Does my tortoise's shell need its carapace filed down?

[puzzlefighter]

I have a T. Hermann's tortoise inherited from a family member. While she seems happy enough, the rearmost portion of her carapace seems to be both very long and dramatically curled, to the point that it seems improbable that she can even extend her tail straight out. As it is, it seems to be simply held off to the side by the curl of the carapace. So my questions are: 1) Is or will this situation be harmful to her?; and 2) should the carapace be shaved/filed down to allow access? See pics for details.

Thanks,

puzzlefighter

 

[JoesMum]

Could you gently tip your tortoise upside down and take a photo of the plastron (undershell) and tail so we can see what's going on please

 

[wellington]

Also you really need to improve her enclosure. Those pellets are a big NO and with a card board hide, your probably not adding any humidity.
Please read the care sheet under the species section and make big improvements.
As for the curve, many if not all curve in. Without seeing yours from the underside, we really won't know if it's unusually long

 

[JoesMum]

Also you really need to improve her enclosure. Those pellets are a big NO and with a card board hide, your probably not adding any humidity.
Please read the care sheet under the species section and make big improvements.
As for the curve, many if not all curve in. Without seeing yours from the underside, we really won't know if it's unusually long

These are the care sheets. They're written by species experts working hard to correct the outdated information widely available on the internet and from pet stores and, sadly, from some breeders and vets too.

Beginner Mistakes
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Hermann's Care
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/

 

[counting]

Welcome. Others have given good advice. To me it does look quite a bit more curled than usual, but photos from the underside and that show the gap between carapace and plastron are needed

 

[Yvonne G]

Does the poop get stuck up under there? It does look like it needs to be taken care of, but like Joesmum said, I'd like to see it from the underside. The shell will bleed badly, so it's best to have it done by a vet and don't do it yourself.