Hello - what are these new hard, calcium like deposits on her carpace?

[suzejay]

Hello,

Please could I get some help. She came to me about 8 months ago with one of the 3 white deposits around one of her carapace rings and over the last month she's rapidly developed two more... she also seems to be shedding more. Does anyone here know what it could be?

 

[Tom]

Hello,

Please could I get some help. She came to me about 8 months ago with one of the 3 white deposits around one of her carapace rings and over the last month she's rapidly developed two more... she also seems to be shedding more. Does anyone here know what it could be?

Those are not calcium deposits. Those are exposed bone spots due to damaged keratin.

This is most likely due to using the wrong basking bulbs, or using basking bulbs or CHEs incorrectly some time in this tortoise's past. Nothing to do about it now.

 

[suzejay]

Omg yes that would make sense. They're hard and I think she's sensitive to those bits. I've only just realised with the zoom on these photos how severely dry and flaky her smell is. So is this metabolic bone disease?
Is there really nothing much I can do?

 

[Tom]

Omg yes that would make sense. They're hard and I think she's sensitive to those bits. I've only just realised with the zoom on these photos how severely dry and flaky her smell is. So is this metabolic bone disease?
Is there really nothing much I can do?

Its not metabolic bone disease. The new scute material and the areas that it comes from look to have been over heated at some point. Are you using heat lamps or CHEs over this tortoise? Be sure it is not getting too hot at tortoise shell level. Put a digital thermometer on its back under any heat sources and let it cook for an hour. It needs to be less than 36-37C. Raise the thermometer up to the level of the height of your tortoise's shell.

 

[suzejay]

Yes yes yes ur a genius! She's been loving the new heat lamp I've given. Silly Billy! OK and it's a keratin issue so basically it's a bit like brittle bones and eczema in humans... maybe she needs less heat, moisturiser, oil and some biotin. 😅 but defo less heat I'll definitely do that/start with that. Tha ks ur a genius

 

[Tom]

Yes yes yes ur a genius! She's been loving the new heat lamp I've given. Silly Billy! OK and it's a keratin issue so basically it's a bit like brittle bones and eczema in humans... maybe she needs less heat, moisturiser, oil and some biotin. 😅 but defo less heat I'll definitely do that/start with that. Tha ks ur a genius

What is the temperature under your bulb at tortoise shell height, and what type of bulb is it?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

What is the temperature under your bulb at tortoise shell height, and what type of bulb is it?

See if you can locate a non contact thermometer like this. Hardware stores have them. And they're plentiful and inexpensive online. (This particular one is from HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS)
With that you'll be able to see the real shell carapace temperature. And I fully agree with Tom.
The tortoise looks "cooked".

 

[suzejay]

Thank you to you both. I've purchased that temperature probe and checked. Her shell temperature varies between 20 and 38... but she seems to love the heat... since knowing the cause and turning off the heat lamp (and using the UV lamp only) the hard bits have stopped developing. Thank you again 💓 💖