General Care Discussion :: Pictures of shell peeling

[nybill]

I have posted pictures of my turtles shell peeling. It has been like this for about 2 months and looks serious. Can someone have a look and let me know if this is normal or something that needs to be treated.

Thanks

[nybill]

[steve]

I haven't seen shedding like that before. The white underlay is what I have concerns about and the way it is shedding (from a central focal point).

Has the turtle shed before? How old is it? The material under the scutes... is it sensitive the the turtle? Is it hard or soft? Is there an odor? Was the shell normal before and then there was an injury/scratch to the shell?

[cprcheetah]

That doesn't look like normal shedding. At least in my experience. Zeke's didn't look like that. You may want to have your turtle looked at by a vet.

[nybill]

I have only had the turtle for about 6 months so no I havent seen him shed before..I dont know if the shell underneath is tender, but can see. There definetly hasnt been injury. Any thoughts on next steps?

[industrial_girl_2000]

That definitely is not normal shedding. Once the scutes fall off, they are not supposed to reveal that white/gray area underneath. I would take this little guy to the vet ASAP.

Anytime I have seen turts like this, they usually were suffering from malnutrition *before* you got them. The good thing is that I can tell he has grown a lot since you got him (from the stretch marks on the shell between the scutes) so it is apparent that you have been feeding him well. Continue to keep his water very clean, add lots of calcium to the water, provide a good strong basking light, and 78 degree water. Make sure you feed him a good variety of foods too.

Because a turtle's metabolism is very slow, it may take a long time for his shell to look normal again (if ever). Patience and good care will go a long way for this little guy.

[marisa]

It looks like there could be some shell rot there. It would be good to have your turtle seen by a herp vet.