General Care Discussion :: My Turtles A-Peeling.

[Israfel]

Hey, guys! First timer here! I got a turtle for my birthday about two years ago and, I must confess, I didn't get NEARLY as involved in her as I should've. Oh, I always loved her and fed her and even bought her a nice big 75 gallon tank for her to swim around in, but I didn't read up on turtles as much as I should've. I recognize my sins and have paid penance. So, lets let the healing begin, shall we? (Pun INtended.)
My turtle is itchy. She is constantly trying to itch her self (neck and back legs mainly) and you can see clear filmy skin around her neck and legs.
I HATE that she is unconfortable! What can I do? Any tips? I have heard of a "dip" type medication. Is that for this? Or is that for shell problems (shellrot and what-not). Speaking of which, she has ALWAYS since I got her had these large white areas on her shell. It seems to be more aesthetically displeasing then uncomfortable for her. She just swims around and is very energetic.
Anyway, sorry to ramble. Any advice you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated by both of us, I am sure. Thanks for your time. Later!

-Nick

P.S.
Her name is Rosaline. =O)

[cam722]

Hi and Welcome..

It sounds like she's shedding to me and there is really nothing to that you have to worry about or do for it unless it's been going on for too long. Is this the first time you've noticed her shedding? As for the white spots, are they visible out of the water also? Do they have any smell, are they soft? I'd think it was air bubbles trapped under a scute but I'm not sure that would last for 2 years.

[missibsu]

Tell us about your set up! How big and water temps. One of my turts has a spot on her shell, and it's whitish in color. I've had her a year and it hasn't changed. I'm guessing that mine is more of a scar than water trapped under the scute.

[marisa]

If the white spots are visible both in and out of the water, can you post a pic of the shell dry that shows them? If you just see them in the water and if you gently press on them, do they appear to move (like a bubble)? If so, this could be air trapped under the scutes as they start to lift off.

How long has your turtle been itchy? In normal skin shedding, the skin is wispy and translucent and seen mainly when the turtle is in the water. It shouldn't be excessive or last a long time. Have you seen this in the past as well?

If this condition has been going on for a longer time (a few weeks), it could be due to something else--temps (water and basking) that are too high, a high ammonia level in the water, even overfeeding, which would contribute to overly fast growth, for example.

How fast is your turtle growing? How often do you change the water (what kind of filter are you using)? What is the temp of the water and basking area?