General Care Discussion :: I think Niko's shedding...

[MoreBloodWine]

Ok so I looked at him/her today and noticed this flap of skin or something just behind the head on the top of the neck. I think he/she is starting to shed because it looks like the skin that would come lose from the rubbing on the shell as they pull their heads in and out. Either way its kinda funky lookin but if it is shed it should be interesting to watch as it progresses.

[chrisinva]

pics?? I have not seen my little guys shed yet and was wondering what it looked like

[MoreBloodWine]

pics?? I have not seen my little guys shed yet and was wondering what it looked like

I'll try but I dont know if I can get a good pic since its on the back of the head. I'm pretty sue its shedding though because hes getting a dull / gray look on his one foot where it looks like skins getting ready to come off.

[sleepsinrain]

I was just about to post something similar. My turtle has a clear flap of what I assume is shed skin floating under her chin, but I need to be sure it's nothing serious.

[MoreBloodWine]

I'm only sure mines shed because it's on the top of the head where you'd expect the neck to rub the shell sometimes. That and the dull gray look on the one foot which is indication of shed, my geckos get a similar look to them when they get ready to shed.

[SpotsMama]

Thin, translucent whips coming off the neck and arms and legs is normal skin shedding. Sometimes, however, the back of a turtle's head or neck rubs against the shell, where he/she pulls it in and out, and makes a little injury. this is especially common when the piece of shell directly behind the head is sharp or pointed.

So if what you see if just this little whips, then not to worry. If however it looks like thicker skin, then it may be a little injury which would benefit from the application of a little antibiotic ointment, like Neosporin.

By the way, you can't see normal shedding unless the turtle is in the water - the skin is invisible out of the water. And normally they don't get a dull/grey look before shedding. Is there any way to get a photo of the dull/grey area?

[MoreBloodWine]

Thin, translucent whips coming off the neck and arms and legs is normal skin shedding. Sometimes, however, the back of a turtle's head or neck rubs against the shell, where he/she pulls it in and out, and makes a little injury. this is especially common when the piece of shell directly behind the head is sharp or pointed.

So if what you see if just this little whips, then not to worry. If however it looks like thicker skin, then it may be a little injury which would benefit from the application of a little antibiotic ointment, like Neosporin.

By the way, you can't see normal shedding unless the turtle is in the water - the skin is invisible out of the water. And normally they don't get a dull/grey look before shedding. Is there any way to get a photo of the dull/grey area?

The dull grey is where the shed skins already seperating from the body. The shed from the back of the neck is gone now, and I was always sure thats what it was, and yes I only noticed it in the water.