Soft shell

[decor42]

My son got a red legged tortoise for christmas.
About 2 months ago we noticed some rippling on the bottom side of the shell.
I called the pet shop only to find that they are no longer in business.
After doing several searches I am finding that maybe he has a fungus? He has a heating pad, the proper blue light that is on for about 15 hours a day, semi moistened moss to crawl under,clean bedding every month, fresh water and a variety of food daily along with a calcium supplement every other day. His shell is now soft. What can we do to treat him? My son is devastated as he has become quite fond of Reggie. Any and all suggestions are welcome. I am hoping that the problem can be corrected without having to take him to the vets. HELP.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Decor42:

Welcome to the forum!! I'm sorry to welcome you under such circumstances and I hope you'll be able to find the help you need here. I don't keep redfoot tortoises, but I'll give you some general information to tide you over until you hear from some more experienced keepers.

Your redfoot tortoise comes from South America. He lives in an area that has some sun, but lots of plants. (as opposed to out in the wide open savannah) So you need to provide him with lots of hiding places and a moist environment.

If your baby has a soft shell, that means he's not getting the required calcium/D3 to make strong bones and hard shells. Redfoot tortoises get some of their D3 from the food they eat, such as carrion in the wild, or bugs and cat food in captivity. They also eat veggies and fruit and plenty of dark, leafy greens.

Do you feed your RF (redfoot) something with D3 in it? Or else do you have a UVB light for him? The light isn't necessary if you have the correct diet.

My suggestion is for you to read a good care sheet on RF tortoises. Here's a care sheet put out by one of our forum members and has given great results:

http://www.turtletary.com/redfootcare.htm