General Care Discussion :: shedding skin

[troper77]

So I have had my turtles since February of 2014 and they seem healthy. They eat, they bask, they play. When I got them they seemed to have shell rot and were shedding skin real bad. There shells got almost black in color but after some online help I was able to clear that up. Now the problem seems to be coming back not really the shell rot but the shedding. A thin layer seems to be coming off the shells and it worries me. They also still seem to be shedding. I have done heavy research on feeding them the right stuff. I make sure they have veggies (leafy greens and the occasional sweet potato and banana). I give them pellets that have protein about every three days. I used to feed them in the tank but now I have made a feeding station in a bin for them to eat so they don't mess up the tank and also so that the food does not contribute to any infections or rotting. I don't know if i need a better filter or better lighting. Would it be helpful if I posted pictures of my turtles and the set up we have? I guess I want some opinions so I can have some healthy turtles to enjoy?

[Kansasslider]

Pictures are always a good idea. What's the water temp? What kind of lights are you using? Add any chemicals to the water? What kind of filter and what media is in it?

[ljapa]

Shedding of the shell and skin is normal. Excessive shedding may be a concern. When my turtle was young, she shed frequently. Since she hit about 3.5" it had really dropped off.

Kansas is right. Pictures would help. How big is your turtle?

[troper77]

Here my turtles Pinkey and Pudgey (formerly Christoph and Sven)

[troper77]

This shows pudgey and you can see the sheding on his shell.

[troper77]

Here is my tank. These are not the best pictures so I apologies.

[troper77]

Here is my filter

[troper77]

I have been using both these lights the big one says it emits UVB rays the small one had a heat lamp in it that also emits UVA rays. This is one area I question if I am using the right equipment.

[troper77]

I keep the temp at 76 degrees. The basking area stays around 80 degrees. The tank is a 50 gallon tank. IF you have other questions let me know. I really want to take of them the best I can.

[Kansasslider]

I will leave the shell issues to someone else. I would recommend a larger tank and a better filter.

[troper77]

Thanks...Yes I agree on the tank and the filter. I will replace the filter first that will fit into the budget before a tank but I do want to upgrade it. I will be the first to admit that when I took this on I did not know much about turtles. The guy who gave them to me gave them to me in a 20 gallon tank and said they would be fine. Since educating myself I have gradually worked on upgrading them. They make great pets and I have only seen improvement on their condition and some growth since I took over care of them. I don't want to be seen as someone who dies not care for them and that is why I started posting on here. So I really do appreciate the advice.

[steve]

The shells seem OK though I don't have a visual history to go on.

[Kansasslider]

What do you think about the tank set up Steve? Or did I cover it. I guess I missed the rocks that trap debris.

[troper77]

Are the rocks good or bad?

[Kansasslider]

Most of us either leave the tank bare or use sand. I use white sand.Your doing a good job of taking care of them. As long as the rocks aren't small enough to eat it should be fine. Its just that rocks like that trap a lot of debris and are hard to clean.