Help! White ring on shell.

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I have a 13-14 year old female Russian tortoise, and I am getting rather concerned. She has had a white ring on her shell ever since we got her, but it is getting to the point where I am getting very concerned for her health and safety. We have a good UV lighting set up, so I do not think it is related to that, and I take her outside often. My other thought is that it might be related to her diet. She very often eats weeds when I take her outside, but I still feed her food like lettuce, endive, and sometimes a little kale.
 

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Sleppo

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Hi,

Are you referring to the rings around the scutes? If so that's new growth and that's a good sign, it means she thriving. Her beak on the other hand is rather overgrown and will need to be trimmed so she doesn't start having any issues with eating. Most of us feed on a piece slate which helps keep that in check. Your enclosure is far too small too and I would remove that piece of drift wood ASAP as that is a tipping hazard. I know you didn't ask for all this other advice but I cannot see those pics and not say something.
 

Toddrickfl1

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That's new growth, no worries.
 

Tom

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I agree. The write ring is new growth. And the tortoise needs a much larger enclosure.

Here is all the current and correct care info:
 
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Thank you for your replies. I will remove the driftwood and add an eating slate as soon as I can. My concern though is that she’s had this ring for several years, and the area around it isn’t getting more shell like in color.
 

Tom

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Thank you for your replies. I will remove the driftwood and add an eating slate as soon as I can. My concern though is that she’s had this ring for several years, and the area around it isn’t getting more shell like in color.
Does she get outside for sunshine often? You said she eats weeds when you take her out, but how often is that and for how long?
 

TaylorTortoise

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I have a 13-14 year old female Russian tortoise, and I am getting rather concerned. She has had a white ring on her shell ever since we got her, but it is getting to the point where I am getting very concerned for her health and safety. We have a good UV lighting set up, so I do not think it is related to that, and I take her outside often. My other thought is that it might be related to her diet. She very often eats weeds when I take her outside, but I still feed her food like lettuce, endive, and sometimes a little kale.
Where did you get your enclosure?
 
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We were not experienced at the time in the term of tortoises, but she needs better. I love her so much and would do anything for her. The problem is that it’s hard to find a place to trim her beak, and I do not have the heart to do it myself. I want her to be happy and healthy, but in Salem, Oregon, it’s hard.
 

Hamiltondood

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We were not experienced at the time in the term of tortoises, but she needs better. I love her so much and would do anything for her. The problem is that it’s hard to find a place to trim her beak, and I do not have the heart to do it myself. I want her to be happy and healthy, but in Salem, Oregon, it’s hard.
try filing it down with a dremel. it wont hurt her as long as you do it right. you might want to get another person to do it but make sure theyre very careful to not file it do far
 

William Lee Kohler

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try filing it down with a dremel. it wont hurt her as long as you do it right. you might want to get another person to do it but make sure theyre very careful to not file it do far

EH! Wrong Answer! Are you nuts? If not too thick a toenail clipper can be used or if heavier a pair of wire cutters. Just don't cut too short. A lot faster and less traumatic. And NO chance of grinding something else down. Look at pictures of normal beaks on wild tortoises. If the trim job is not perfectly even don't worry it will wear down pretty quick.
 

Yossarian

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We were not experienced at the time in the term of tortoises, but she needs better. I love her so much and would do anything for her. The problem is that it’s hard to find a place to trim her beak, and I do not have the heart to do it myself. I want her to be happy and healthy, but in Salem, Oregon, it’s hard.

Look at it this way, your tort is gonna be with you, hopefully for a long long time. Why would you want to leave something like that to other people, it really is easy, torts are strong and you can handle them firmly, they wont break. A sharp nail clipper or something like a micro side snip takes 10-15 seconds to clip it back. IMO it is worth learning to do yourself.

New growth can take a long time to make new pigment, I have seen similar with my greek, he went through a big growth spurt 4-5 years ago and that new growth has only darkened recently.
 

Hamiltondood

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EH! Wrong Answer! Are you nuts? If not too thick a toenail clipper can be used or if heavier a pair of wire cutters. Just don't cut too short. A lot faster and less traumatic. And NO chance of grinding something else down. Look at pictures of normal beaks on wild tortoises. If the trim job is not perfectly even don't worry it will wear down pretty quick.
oops sorry ! i've seen people try a dremel for super overgrown ones..
thanks for correcting me
 
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I thought a dremel was a little extreme, but I do not really know. My main concern is not cutting it down too far, and how to convince her to not turn to a hamburger when I try to do so.
 

William Lee Kohler

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Again: L
I thought a dremel was a little extreme, but I do not really know. My main concern is not cutting it down too far, and how to convince her to not turn to a hamburger when I try to do so.
Again: Look at pictures of how long it is supposed to be. It's not hard at all and vacillating forever doesn't get the job done.
 
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I know, it’s just the last thing I’d ever want to feel is pain, but I am looking into it. I cannot do the beak, though.
 
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