Concerned for nothing?

[gusthetortoise]

Hi guys, I'm a little concerned about something... I have noticed a small grove on the bottom of my tortoises belly. It is not soft at all, appears hard and fine and doesn't seem to give any discomfort. Little Gus is healthy, eating, drinking, soaking etc and I might be a little paranoid but can anyone see anything wrong...

Also is he actually a she... Or definitely a he?

Thanks guys

Jim

 

[MzNENA]

I am definitely no expert, but I'm sure an expert may tell you that your tort looks a little too young to definitively give you the sex of it.

All I know is that grooves on the bottom of a tortoise's shell are a common male trait seeing as they need that indent in their shell to safely and more securely mount females during mating. lol

 

[gusthetortoise]

He's two years old now, soon to be three... The groove I mean is on the right hand side about a third of the way up his plast, just above the join line...

---

Bottom right hand side of the abdominal part of the plastron (right as you look at the tortoise)

 

[MzNENA]

Ahh now I see! Thanks for pointing that out. With the lighting in the photo I kind of missed it :blush:
My mistake

 

[gusthetortoise]

Does it look like something I should be concerned about?

 

[MzNENA]

I would definitely wait for an expert to chime in.

As I mentioned, I'm no expert (new tortoise owner for only about a month)

I'm sure they may ask you questions along the lines of when did the dent appear?
Has it gotten any worse or deeper since you've noticed it?
Has he taken any falls/tumbles recently?
Any items in his enclosure that may have caused a dent?

 

[gusthetortoise]

Never noticed it before today... His enclosure has the usual, basking stone, eating stone, some wood to climb over, we does climb about and is active rubbing against stuff but nothing bad... I'm hoping it's just normal and I'm being paranoid, or he's done it by rubbing on stuff

 

[HermanniChris]

There's nothing wrong with the tortoise. Everything seems normal. Now, while it definitely does appear to be a female for sure, keep in mind that nature and can does surprise us last minute. I have seen "females" turn male on more than one occasion. But, as of now that tortoise certainly appears female:

 

[gusthetortoise]

Thank you Chris really appreciate that... Was worrying myself.

 

[stinax182]

looks like a perfectly imperfect tortoise they all have different growth lines and grooves just like people!

 

[gusthetortoise]

Phew I swear I worry so much about lil Gus... Anything... Change in mood, habit, anything lol

 

[HermanniChris]

Relax, you're doing an excellent job. It's never necessary to pamper them, remember they're wild animals no matter how captive bred they are. Your tortoise has a long life ahead of it.