Shell Rot? How too....

[cordell]

Hello all,

Most of you know of my hatchling 3 toed but I also have a older 3 toed. Her name is Myrtle and I have no problems with her as far as eating goes. She eats and eats, and eats some more. Bugs, fruit, veggies, well you get it. I do however have concerns with her shell. I posted pictures of her. We got her like this though there was whitish gray build up I cleaned off her shell. It flaked off leaving exposed under-scute? Forgive me on terminology. What can I do to help repair her shell if anything? The pet shop told me they would fix themselves in a month or so. Well it has been about 8 months now. They havent gotten worse but dont look any better. I have put triple antibiotic ointment on the areas, that seemed to keep them dirty rather than do any good. Another issue might be had to see from the pics but from the side of her shell about midway there seems to be these little holes or both sides of her shell. Are these spots from a possible turtle trap? I would really like to know if she was caught from the wild as they are native to my area and I think I would release her next spring. She is not shy at all and hasent been from day one! She eats crawfish, is there any way to figure if she was wild before the pet shop? I would have never bought her if I wouldve known what I know now. Please help with her shell and even more so if there is a way to figure out if she is wild caught. She did excape once, we caught her 1/4 mile down the road dug into some mud in a drainage pipe. A dog alerted us to her, we got her just in time!

ps...it is almost like she is on a mission to get back home. she doesnt lay around much. when up she will do laps around her area, which is a large bathtub, coco fiber for substrate. could she be trying to find a way back hme? it cant be to the pet shop they had her AND a full adult male in a 10 gallon!

I am going to try and take some clearer pics.....

Thank You,
Cordell

 

[t_mclellan]

The wounds are definitely NOT from a turtle trap.
I really couldn't tell exactly what caused the problem (fuzzy photo's).
If it is shell rot, You can clean it with Betadine every few days & sometimes anti fungus cream will help. The best is Nolvasan (expensive) or Chlorhexidine Solution (more affordable). Both are similar(antimicrobial) & work great.

 

[cordell]

OK I got some better pics. You will be able to see the holes I am talking about on the side of her shell.

Holes...these are on BOTH side of her shell in about the same spot...

holes on other side

 

[egyptiandan]

It doesn't look like shell rot, just exposed bone. The damage to her front marginal scutes (the ones over her head) are from males getting aggressive with her to keep her still to mate with her. The pits or holes are from ticks burrowing into the shell to suck blood.
It doesn't look like anything is infected, but you can always use the Nolvasan like Tom said.

Danny

 

[cordell]

It doesn't look like shell rot, just exposed bone. The damage to her front marginal scutes (the ones over her head) are from males getting aggressive with her to keep her still to mate with her. The pits or holes are from ticks burrowing into the shell to suck blood.
It doesn't look like anything is infected, but you can always use the Nolvasan like Tom said.

Danny

OMG! So when I got her she was with a male, I am not sure if they were both brought in together or not, But they told me they had mated. I have seen NO eggs. The ticks would be from the wild? Does she look wild? I dont want to keep a turtle that had a better life than living in mans control. We do love her and thats probably the reason we would release her if we knew she was from the wild. I was thinking the holes were from like a bear trap or something similar! lol Will the bone eventually have scutes again?

thanks,
cordell

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I just found a article about these pits. My theory seems popular but untrue, lol. Once you sit back and think about it, one can just pick a turtle up. I do however believe her to be wild now more than ever.

thanks
cordell

http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/Terrapene_pitting.htm

 

[Yvonne G]

You see those holes in almost every single wild caught 3-toed box turtle. And because they're evenly placed, one on each side, it looks man-made. For many years no one could figure out what caused them. Seeing Danny's post about it being caused by a tick is the first I've heard that idea, but it sounds reasonable. They never go away, but they aren't a problem.

 

[egyptiandan]

Yup she's WC

As we type there is new scute material forming under the dead bone.

Danny

 

[cordell]

You see those holes in almost every single wild caught 3-toed box turtle. And because they're evenly placed, one on each side, it looks man-made. For many years no one could figure out what caused them. Seeing Danny's post about it being caused by a tick is the first I've heard that idea, but it sounds reasonable. They never go away, but they aren't a problem.

So now comes the BIG QUESTION....Do I keep her or release her back to her true home? I have a hatchling that is captive breed, I dont want to keep something locked up that has been free for so long. She is not the least bit shy, wouldnt a wild turt be shy?

thanks
cordell

OR Do I build a LARGE area for her and my hatchling to live in? I have 1 1/2 acres to create a nice place for them. That was my original plan. I just want her to be happy..

 

[Yvonne G]

Box turtles are one of the friendliest, human oriented turtles you can have. Its true that a box turtle when released will try to go home, or find its original territory, but a captive box turtle will soon make the adjustment and be happy and healthy in his own pen. There's no reason to release this turtle. If she's as friendly as you say, she's probably someone's escaped pet, and a long time captive.

 

[cordell]

To my surprise I filled her tub with more coco fiber and shoved a mountain if you will to one side, she has half buried herself down and has stopped roaming around the tub. She would walk and walk to the point she had a path in there! I figured it to be hunting for left over bugs or looking for a spot to lay eggs. I was told she mated literally right before I got her. That was 7 or 8 months ago. I had put a thick layer of the fiber but she seemed to struggle while waling around. Maybe the fiber is to soft so she sinks? IDK I am going to build her a area then. Though 2 weeks ago my shed was broke into, all my tools were stolen. My insurance is currently deciding how much out of the $5000 worth of theft they will pay for. Thats a whole different story though! I did try to hibernate her a month or so ago. I just couldnt keep it cold enough in my house. Good thing she wasnt in my shed when they broke in as that was the next place I was going to put her. They do seem to have a good homing instinct, every time I sit her outside she pokes her head out, turns and heads in the same direction. Regardless where she is sat down or what direction she faces.

I appreciate all the help I am getting with this. It is making feel a bit better about her have been wild caught. Though it is sad that this is happening all the time. I would not have bought her had I known, but then someone else would have.....

 

[cordell]

I hate to beat a old thread but it follows the discovery of my 3 toed to be wild caught. She has been pretty good for the most part as far as eating and just being a turt. I have noticed the last 2 or 3 days she seems to want out of her enclosure. She stands straight up on the sides staring up, while trying to climb, as if there was a ladder there. She gets to the highest part of her enclosure, I made a mountain for her and she gets on top and does the same climbing nowhere routine. Is this her wild instinct calling her home? I feel bad when I see this. I had soaked her and cleaned her enclosure just know and went to feed her. She was eating on the mountain and realized the mountain was rebuilt and higher than before the soaking. As soon as she noticed she spit out the super worm and went to climbing the invisible ladder! Poor Myrtle, I cant wait for spring so I can get her in a outdoor enclosure.

cordell

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Now she is turning laps around her enclosure. She has been doing laps for about 20 minutes???

cordell

 

[Yvonne G]

If she was contented at one time and is only recently nervous and upset, it MIGHT be that her internal clock is upset and she's wanting to lay eggs.

 

[cordell]

See, when I bought her at the pet shop she was in a 10 gallon with a male as well. I picked her because she didnt seem as shy as the male. Long story short, they told me they had mated in the 10 gallon a day or two before I took her home. That was 5 or 6 months ago. Would a picture of her back side show eggs to a more experienced eye? I can take a pic and post it if one might be able to tell if she is holding... She is quite the character, my wife told me this morning she was doing the invisible ladder then too. I was thinking cleaning her enclosure might have got her riled up but I just did that, hrmmmm.

thanks
cordell

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i just took a peek at her and she has a well defined path completely around her enclosure, i just wet it down and re-leveled it a hour ago.

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OK she has calmed down a bit....She went to the top of the mountain I made for her and stopped. She isnt sleeping but hasnt moved in a while now. I think she is tired! lol