General Care Discussion :: Fungus

[k23]

Hi,

Is it all right and will it be effective if I use 'burn-aid cream' to treat for fungus on my turtles shell?
It contains 0.1% Acriflavine and 0.025% Benzalkonium Chloride.

I'm not sure if it is safe for turtles. Should I just stick to using Povidone iodine?
I couldn't find any Silver Sulfadiazine or Nolvasan here.

[steve]

First, are you sure your turtle has fungus? Second, Silver Sulfadiazine requires a prescription in some places, it would be a good idea to consult a vet to acquire some. I wouldn't use something on my turtles unless I was absolutely sure it wouldn't harm them or worsen their condition.

[k23]

I'm about 99% sure it is. I'll try and upload a pic soon.
I've noticed some small pits too but they're not so deep with just a few small white spots around her shell. The shell isn't developing right since she last shed about 2mths ago. Even her shell color is fading, but her skin looks normal and her behavior as well. I've checked her diet and nothing seems to be wrong with it.
Does the vet have to be turtle savvy? I don't think the vets nearby around my place are so.

[k23]

Pits are visible here


White spots visible in this one





I've also noticed some air spaces under some of her scutes.

[steve]

One or two spots looks like it could be fungus, but they are being shed with the old scute?

[k23]

She hasn't been shedding lately. I've also noticed she has been retaining some of her scutes.
I've already removed some of the loose ones. Scutes with the spots doesn't seem to be coming off.
Could it be a lack of Calcium too? She always has been a little picky with what she eats.

Currently I'm dry docking her and I've been treating her with povidone iodine. It's been a few days now and it seems to help her shed her retained scutes but not much.
Is there any other way I could help further?

[steve]

What do you mean by retained? From the pics, it looks like the top layer is coming off. More severe problems with retained scutes will have multiple layers.

[k23]

There's about 2 layers of retained scutes on the underside and some on the sides, but I've managed to loosen and peel some off.
Scutes along the top of her shell doesn't seem to be developing right. I could vaguely see the spine through the scutes.
The ones on her shoulders look fine, its just the middle scutes. I'll try and upload a pic soon.

[k23]

Here are the pics







Hope the pics are clear enough.
Notice that the shell is slightly grooved as well.
About the fungus; shes getting a little better now. Hopefully she'll get better soon.
Took these pics while she was in her feeding tub filled with water.
Her shell color is getting dull too. Is there anything I can do?

[steve]

How recently did it come off? Do you have a picture of it? Is that pit sensitive or soft? Any material in there?

Some of the dull areas is due to shedding but also a change in melanism.

[k23]

About half a year or so. Unfortunately, I don't have any pics from back then. The pit is hard and there isn't anything in it. She doesn't react differently when I touch it. Doesn't seem to hurt her. Her color is more Brown than before with more prominent yellow stripes and black markings. Could it be due to fungus? Or her environment?

[steve]

It's normal for the shell to darken and lose their pattern as they age.

[Love of Animals]

Be very careful forcing scutes off. Can you take her out for natural sun once a day? Even if it's just 1/2 an hour a day. Nothing is better than the sun for shell issues.

[k23]

I take her 'sun bathing' everyday unless it rains. Usually she gets 2 to 3 hrs of sun from her tub but I take her out into the garden in the early morning and evenings. I only peel off the scutes with the loose edges. I don't probe the ones that 'stick' because I heard that the turtle gets hurt.

Any suggestions, on maybe changing the turtles diet to aid her shell development? I've been giving her calcium supp. tho.

[steve]

How warm does it get in the tub and how big is it? Does she have shade?

What's her diet like now?