Please help!

Status
Not open for further replies.

TortForShort

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2011
Messages
30
Last week our baby golden greek tortoise flipped over twice in her water dish and now her whole shell is soft and her belly is almost all a dark blue or red like she has internal bleeding. Attached is a picture. Does anyone know what's happening?
 

Attachments

  • image-3077357985.png
    image-3077357985.png
    229.4 KB · Views: 58

ascott

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Messages
16,138
Location (City and/or State)
Apple Valley, California
Perhaps you should PM exoticdr and see what his opinion is....to me it looks like a trip to an exotic reptile vet would be in order....:(
 

Laura

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Messages
7,502
Location (City and/or State)
Foothills above Sacramento CA
i would remove the water dish... or put pebbles in it so it cant drown.
Soft shells are lack of calcium and proper lighting.. usually.
It appears to be some sort of bruising..
We need more info.. Temps, Lights, Diet etc...
 

lynnedit

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Feb 25, 2011
Messages
5,730
Location (City and/or State)
Southwest Washington
I am not an expert but I would advise you get her to a reputable reptile vet asap. Relatively sudden changes like a soft shell and shell discoloration are not normal. She could be ill; have a bacterial infection, etc.
As mentioned, more information on housing, temps, etc., would help.
 

TortForShort

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2011
Messages
30
She is in half aspen, half coconut coir subtrate with some moss in certain areas and plants to hide under. Warm side is kept between 90-100F and cool side 70-80F but she usually spends most of her time on the hot side. She eats organic spring mix with calcium powder sprinkled on top and we use an MVB bulb for lighting and heat.

She often climbs on one of the plants and we believe she fell into her dish while climbing on it, so we took it out. There are pebbles in the water dish as well.
 

kimber_lee_314

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Messages
2,628
Location (City and/or State)
So Cal
I have dealt with soft hatchlings like this before. In my experience it has more to do with how the hatchling was either hatched (the mother may not have had enough calcium is my theory - but I don't know that for sure.) All I know is I've had several hatchlings from multiple sources that I have kept together in the same environment. The hatchlings that showed this soft shell were all siblings and died. The others from other sources were fine. My point is that it sounds like you have done everything right but still ended up with this issue through no fault of your own. The dark patches are internal bleeding and/or the organs. A vet can give you injectible calcium that might help. I would get him to a vet ASAP - it is really serious. I'm sending my positive thoughts your way! :)
 

ascott

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Messages
16,138
Location (City and/or State)
Apple Valley, California
Please also make certain to tell the vet about the upside down in the water two times....as your little one likely ingested water that may have settled in an undesirable way.....I would say a vet is needed at this point.....also, did you pm exoticdr?
 

TortForShort

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2011
Messages
30
We are going to a vet this morning. Thank you everyone. What worries me is she wasn't soft until this week. I will PM exoticdr: thanks for the advice.
 

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
19,695
Location (City and/or State)
CA
When a turtle or tortoise suddenly goes soft like that it is serious, I doubt the water flipping over had anything to do with it, but be sure to mention it to the vet. I wish you the best of luck and please keep us posted.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top