Other Turtle Discussion :: should I brush my turts back?

[Martha]

My turtles have sand on their backs from their horrible lagoon... don't worry, I just joined the site and now they are living in a turtle mansion tank! They are very shy and swim away from me. I don't want to traumatize them and only have them associate me with a miserable brush down. What does everyone suggest? Do you guys brush your turtles with toothbrushes?

[steve]

What exactly do you mean there is sand on their backs? Are their shells damaged and can you post a pic?

[Martha]

I'm traveling right now throught the end of the week so it will be a while before I can post a picture. Their shells are not damaged. I just recently moved them out of a lagoon after fiding this site. I had sand rocks in the lagoon and the residue is on their shells. I thought that it would come off after soaking and swimming in the aquarium, but it hasn't. My concern is mainly that I will traumatize them by scrubbing it off since they are so shy right now. What do you think?

[sonyj]

It's good to do regular cleaning of the shell. Many owners use a soft toothbrush for this while others use a soft towel to rub down the shell. I clean my turtle's shell with every tank cleaning using a soft toothbrush. Just be gentle, especially around the seams of the scutes since they are a tender spot and everything will be fine. Don't be surprised if they try to snap or eat the toothbrush though.

[marisa]

I would rinse off as much of the residue possible (use water that's a comfortable temp--not too hot or too cold) and then gently use a soft cloth/towel to wipe off the rest. Since they're small (I'm assuming from the fact they were in a lagoon), I wouldn't bother with a brush.

[Martha]

Thanks for the advice. They are super tiny. When I get home, I will clean them off with a soft towel. I wasn't aware that their shells were sensitive... thanks for the heads up!