Removing nail polish from shell

[Ramsey]

Hello, I am having slight difficulty removing some polish from my tortoise's carapace.

I didn't apply this, it was inherited.

I have used polish remover and it took about half off, not not all of it. I broke it up into three separate sessions, each on separate days. It's almost like the last bit is set in like a tattoo.

Open to other ideas.

Thanks

 

[Tom]

It will wear off on its own in time. You might be able to help it after a soak and using your finger nail to gently scrape it off.

 

[Markw84]

I got a group of tortoises from a large facility that generously marked the carapaces for identification. I also wanted the "clean" look and tried to get it off and had that same luck as you. It has been a year now, and it finally is totally gone!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Something stiff but not too stiff. Maybe a wooden popsicle stick type item?
I removed a lot of lime green spray paint from a Gopher tortoise I found walking on the sidewalk of a gas station on a busy street with a piece of wood and the side of a plastic fork. Not all of it. But enough.

 

[Ramsey]

Hey, thanks for the replies. Ya, not sure what they put on here but it certainly isn't coming off. I polish my child's nails regularly and they come off instantly with some remover. Not here. Four tries. I even tried with a toothbrush. Maybe Tom's approach is best; just let time run its course.

 

[cmacusa3]

This new one looks good, great new growth

 

[dmmj]

nail polish remover is awfully harsh I would just let nature take its course

 

[Tom]

Hey, thanks for the replies. Ya, not sure what they put on here but it certainly isn't coming off. I polish my child's nails regularly and they come off instantly with some remover. Not here. Four tries. I even tried with a toothbrush. Maybe Tom's approach is best; just let time run its course.

That almost looks like crayon or grease pen. Try wiping it off with a dry cotton washcloth.

 

[Ramsey]

This new one looks good, great new growth

Thanks. I got it like this

 

[Ramsey]

nail polish remover is awfully harsh I would just let nature take its course

I know. I'm done trying. Poor animal. Letting her be.

 

[Ramsey]

That almost looks like crayon or grease pen. Try wiping it off with a dry cotton washcloth.

It's certainly polish. He even told me so. Got most of it off. There was a very generous portion applied. Just going to let it be for now. I just wasn't sure if it would get baked into the fatty layer like a tattoo. However, keratin, that's not likely.