Hard mineral build up

[Yellow Turtle]

I believe I get some hard mineral build up on my tortoise's shells due to practice of a lot of water spraying per day. For information, my tap water contains pretty hard water at more than 200 ppm.

Is there any safe way to remove it from the shell? I would like to use weak acetic acid solution, or just simply key lime juice, but is it safe? Or is there any other recommendation to clean the shell?

Please help, I know it's only aesthetic, but I want my tortoise shell to be pretty

 

[MyrnaBren]

Hi,

Being new, I wouldn't take any advice I give without checking with others, LOL!

I know that Vinegar will break up acid, I wonder if a weak solution used with a qtip might help?

I'm so lucky we have a reverse osmosis water system at work, so I just fill up a few gallons and all my critters are happy.

Good luck.

 

[Yellow Turtle]

Hi,

Being new, I wouldn't take any advice I give without checking with others, LOL!

I know that Vinegar will break up acid, I wonder if a weak solution used with a qtip might help?

I'm so lucky we have a reverse osmosis water system at work, so I just fill up a few gallons and all my critters are happy.

Good luck.

I assume you mean dissolve the calcium right? Yes I believe they will, I'm just not totally sure it's fine to do so I want to check with people here.

Yes you are lucky to have free RO system for you to use

 

[Thalatte]

Have you tried just soaking the turtle and using a hard brush to rub the stains off? Then dry the turtle with a towel to prevent new buildup

 

[Yellow Turtle]

Have you tried just soaking the turtle and using a hard brush to rub the stains off? Then dry the turtle with a towel to prevent new buildup

I use soft brush, once per week. The white stains remains there.

 

[Thalatte]

Then diluted vinegar or the lime juice should help. I wouldn't use th acid but that is just because I don't like usin chemicals when a natural product will work. I also don't know if its safe.

 

[Yellow Turtle]

Then diluted vinegar or the lime juice should help. I wouldn't use th acid but that is just because I don't like usin chemicals when a natural product will work. I also don't know if its safe.

Vinegar is weak 5% concentration of acetic acid, that's why I would like to use it too but I don't know whether it has side effect to the shells

 

[Thalatte]

It hasn't seemed to harm any of my animals. I use vinegar to clean all cages and have used it in a diluted form on a clothe to clean my bearded dragons, Chinese water dragons, desert tortoise, dogs (didn't dilute it for them, and just poured it on them), and even my sulcatas.
I have used it quite often on my desert tortoise as she is rather found of laying and walking in her messes.

 

[Yellow Turtle]

It hasn't seemed to harm any of my animals. I use vinegar to clean all cages and have used it in a diluted form on a clothe to clean my bearded dragons, Chinese water dragons, desert tortoise, dogs (didn't dilute it for them, and just poured it on them), and even my sulcatas.
I have used it quite often on my desert tortoise as she is rather found of laying and walking in her messes.

Good, this is what I want to confirm first before applying. Thank you very much