Shell question

[Fire_bug80]

I notice other shells on here are not dry looking, so am I supposed to put something on it periodically?

 

[Fire_bug80]

trying to post the pic

 

[Sarah2020]

3 things help....
1. Regular warm shallow soaks and a small soft toothbrush to clean the shell and claws. They drink whilst in the soak so that helps hydration.
2. Coconut oil on the shell I use kitchen paper to apply and avoid the face area.
2. Good diet and calcium for strong healthy shell, claws, beak and bones.

 

[Fire_bug80]

 

[Sarah2020]

The white is new growth but coconut oil will do the job and help moisturise.

 

[Fire_bug80]

The white is new growth but coconut oil will do the job and help moisturise.

What kind of coconut oil and apply it how?

 

[_The_Beast_]

What kind of coconut oil and apply it how?

Cold pressed virgin coconut oil. Rub it in, wait a few minutes, then wipe off the excess. I do it after a bath/soak

 

[Fire_bug80]

Cold pressed virgin coconut oil. Rub it in, wait a few minutes, then wipe off the excess. I do it after a bath/soak

Paper towel?

 

[_The_Beast_]

Paper towel?

Yup, or a dry cloth. Anything clean that you don't mind absorbing excess oil.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Your question was if it is required.
No. It is not.

 

[Tom]

I notice other shells on here are not dry looking, so am I supposed to put something on it periodically?

You have hard water stains. You are letting mineralized water evaporate off the shell.

You don't need coconut oil. It won't hurt anything to use some, but you don't "need" it. What you need is to rinse the tortoise with water with no minerals in it after soaks. Use mineralized water for drinking and soaking, but then rinse it off after the soak with reverse osmosis water, distilled water, or collected rainwater. You can also use the demineralized water for spraying the whole enclosure, if that is something you do.

 

[Fire_bug80]

You have hard water stains. You are letting mineralized water evaporate off the shell.

You don't need coconut oil. It won't hurt anything to use some, but you don't "need" it. What you need is to rinse the tortoise with water with no minerals in it after soaks. Use mineralized water for drinking and soaking, but then rinse it off after the soak with reverse osmosis water, distilled water, or collected rainwater. You can also use the demineralized water for spraying the whole enclosure, if that is something you do.

No I don’t. I’ve always used tap water

 

[Tom]

No I don’t. I’ve always used tap water

Tap water has minerals in it. When the water evaporates, it leaves the minerals behind and over time, enough minerals collect and become visible, as shown in your picture.

 

[Fire_bug80]

Tap water has minerals in it. When the water evaporates, it leaves the minerals behind and over time, enough minerals collect and become visible, as shown in your picture.

So rinse with RO water after bath

 

[Tom]

So rinse with RO water after bath

Yes, and anytime you spray mineralized water on the tortoise.

I use rainwater, but RO water is fine if you already have a RO system.

 

[Sarah2020]

Paper towel?

I use kitchen paper and then dispose as it gets dirty. I use an ear bud ( qtip) for difficult scute edges that paper can not get to.

 

[Fire_bug80]

I use kitchen paper and then dispose as it gets dirty. I use an ear bud ( qtip) for difficult scute edges that paper can not get to.

It sounds like I don’t have to use the coconut oil! Tom do you use it?

 

[Sarah2020]

Agree you do not have to use it but it has helped my tort shell.

 

[Pák]

Its a common thing, i use citric acid to get rid of the minerals. It reacts with the carbonates and breaks them into CO2 gas.
Here is a before after pic:

 

[Fire_bug80]

Its a common thing, i use citric acid to get rid of the minerals. It reacts with the carbonates and breaks them into CO2 gas.
Here is a before after pic:

That’s just from switching to non mineral water?