with cuttlebone too. I've tried veggies and he will not go for them but lately I've seen him nipping at the anacharis so I've just been sticking to that.

[cam722]

It doesn't sound to me like he's growing too fast.. 1.75" inches is about right .. Remember they grow faster in the first year .. after that an inch a year is considered good growth. I'm not sure but didn't you say that he was shedding a bit ago and that he had greyish lines between his scutes? If so, then they will darken after he's done shedding.. To me it sounds like you're doing everything right and he's doing just fine.. You're just a nervous mommy

[daredevilgirl013]

He's still shedding on his legs and tail at the moment, and his underbelly has yet to fully shed, it's been slowly working on it. But I think his top part is done as it doesn't look so pale.

I just didn't want him to be growing way too fast. I know since he's been in his new tank he's grown at least half an inch. Honestly I can't wait for him to be 4 inches so I can really find out if it is a he, but I'll wait patiently...and keep hoping it's a he.

[marisa]

When my turtles are growing the seam/line in between the scutes looks whitish/light-looking in the water, not black. It then darkens as the growth slows. They actually grow their fastest (and most) in their first 3 years, then grow much more slowly after that.