Shell worry!!

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Bex
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Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 19:37

Shell worry!!

Post by Bex » 24 Feb 2021, 10:46

I bathed Tiny this morning and noticed her under shell didn’t look great :(

Do I need to worry or is her shell ok? She has rocks and things she climbs etc, could they be doing damage?

Bex x
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lin
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Re: Shell worry!!

Post by lin » 26 Feb 2021, 17:31

Hi Bex,
Thanks so much for posting the photos. Lin and I have been looking at them and Lin has produced a photo with circled areas where we have questions.
1. In the area that is circled in red there are several solid yellow areas. Do these look like they were originally covered in black and the black has been worn back to yellow underneath, or are they genuinely the surface of the shell. You ought to be able to feel to see if there is a black layer around the edges of the yellow that originally covered it.

2. Inside the white circle. We couldn't quite tell but there is a little pit or dip in the centre and it looked like it might be a little pink in colour. That could just be the light, but we thought we'd check.

3. The area inside the green circle. It seemed that the horizontal groove was fairly deep (they do have a bit of a hinge there, whiich is normal), but does it seem clean or is there dirt or gunge in it?

When Tiny walks, does she mainy hold her shell up off the ground? Tortoises' plastrons do often scrape the ground and can get worn down when they climb over stones and things, and that is normal, but if her shell is dragging along the ground a lot then that could account for some of the wear, and it could indicate a possible kidney problem (not likely but we thought we'd ask).

Also, can you remind us -- I do remember that Tiny has an unusual tail, do you know the reason for this?

Nina
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Bex
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Re: Shell worry!!

Post by Bex » 01 Mar 2021, 11:30

Hi, thank you for getting back to me!

The red area does look like normal shell that has been dirtied, I will make sure I scrub a bit harder when I bathe her!

The white circle does look reddish in the pic but doesn’t seem it with the naked eye! There is a small dip but it looks like it has shell growing over it.

The green area is very deep and very dry, it is black in colour and I will make sure I clean in the groove with a gentle toothbrush from now on, the edges of the shell do stick out but can’t see anything in the grooves.

What’s wrong with her tail?? That’s worried me! It’s always been like that!

Also she walks very tall and is very fast, she usually walks on her claws with head held high, she adores croc shoes and attacks mine whenever I’m wearing them :lol:

I have done a cpl more pics

Bex x
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Nina
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Re: Shell worry!!

Post by Nina » 01 Mar 2021, 14:13

Hi Bex,

Her plastron does look very cracked and deeply worn in places, and it's a mystery because you said she walks tall and holds her shell off the ground, so it's not as if it is being constantly scraped on the ground. Obviously they do scrape it walking over stones and things, but that wouldn't produce this. It''s possible that this is just the way her shell is.

Yes, her tail is really unusual. I seem to remember seeing a photo of it before, and I've just been back looking at most of the posts you've ever written (lol, there are a lot of them -- you are a very loyal supporter of TTT!), and there are lots of photos of Tiny (wasn't she a sweet baby when you got her!), but I can't seem to find one of her underside, showing the tail. Normally I would think that this was the result of an injury at some point, but you know that hasn't happened, plus her cloaca is at the end of the tail, rather than just on the underside of it, which makes me think that this is a deformity she was born with, and it obviously doesn't cause her any problems.

Just to check about whether her shell is rubbing the ground a lot, could you send us a photo taken at ground level, of the back of Tiny when she is standing up on all four legs? We want to see how clear her shell is of the ground and also how the back scute on the carapace (the one that curves down a bit and partly covers the tail) looks when she is walking.

Nina x

Bex
Posts: 193
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 19:37

Re: Shell worry!!

Post by Bex » 01 Mar 2021, 21:52

I’ve had a look at all the old posts and can’t find the pics either, I think when we 1st joined I did send pics and you sexed both torts for me. A while after you were hacked and a lot of the posts were deleted, don’t know if you remember?

When I found her in that pet shop she didn’t look right at all, one of the reasons I brought her home! Maybe she was born deformed bless her! I’ll still love her no matter :P

Would bathing her in anything help?

I will take pics tomorrow, nite for now!

Bex x

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Nina
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Re: Shell worry!!

Post by Nina » 01 Mar 2021, 22:31

Hi Bex,

Yes, I think you're right -- there was a photo at some point and it might have been one of the posts that got deleted. Because she was so young when you got her (I think you said 10 months), if she'd had a bad injury before she came to you, you'd have seen seen some signs of it, so I think this must be a congenital defect that she was born with.

I'm not sure that bathing her in something like Reptoboost would do any good, as she doesn't seem ill or to have an infection. We'll have a look at your photos tomorrow. Her plastron is oddly marked and worn looking, but I think she is probably OK.

Nina

Bex
Posts: 193
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 19:37

Re: Shell worry!!

Post by Bex » 02 Mar 2021, 12:14

I’ve taken these photos today, is there anyway I can email you the videos as you can see her walking?

I’ve ordered some Reptoboost so will bathe her in that a cpl times a week, see if it helps :)

Bex x
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Bex
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Re: Shell worry!!

Post by Bex » 06 Mar 2021, 20:41

Nina did you get a chance to look at the photos?

Bex x

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Nina
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Re: Shell worry!!

Post by Nina » 07 Mar 2021, 10:07

Hi Bex,
So sorry this is late! I was waiting for Lin to have a look at the photos, because it was she who suggested them, but I forgot that her TTT email isn't working, so she doesn't get notices of people posting on the Forum. I've emailed her to tell her the photos are here, and I'm sure she will come on soon and have a look.

It looks fine to me, as Tiny looks to be holding her plastron well off the ground as she is walking, and the rear scute on the carapace seems normal and doesn't seem to be cutting into the tail area.

Nina

Bex
Posts: 193
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 19:37

Re: Shell worry!!

Post by Bex » 07 Mar 2021, 21:45

I emailed Lin last week and never got a reply! Now I know why :lol:
I’ll keep bathing Tiny twice a week in Reptoboost and see how she goes, I am planning to change her outside enclosure once weather is warmer, have more plants and softer wood in there, no big rocks or stones etc...

Had to share this pic of her last week....she knew there was something there :D

Many thanks x
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lin
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Re: Shell worry!!

Post by lin » 07 Mar 2021, 23:05

Hi Bex. Sorry to not have answered you. With fingers crossed I will say yet again it will not be to long until I get my new setup sorted for the emails from the tortoise table.

Tiny looks fine, she is walking high and looks good all round so assume the tail is another tortoise mystery as they so often send us.

Oh, just so you will know Tiny has requested that we report you for fencing off her favourite sow thistle that she was so looking forward to munching...she hopes you don’t think you will get away with it. :lol:

Lin

Bex
Posts: 193
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 19:37

Re: Shell worry!!

Post by Bex » 08 Mar 2021, 22:49

That really made me giggle :lol:

Roll on the next nice sunny day and she might get lucky ;)
I will send pics to prove and then I can come off the naughty list!!

Thanks x

Bex
Posts: 193
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 19:37

Re: Shell worry!!

Post by Bex » 19 Mar 2021, 17:09

So we had lovely sunshine today and I put Tiny out for a few hours.... but we had a visitor (1st pic) so I made him a little ‘pond’ at the top of the garden and he had a soak and away he went!

And proof that I’m not the meanie Tiny said I was :lol: she thoroughly enjoyed her feast and I am planning to revamp her enclosure over the next few weeks, will put pics up when I’m done.

Bex x
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