Re: Patches on red foot tortoise shell

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Posted by EJ on June 21, 2000 at 11:55:01:

In Reply to: Patches on red foot tortoise shell posted by Julie Ennis on June 21, 2000 at 10:48:33:

Julie, Tortoises will shed their skin in very small transluscent patches. They should NOT be shedding any shell scutes. If the tortoise is being kept too moist you are probably looking at some kind of health problem. Do yourself a favor and try to get a vet to see it. In doing so be sure to ask lots of questions. After a time, the money spent on the vet now will save you tons later if you really get into tortoises. You can take the info you learn and, if necessary, apply it later. It is important to find a vet that will work with you and talk with you. Trying to do this on your own over the net will cost you and the tortoise. These kind of questions are ok for general knowledge but not very good to act on. No one can really answer your question without seeing the animal.
: Yesterday I noticed two white spots on the bottom edges of my baby red foot tortoise's shell. I picked him up and noticed larger grayish patches on his under belly. The patches are not soft but the under belly patches appear to have a different texture than the normal areas. The patches have a hazy appearance. Books talk about a "simple fungal infection" that seems to match the patches I am seeing on my tortoise. I put out a description of the patches over the internet on a tortoise egroup, and one person responded that my tortoise is shedding. I was not aware that tortoises shed the skin on their shells, and such shedding is not mentioned in the tortoise books I have. Do you think my tortoise is shedding, or that he has a fungal infection,or something else? If it is a fungal infection, will a diluted bleach solution or iodine take care of it? Please respond as I am very worried and want to treat any infection before the problem gets worse. Good luck.
EJ

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: Julie, Tortoises will shed their skin in very small transluscent patches. They should NOT be shedding any shell scutes. If the tortoise is being kept too moist you are probably looking at some kind of health problem. Do yourself a favor and try to get a vet to see it. In doing so be sure to ask lots of questions. After a time, the money spent on the vet now will save you tons later if you really get into tortoises. You can take the info you learn and, if necessary, apply it later. It is important to find a vet that will work with you and talk with you. Trying to do this on your own over the net will cost you and the tortoise. These kind of questions are ok for general knowledge but not very good to act on. No one can really answer your question without seeing the animal. : : Yesterday I noticed two white spots on the bottom edges of my baby red foot tortoise's shell. I picked him up and noticed larger grayish patches on his under belly. The patches are not soft but the under belly patches appear to have a different texture than the normal areas. The patches have a hazy appearance. Books talk about a "simple fungal infection" that seems to match the patches I am seeing on my tortoise. I put out a description of the patches over the internet on a tortoise egroup, and one person responded that my tortoise is shedding. I was not aware that tortoises shed the skin on their shells, and such shedding is not mentioned in the tortoise books I have. Do you think my tortoise is shedding, or that he has a fungal infection,or something else? If it is a fungal infection, will a diluted bleach solution or iodine take care of it? Please respond as I am very worried and want to treat any infection before the problem gets worse. Good luck. : EJ

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