General Care Discussion :: Dang shell issues...

[happycamper]

How can you tell if the turtle is retaining scutes? Seems like it is taking forever for them to come off... some have air underneath when he is underwater. Planning on making jello shots tonight with added calcium because he has no interest in cuttlebone, hoping that will help speed the process up. He has a better UVB bulb now, that should help too right?

I am so sick of looking at the ugly scutes next to his bright beautiful recently shed areas. So hard not to help them come off!!! Must resist picking!! Ahhhh! lol

[marisa]

Retained scutes look like they should have come off long ago but didn't for whatever reason. Often there are layers of scutes, with the top ones fused to the ones below. If you look around the forum, you should be able to find some pics showing the condition.

If some of the scutes have shed, be patient. It can be a gradual process. A new basking under a new UVB light at the proper temp should help; unfiltered sunlight can work wonders.

[happycamper]

Thanks marissa

[sabrinasothan]

My little man cheech doesn't seem to be shedding and all his scutes are retaining and since I am fairly new to turtles I really dont know for sure. I managed to take a few pic's.....If anyone has any advice if its pyramiding or not or what I can do to treat it if it is..anything would be greatly appreciated. this one shows the one more so bubbling towards his head. and I have never seen any scutes in his tank for the year that ive had him..kinda worried..

[steve]

It looks like he's been growing too fast and not basking enough. Why don't you start a new thread with some info.. tank setup, turtle diet, age, size, etc.

[SeriSlider]

My turtle is new to me and Im not sure if the shell issues I noticed 2night were there on sunday when I got her. She has 2 spots that seem to be "flaking" idk if its injury from the rocks in her tank or bc Idt she's basking. She's in a room that gets a lot of natural sunlight but she stays in the water most of the time (that I kno of)

[sabrinasothan]

thanks steve, ive started to feed him less and im working on a new tank setup, problem is im not all the internet savy lol.. how would i go about starting a thread? i no it sounds retarded but i dont get online that much so even this site is new to me..i feel really dumb for having to ask that.

[steve]

@ sabrinasothan - just go the section you are interested in, like General Care, then click on the New Topic button.

@ SeriSlider - could be shedding, but you need to be careful about a tank that is exposed to sunlight. Can you post a picture of the shell (when dry)?