Divot on shell scute

[hnnh10]

Our lovely Mediterranean spur thigh tortoise has just come to live with us after being with a family member.

We have noticed a divot on one of his scutes at the back. Please see attached. Apparently it has been there for years but we can only take their word for it. Would you say that it is shell rot or just damage? I know that he had an accident involving a gate a few years back so unsure whether it could just be a chip. It's extra obvious when we bathe him as the picture shows. There's no other signs of issues and the rest of his shell seems fine.

He has calcium supplement and free roams in the secure garden. He also has dry, tortoise appropriate substrate and he eats largely weeds etc.

 

[Minority2]

Take a clear picture of a clean and dried carapace and another of the plastron.

 

[Golden Greek Tortoise 567]

Take a clear picture of a clean and dried carapace and another of the plastron.

@Minority2 if you look at the scute behind the middle one, you’ll see a little divot just like the OP said. It looks healed to me, no blood.

 

[zovick]

Our lovely Mediterranean spur thigh tortoise has just come to live with us after being with a family member.

We have noticed a divot on one of his scutes at the back. Please see attached. Apparently it has been there for years but we can only take their word for it. Would you say that it is shell rot or just damage? I know that he had an accident involving a gate a few years back so unsure whether it could just be a chip. It's extra obvious when we bathe him as the picture shows. There's no other signs of issues and the rest of his shell seems fine.

He has calcium supplement and free roams in the secure garden. He also has dry, tortoise appropriate substrate and he eats largely weeds etc.

The spot near the center of the 4th vertebral scute is not shell rot. It looks more like a chip from an accidental injury. Shell rot is a fungus infection and occurs on the bottom shell (plastron) 99.9% of the time (due to constant contact with excessive dampness), not on the tortoise's back (carapace) where it is open to the air and dry virtually all the time. Think of shell rot as a similar thing to athlete's foot. That occurs when one wears shoes and wet socks, but improves if one goes barefoot for a few days and the foot is allowed to remain dry.

 

[Minority2]

@Minority2 if you look at the scute behind the middle one, you’ll see a little divot just like the OP said. It looks healed to me, no blood.

I see what looks to be an a small chunk of sort but I would still prefer to see a fully clean and dried carapace and plastron in order to verify.

 

[hnnh10]

Take a clear picture of a clean and dried carapace and another of the plastron.

No problem - I have attached a few photos. Hopefully this shows what you need. Thanks ever so much!

 

[zovick]

No problem - I have attached a few photos. Hopefully this shows what you need. Thanks ever so much!

The tortoise does not have any sign of shell rot. Its shell does appear to be very dry, though. Do you soak that tortoise at all? If not, you should begin doing so for about 20-30 minutes daily.

 

[hnnh10]

The tortoise does not have any sign of shell rot. Its shell does appear to be very dry, though. Do you soak that tortoise at all? If not, you should begin doing so for about 20-30 minutes daily.

That is a relief about shell rot! And I appreciate you picking up the dryness of his shell as I was wondering about this, the carapace is dry. We do bathe him every day and he has constant access to a fresh shallow water bath but he hasn't been soaking as long as 20-30 minutes a day, so we will make a conscious effort to do that. I don't think he had constant access to water before he was with us!