General Care Discussion :: Discoloration of Shell?

[eviance85]

Hi all,

I've 1 year old RES named Pandora, currently the issue is that she has discoloration on her shell and the scutes underneath her seems kinda faded?
I'm reluctant to take her to a proper vet yet because the next available appointment for a vet with knowledge of reptiles is in half a year,
so I'm trying to do some DIY diagnostic but still to no avail.
I'm currently living in Singapore temperature and humidity are tropical so there are any issues with basking and humidity.
Feeding her with ReptoMin pellets occasionaly water hycinth.
I've tried to brush it with a toothbrush and the local pet store anti-fungus treater (Ingredient: Miconazole, Hydroxypropyl Cellulos) but still not improving.
Anyone facing such problems?

[PridgNYC]

How much are you feeding, because that is a lot of pyramiding in the scutes. What is the basking situation like? The shell needs to completely dry in order to loosen/release the scute layers. I've read that koi pellets with wheat germ can help encourage shedding, but UVA/UVB exposure is also critical.

[eviance85]

I'm feeding the amount base on the size of her head, frequency of feeding every alternate day.
For basking tank is close enough to the window to get some sunlight and night she has a Repti GLO 5.0 which is about 3inch away from her basking platform to give her some heat at the same time.
She seems to be basking normally going up to the platform for half an hour or so.

[steve]

It does look like fungus, what's the name of the med you tried?

[eviance85]

It's brand is "AZOO", a taiwan distributor.
http://www.azoo-aqua.com/detal.asp?pd_t ... pdid=&kwd=
Doesn't really seem to have any effect at all.

[PridgNYC]

Sunlight through a window is not sufficient exposure to UVB since the glass filters the UVB rays from sunlight. You should have the Repti-Glo 5.0 about 6 inches away from the basking area about 12 hours per day + another light (incandescent, halogen, etc) which provides heat at the same time. The pattern of discoloration makes it look like he doesn't spend much time completely dry. His basking area should be set up so he can get completely out of the water in an area that is about 10-15 degrees F warmer than the water with proper exposure to UVB light (which the Repti-Glo provides).

[steve]

Would you be able to get Silver sulfadiazine cream? It might go under different names depending on where you live. Treatment starts with the right habitat, including the correct lighting described by PridgNYC.

[eviance85]

I'll try to search for the Silver sulfadiazine cream but for human uses there might be some at the local pharmacy, would that be fine?
Basking area is about 4 inches away from UVB light which is providing temp difference compared to the water.
Though the turt seems to be skittish like sometimes and alternating between being up there and then suddenly going in for a dip.

[steve]

It would be the same, though in the US you need a prescription for it. What's the temperature?

[Stefania]

I agree about an infection as a cause of carapax disease. I am the surgeon, but for people - not for animals. May be, it will be better if you ask in a pharmacy about ihtiolovaya ointment else. It is Russian ointment and to tell the truth I don`t know about it`s trade name in USA. But I am sure that the apothecary can catch what exactly means. The ointment looks like dirt and has a strong smell but it is a perfect antiseptic that good for turtles. Ointment base remains of fossil fish and it is approximately natural antiseptic for any reptiles. Must be applied ~1 hour or 2 , not more. Next - to remove by antiseptic soap. And apply antifungial drug after the ihtiolovaya ointment.

[andrew734]

buddy my GF's turtle had the same issue, part of the reason i just joined , but we lett buddy out for a walk around the apartment a few times a week and his shell is looking much more natural. the pieces discolored have fallen off uncovering a beautiful fresh shell. and buddy will be getting a fresh tank that is more suited for his size here this weekend when his filter and heater for the new tank show up.

[steve]

Glad to hear he's shedding. A lot of people have trouble with that aspect (even if it's not their fault).

[papoopeepoo]

Glad to hear he's shedding. A lot of people have trouble with that aspect (even if it's not their fault).

steve, I think you misread andrew734's post, that wasn't the thread starter's reply.


eviance85- Your turtle may have a calcium deficiency. I predict this because of the pinkness to his/her plastron, and the the likelihood that your turtle barely gets any UVB light.

I recommend you try Silver sulfadiazine cream for your turtle's shell. You will need to dry dock your turtle for at least a few hours a day to keep the shell dry during treatment. This should be done every day (or night) for a week straight to really wack that fungus. This will also help the shell to shed.

Also, the best defense is routine prevention. Make sure the tank water is always crystal clear and fresh, and the turtle always has a place to dry out and warm up without escaping.

[eviance85]

Sorry for the long reply been outstationed without internet access.
I've managed to obtain the Silver Sulfadiazine cream from a hospital pharmacy as it is a controlled drug.
Just started application and dry docking today hopefully thing goes well.
Basking dock area temperature with ambient air are around ranges between 31-34 all day.

So far I've applied all around the shell, letting air dry for about 3 hours now,
Rinse it off with tap water and air dry for another half hour,
finally back into the tank for her.

Would this be the correct treatment so far?

[steve]

I can't view that image. I would do it this way: take the turtle out of the tank at night and let the shell dry.. usually 1 hr is fine. Then apply a thin layer of the cream and let the turtle sleep over night out of the tank. In the morning, clean the shell and put her back into the tank.