General Care Discussion :: White stuff on carapace and plastron

[bowozer]

Hi,

Have anyone here had a RES turtle with these white stuff on their carapace and plastron? I wonder what it is. I hope it's not a disease.
My turtle is still eating regularly (twice a day), and still active. But these days she's just stay underwater and sometime reach out the water surface for air.

please have a look at pictures below and give any comment on them. If it is a disease, i think it's best to deal with it as early as possible, right?

pic1: https://www.dropbox.com/s/9dlyxwky4ayjq3b/20130701.JPG
pic2: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lu6me47q2174qrp/20130702.JPG
pic3: https://www.dropbox.com/s/s79icbf0z40gt ... 0703_2.JPG
pic4: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lfo1k191r6tym ... 0703_4.jpg

pic4 is her plastron. Not only she has whitey stuff, but also she has pink/brownish color. See also on your right hand side at second scutes from the top and second one from the bottom. There's something there I don't know what it is. Does anyone here know what it is?

[ataraxiamb]

Have you tried cleaning the shell with a soft toothbrush? It could just be hard water deposits, but it could be fungus...

[AlexisAwesome]

I don't think it's fungus. Qhen did you get him and how long do you think the red spot was on its shell?

[bowozer]

Have you tried cleaning the shell with a soft toothbrush? It could just be hard water deposits, but it could be fungus...

yes, I have. It's not disappear.
--or maybe I cleaned it wrong. How do we clean turtle shell with toothbrush to get rid of water deposits again?

I don't think it's fungus. Qhen did you get him and how long do you think the red spot was on its shell?

I bought her last week (on 27th last month). Not really sure when the red spot start appear, I can't really remember.

[AlexisAwesome]

Just watch the spot carefully. If it expands, take it to a vet. Though, it might just be a bruse.

[bowozer]

Thanks. Yeah, her plastron worries me too more than her carapace.

I'll take the picture of her carapace and plastron every week and see the progress. I hope it's not something serious; there's no reptile vet in my area, I guess all vet here are specialised in cats and dogs.

will update this thread if something weird happens.

[steve]

It's either fungus or a bacterial infection. For fungus, silver sulfadinze cream is your best shot. If it's bacterial, it'll go away after a shed or two.

[bowozer]

Just want to update the progress of her carapas and plastron.

carapas: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3gp3id9xl2ea6 ... 0710_1.jpg
plastron: https://www.dropbox.com/s/obwkbljbier9g ... 0710_2.jpg

From the picture it seems her carapas/plastron neither worsen nor improved. But I'll still keep an eye of her. Plus, it seems some of her scutes are ready to shed

I hope it is just bacterial infection just like steve above said. Poor ponyo...

[steve]

Was the shell dry in those pics? What sort of water treatment do you do? What do you feed him?

[bowozer]

yep, the shell is completely dry in those pics.

I just have her for 2 weeks now, and I don't know how her water treatment before. But I do change the water regularly 3-4 days (every Sundays and Wednesdays). Got a water filter too. A tiny bit of salt fish (very few amount of it) every water change. FYI, I live in tropic country, so I don't use any water heater. Though It seems like a good idea to get one just in case she's suddenly sick.

I feed him only floating sticks for turtle these 2 weeks, forgot the brand. But she's eating like a pig haha.. I'm trying to feed him vegetables, but she seems to not like it. But that's another story... lets focus on her carapas and plastron

[steve]

It's likely bacterial or a reaction to whatever chemicals may be in the water. It should go away completely after a shed or two.

[bowozer]

ahh I see, that's a relieve. Though I'll still keep an eye of here

[Diamondbacks4Life]

Im gonna go against ya steve and say To me that looks like hard water deposits and not fungus. All the oldest scutes have it first and just doesn't have that spreading look fungus has.

[justatwinturbo]

Im gonna go against ya steve and say To me that looks like hard water deposits and not fungus. All the oldest scutes have it first and just doesn't have that spreading look fungus has.

this, though it might not be from hard water, it is just deposits from something. could even get it from certain foods, water treatments, those stupid vita-shell things, and cuttlebone. Hard water, is also a posibility, just saying it could have another cause. Almost looks like limestone deposits to me, either from well water, or limestones used as decorations.