Hermann Tortoise Shell Problem

[megnlong]

I have a Hermanns tortoise from a petco and it’s clear he has some shell issues. Is anyone able to tell me if it’s a serious problem or something that will be fixed with UV light calcium powder and time?

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome,
He looks like he's been in the wars, how long have you had him?
I'll tag some people who may be able to help you @Yvonne G @zovick @ZenHerper @Tom

 

[megnlong]

Hi and welcome,
He looks like he's been in the wars, how long have you had him?
I'll tag some people who may be able to help you @Yvonne G @zovick @ZenHerper @Tom

I’ve had him for just over a month. He hasn’t gotten better but he also hasn’t gotten worse. I feed him a high fiber diet of mixed greens, dehydrated flowers and a variety of weeds and vegetables dusted in calcium power. I also soak him twice a week to make sure he stays hydrated. I’ve also been using this shell saver but I don’t know if it’s any good.

 

[Thomas tortoise]

I’ve had him for just over a month. He hasn’t gotten better but he also hasn’t gotten worse. I feed him a high fiber diet of mixed greens, dehydrated flowers and a variety of weeds and vegetables dusted in calcium power. I also soak him twice a week to make sure he stays hydrated. I’ve also been using this shell saver but I don’t know if it’s any good.

Can I see pictures of the ingredients on that bottle?

 

[megnlong]

Hi and welcome,
He looks like he's been in the wars, how long have you had him?
I'll tag some people who may be able to help you @Yvonne G @zovick @ZenHerper @Tom

I’ve had him for just over a month. He hasn’t gotten better but he also hasn’t gotten worse. I feed him a high fiber diet of mixed greens, dehydrated flowers and a variety of weeds and vegetables dusted in calcium power. I also soak him twice a week to make sure he stays hydrated. I’ve also been using this shell saver but I don’t know if it’s a

Can I see pictures of the ingredients on that bottle?

Absolutely! It has avocado oil in it. I know that tortoises can’t eat avocado but is it bad for their shell?

 

[Thomas tortoise]

I’ve had him for just over a month. He hasn’t gotten better but he also hasn’t gotten worse. I feed him a high fiber diet of mixed greens, dehydrated flowers and a variety of weeds and vegetables dusted in calcium power. I also soak him twice a week to make sure he stays hydrated. I’ve also been using this shell saver but I don’t know if it’s a

Absolutely! It has avocado oil in it. I know that tortoises can’t eat avocado but is it bad for their shell?

I don't know if avocado oil is bad for the shell but you can also use coconut oil to rub on his shell every two weeks it will polish/make your tortoises shell more shiny is what I'm told. I noticed coconut oil is in the ingredients. And it is one of the first ingredients so there is a lot of it. So you could keep buying this or you could try just rubbing coco. Oil on it and see if that helps cause I saw the reviews of this item and they say coco oil works. And not to waste your money on this and just use coco. Oil. I may be mistaken and I may have saw reviews of something similar cause you never know if its the same product. I hope this helps!

 

[megnlong]

I don't know if avocado oil is bad for the shell but you can also use coconut oil to rub on his shell every two weeks it will polish/make your tortoises shell more shiny is what I'm told. I noticed coconut oil is in the ingredients. And it is one of the first ingredients so there is a lot of it. So you could keep buying this or you could try just rubbing coco. Oil on it and see if that helps cause I saw the reviews of this item and they say coco oil works. And not to waste your money on this and just use coco. Oil. I may be mistaken and I may have saw reviews of something similar cause you never know if its the same product. I hope this helps!

Thanks!

 

[Lyn W]

I don't know if avocado oil is bad for the shell but you can also use coconut oil to rub on his shell every two weeks it will polish/make your tortoises shell more shiny is what I'm told. I noticed coconut oil is in the ingredients. And it is one of the first ingredients so there is a lot of it. So you could keep buying this or you could try just rubbing coco. Oil on it and see if that helps cause I saw the reviews of this item and they say coco oil works. And not to waste your money on this and just use coco. Oil. I may be mistaken and I may have saw reviews of something similar cause you never know if its the same product. I hope this helps!

'Organic' coconut oil is what is recommended if people chose to use it.

 

[Lyn W]

Did the store tell you anything about his background - age or how his shell could have been damaged? I don't know for sure but maybe he could have been attacked by a dog or other animal to get what could be puncture marks; perhaps he was wild caught?
I don't think you'll ever get rid of those marks but it sounds as if you have him on a good diet.
If you post a picture of his enclosure you'll get good advice on how to make any improvements re humidity or temps etc that will help his shell and this is a caresheet you may find useful

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

There are others more specific to Hermanns in the Med Torts section. I always look for the most recently started.
I hoped some of the people I tagged would have logged in and offered up some advice but hopefully they'll be along today.

 

[megnlong]

Did the store tell you anything about his background - age or how his shell could have been damaged? I don't know for sure but maybe he could have been attacked by a dog or other animal to get what could be puncture marks; perhaps he was wild caught?
I don't think you'll ever get rid of those marks but it sounds as if you have him on a good diet.
If you post a picture of his enclosure you'll get good advice on how to make any improvements re humidity or temps etc that will help his shell and this is a caresheet you may find useful

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

There are others more specific to Hermanns in the Med Torts section. I always look for the most recently started.
I hoped some of the people I tagged would have logged in and offered up some advice but hopefully they'll be along today.

They told me that he had arrived that way and that he arrived a little cold. They said he had been with them for a few weeks and they also had him on a high fiber diet and were using calcium powder and UV light. No clue if the store was sent a wild caught one or one that was bread in poor conditions. He currently lives in a 40 gallon breeder that has a basking spot of 90 degrees, an ambient temperature of 83 degrees and at night the temperature is 70 degrees. His substrate is forest floor and i mist his enclosure occasionally to mimic natural rain fall. I’m moving him to an outdoor enclosure in the summer when it is hot out and I will be building a large enclosure in my room for the colder months once I graduate school.