Heat Lamp Fell on tortoise

[Zezima]

Hi I just want some advice on what I should do please.

This morning I heard my habistat thermostat bleeping so I went to check what was happening and found that the Arcadia deep heat projector had fallen off its bracket and both of my stars were sat next to it.

After examining both stars I found that one had damage to the scutes and had small burn marks on its shell. I am distraught to say the least. It appears the bulb and the dome has fallen on top of one of them at some point.

Is there any possibility that the shell will naturally fix itself or is there something I can do to help?

 

[Tom]

Over time, it will do what it does. Nothing you can really do about it.

Were you using the clamp on a clamp lamp? Its time to securely hang your heating and lighting from overhead in ways that it can't fall, but you already know that... I hope people reading learn from this, and that is my primary reason for bringing it up. Never use the clamps. Remove those clamps and hang the lamps from overhead using the metal hangers and thin chain or thick bailing wire. It should not be able to come loose and fall.

 

[Zezima]

Over time, it will do what it does. Nothing you can really do about it.

Were you using the clamp on a clamp lamp? Its time to securely hang your heating and lighting from overhead in ways that it can't fall, but you already know that... I hope people reading learn from this, and that is my primary reason for bringing it up. Never use the clamps. Remove those clamps and hang the lamps from overhead using the metal hangers and thin chain or thick bailing wire. It should not be able to come loose and fall.

Over time, it will do what it does. Nothing you can really do about it.

Were you using the clamp on a clamp lamp? Its time to securely hang your heating and lighting from overhead in ways that it can't fall, but you already know that... I hope people reading learn from this, and that is my primary reason for bringing it up. Never use the clamps. Remove those clamps and hang the lamps from overhead using the metal hangers and thin chain or thick bailing wire. It should not be able to come loose and fall.

Unfortunately I was using the clamp that came with it. I’m going to drill a hole in to the roof of the enclosure so it can hang from that instead.

Is a trip to a vet required? What about anti fungal cream? I feel terrible

 

[wellington]

Unfortunately I was using the clamp that came with it. I’m going to drill a hole in to the roof of the enclosure so it can hang from that instead.

Is a trip to a vet required? What about anti fungal cream? I feel terrible

No vet visit is needed. You can put some coconut oil I think it's cold pressed on it just to help it stay a bit moist, rub it in and then wipe it off.
Never use those clamps. We say it all the time on here. Unfortunately you must have never come across it. They have burned many tortoises and started fires, because the clamps always fail eventually.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Unfortunately I was using the clamp that came with it. I’m going to drill a hole in to the roof of the enclosure so it can hang from that instead.

Is a trip to a vet required? What about anti fungal cream? I feel terrible

Anti fungal cream will not help

 

[wellington]

Antibiotic cream if you want but not antifungal. That won't do anything for it.

 

[Zezima]

Thank you for the advice, What antibiotic cream could I buy? And can I use this with coconut oil? Will the shell overtime sort itself out?

 

[wellington]

I would use the antibiotic cream first for about a week. Any over the counter human antibiotic cream. Give a light wiping of the area with just a wet rag, dry and put cream on daily. Only on the scute not the growth lines.

After the week, you could put some of the cold pressed coconut oil on. Do the oil the same way. Wipe clean, rub in oil, wipe access off, next day repeat.