General Care Discussion :: This was just pointed out to me..

[julie373]

So, I took some pictures of my turtle and this line on his/her back was pointed out to me and I hadn't even noticed it before. What do you think? Is it something I should be worried about?

[megcornell]

It looks like something abrasive scratched the shell... it's not like it follows the pattern of the scutes, it just graces the topmost part of the shell. Does it have any odor? Is there anything in the tank the turtle can rub against or squeeze into like a log that is too small? I'd keep my eye on it to see if there are any changes or if the discoloration spreads.

Edit: Now that I saw your other post, I think maybe it's from the cave in your tank... is it abrasive and does the turtle have ample room to swim in-out of it?

[SpotsMama]

That white stripe down the back does look like it's been rubbed against something abrasive.

In addition, there's a whitish grey tinge around the edges of most of the scutes that's similar in color to the stripe on top though fainter. It looks to me like this turtle is growing rapidly. Are the scutes lifting at all?

Why don't you watch it for a week or so and see if anything changes. If you can, come back and post some more photos.

Here's a thread with turtle that looks somewhat similar though he's a little older and starting to shed.

http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewt ... ight=white

This is the little turtle with the very unusual scute pattern! He's awfully cute.

[steve]

Most hatchlings have a yellowish ridge along the vertebral scutes. Yours is a bit more visible but too early to jump to conclusions. There are one or two other hatchlings here with unusual scutes... I wonder how they compare.

I would make sure he's getting the right diet, plus calcium, UVB and basking time.

[julie373]

It doesn't smell, and it's not soft. There are two entrances into the cave in his/her tank and they look plenty big enough to me? But maybe he/she just isn't being careful when going on? Could anything be caused by the fact that when i've had him this last week, his water temps were all over the place until I got this new water heater?

[industrial_girl_2000]

Is the baby trying to squeeze his way behind the filter or behind some rocks in the tank? If he is, he might be scratching his shell because he is working so hard to squeeze thru something & hide. If he is doing something like this, move the filter away from the wall & add some plastic plants for him to hide in. Baby RES's tend to be shy when you first get them.

[julie373]

He does like to squeeze behind things, but they aren't rough things really. And he does have plenty of plants to hide on. Should I move his house to the middle of the tank so he isn't squeesing behind it?

[untsmurf]

I'm not sure, but wouldn't it have to be something really rough to make a scrape like that? And he would've had to push himself against it really hard, right?

[julie373]

I would think so? I don't think he has really. He likes to squeeze behind the dock which is like foam, and the filter which is just smooth plastic? So im not sure. Im like really worried now. I dont want anything bad to happen to him. =/

[SpotsMama]

I don't know unt. Maybe he could injure it if he repeatedly rubbed against something, even if it wasn't rubbing very hard.

However, did you see the little turtle in the link in my earlier post? He had a stripe down his back too. And I've seen it in photos of other little turtles on here. And Steve said it's common for hatchlings to have a stripe, so maybe it's nothing at all but a normal characteristic of a hatchling's shell.

[julie373]

Well, I sure hope so. I guess all I can do at this point is keep an eye on it, and if anything changes, take him/her to the vet?

[SpotsMama]

Yes - that's what I would do. Why don't you post a new set of pictures in about 10 days and let's see if there's been any change?

[SpotsMama]

Here's another little turtle with a stripe. Look at the third picture from the top. The stripe is faint but it's definitely there.

http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11368

[julie373]

Yeah, I'll post more pictures in 10 days. Thanks.

[industrial_girl_2000]

He does like to squeeze behind things, but they aren't rough things really. And he does have plenty of plants to hide on. Should I move his house to the middle of the tank so he isn't squeesing behind it?

Not a bad idea. The interesting thing is that turtles do weird things when they are bored (and when people aren't around). I have a feeling that if you were around 24/7, you may catch him doing something that he doesn't do when there is a room full of people around....