leopard Tortoise Shell Problem

[Jezza]

While I was giving my tortise a bath I noticed that on the side some of his shell was starting to 'chip' away. A closer look has shown me that the top 'dome' on his shell seems to have a small hole and the surrounding areas are also missing. You can lightly push and see its just the top layer left (See pics). I have had a look online and cant seem to find anything that looks like this.

When he was yonger our local vet told us that marks on the side of his shell were just signs of growing and nothing to worry about. I would of thought he was fully grown now though.

We have not made any changes to his diet. He has a 100watt bulb that he has on in the morning and night. On nice days he goes outside for most of the day he walks around for hours.
His behavior is no different then it normaly is this time of year. He eats, walks and poos showing no sign of distress which is why im asking here before I take him to vets.

Thanks for help.

 

[Yvonne G]

that's nothing to worry about. He probably bumped it during his wanderings

 

[Jezza]

that's nothing to worry about. He probably bumped it during his wanderings

Thanks for the reply.
It's just the top looks to be somthing wrong . Inside the red area its all seems to be 'hollow' you can lightly push and it's only the top layer left. Is this anything to worry about?

 

[Tom]

That is uneven/pyramided growth from being raised in the wrong conditions. Most care info for this species is wrong and they are kept way too dry. What you are seeing is growth anomalies caused by that.

Also, as they get larger and taller, heat lamps become an ineffective way to warm them. They get too hot on top, which might be happening with your tortoise, but they can't get their core warm enough.

Read this. The information largely pertains to raising a baby, but much of it applies to adults too.

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? 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. Babies hatch during the...

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