Healthy Shell
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 7:36 pmHow do you determine if you RES has a healthy shell, is it suppose to be like rock hard or just normal hardish?
Depends, what size turtle are you talking about?
If you post photos, both of the wet and dry shell at different angles, people will tell you how your turtle's shell is doing. Key things to look for, in smaller turtles (>2"), the shell will be slightly soft, not super soft, but softer. In larger turtles, the shell should be solid and firm, if you smashed it with a hammer it would still break, but it shouldn't give under gentle pressure with your fingers. A little give is okay, but if it is soft and pliable, I believe it is a metabolic disorder, where the calcium isn't being used properly.
Another thing is coloration. A baby turtle starts off pretty green and slowly darkens to almost brown over time. White is never a good sign, neither is red.
The scutes are next. The shell should be pretty smooth, with no evidence of pyramiding. Also, the seams between the scutes should be small, not wide. If the shell is about to shed, there will be air bubbles under the scutes.
Hope this help!