redearslider.com

hi!
i was cleaning leo's tank today and when i was scrubbing his shell with the toothbrush i took a closer look at the tiny scutes that still haven't come off.
they had green algae buildup around them!! I couldn't see how this was, seeing as there was no green algae in the tank. so i started scrubbing harder with the toothbrush to et it off and the corners starting coming up. i scratched at it and it slid right off. they all did this until i got to his middle three scutes. the egdes came right up but the middles stuck. I left those alone, i didn't want to pull them off if they weren't ready to come up. looking at him later today, one of them went ahead and finished coming off. what scares me though is under the part that did come off there is a tiny white spot. i think i might have hurt his shell by doing this.... i didn't take it off and i stopped once i met any resistence but did i damage his shell by doing what i did?? when i say tiny i really mean it, it wouldn't even show up on a picture. it just looks like the green came off a little. anybody else made this mistake??

You should never force/ pick/ brush scutes off. They need to fall off on their own. You should always brush as GENTLY as you can, because a turts shell is very sensitive, they can feel everything. It there any bleeding? Just leave those other scutes alone, because forcing them off can cause a great deal of pain...

Our vet told us that every scute is connected to a nerve.

so scutes will actually peel up and fall off the shell?

interesting.

Yes, they need to shed in order for your turt to grow.

no, there wasn't any bleeding at all or any sign from him that he felt anything. it isn't like a hole or pitted or anything, just a different color. i suppose it could also just be a different color characteristic, maybe? I'm keeping a close eye on him just in case but now I know to be more careful.

Its probably because he is shedding, the shell sometimes has white spots when it is starting to shed... are there any odors from those white spots? are they soft/spongy when you touch them?

Sounds like you were being very gentle with him - he's probably ok. Just keep an eye on the white spot and see if it grows or changes. You don't need to scrub hard with a toothbrush. Just an occasional gentle brush is ok if you feel your turtle needs it. Lots of people don't brush their turtles' shells at all.

Hoooneylynn wrote:Yes, they need to shed in order for your turt to grow.

i thought my eye were playing tricks on me. looks like the smaller scutes are being pushed away, my babies are growing.

I've gotten Leo out a few times and looked closely at his shell. The mark is still there but it's not changing. It doesn't smell bad and it's not squishy. It is though, a different texture, but that doesn't really suprise me. I'm watching it and will dry dock him if anything else happens. A few days ago I got him out and washed his shell with the hibiclens stuff just in case. So, I guess live learn!

Good for you! Keep us posted.

I imagine everyone may have, upon getting a new guy, brushed a shell a bit too vigourously. Now you know you don't have to, and I'm sure Leo is fine in the meantime.

I begin to suspect that turts shed more this time of year, and thus the many many postings (including mine) about white spots.