General Care Discussion :: Scute-shedding

[Tenodera]

I've noticed that Serra's scutes seem ready to come off, but they're firmly wedged on her shell...

Does anyone know how long it takes for turtles to shed their scutes? She has had this opaque covering on her scutes since the beginning of last month.

Here's a picture

[grey goose]

When Bozo's scutes were shedding, it seemed to take forever for the ones on top to come off. My vet said don't force them, let the come off on their own.

[industrial_girl_2000]

I agree with grey-goose. When the scutes are ready to come off, they will start to curl up, just like loose wallpaper & at that point, you could gently peel any loose scutes off (only the ones that are loose & curling up....don't go after the ones that aren't curling up yet).

[marisa]

Gently press on the topmost scutes when the shell is dry. If you see water seeping out from underneath, the scute is nearly ready to shed. My turtles' scutes have never really curled. but the edges tend to become more whitish. If they look really ready to come off or appear to be just hanging on, I've gently tried to lift an end. If there's any resistance, I leave it alone. Sometimes the scute will just pop off, though.

Is Sera's carapace wet in that pic? If so, it's a little difficult to tell how close those scutes are to coming off.

Basking will help them lift off.

[Tenodera]

Here's a picture of her shell when it's dry.


So how long will it be until the baby scutes falls off? Another month?

Thanks,

Kevin
and Serra

[industrial_girl_2000]

Here's a picture of her shell when it's dry.


So how long will it be until the baby scutes falls off? Another month?

Thanks,

Kevin
and Serra

Depends on the turtle. Sometimes it takes my adult RES almost 7 months to completely shed her scutes. The scutes on the belly take the longest to fall off. And Marisa is right.....basking helps the scutes shed.

[marisa]

When you take Serra out of the water and the outermost scutes are dry, if you press on them does any water seep out from any? For some of those scutes, it doesn't look like it should be that much longer.

[grey goose]

One day you'll come home and a whole bunch of them will be on the tank floor.