General Care Discussion :: turtle shedding, does she need anything special?

[jrd1mra]

MY RES has started to shed for the first time since I got her. I got her in August of '05. She has what seems like a good chunk of skin hanging from her neck and she is getting a little white. This seems normal from what I've read. Plus she is just as active and hungry as usual . I saw that you should be concerned if the shedding seems excessive or lasts too long. I just noticed today that it started.
1. What is excessive?
2. how long does shedding take?
3. Does her shell shed at the same time? because it doesn't appear to be shedding now.
4. Is there anything special I should do, or look for?

[marisa]

1. Normally, the shedding skin is wispy and translucent, and is visible in the water much more than out of it. A growth spurt or temps that are too warm, for example, is likely to exacerbate shedding, making it seem more excessive. Is the shedding just from the neck or also from the tail and legs?

2. Time can vary. My RES, when a hatchling, went through a fairly large growth spurt once, and shell a lot, which seemed to be over in a little more than a week. (The only time he's ever done this.) Subsequent periods of shedding have take place more slowly, with just a few wisps of skin hanging at a time.

3. If you notice the seam/lines in between the scutes turning whitish when your turtle is in the water, the shell is growing as well.

4. Just keep the water clean. Normal shedding takes care of itself.

[jrd1mra]

Thanks for the reply. It seems exactly as you said. She just has some skin hanging around her head and neck. the water temp is fine 72-76. I'll keep an eye on her.

p.s. how did your turtle like the blizzard you had a couple weks ago? I love CT, I grew up in Storrs.

[marisa]

Well, most of my painteds were oblivious to the snow. The baby, however, could see the movement of it falling from his basking area, and just kind of watched it. I did take my RES (Tilly) out and held him near the window. He kind of cocked his head and looked at the flakes for a bit, but fairly quickly decided there were better things to do (like try to get out of my hands) so he went back into the water.

I like Storrs, went to college there, actually. And still go through the campus about once a week--do you know the public spring on 195? I get water there for my turts. Do you know about the big plans they have for the center of town? You won't know it in a few years. Where do you live now?