Hermann Tortoise missing nails

[trevor343]

I noticed today that my baby hermanns tortoise is missing a few nails on one foot. The skin looks a little different as well. It is puting on weight still, eating, soaking, etc. It's very possible I'm just being paranoid as well.

Thanks!

 

[zovick]

I noticed today that my baby hermanns tortoise is missing a few nails on one foot. The skin looks a little different as well. It is puting on weight still, eating, soaking, etc. It's very possible I'm just being paranoid as well.

Thanks!

Missing nails can be a sign of Austwickia chelonae (a very serious disease). Hopefully it is not that.

Do you notice any yellowish bumps on its skin anyplace?

 

[trevor343]

Missing nails can be a sign of Austwickia chelonae (a very serious disease). Hopefully it is not that.

Do you notice any yellowish bumps on its skin anyplace?

I'll have to double check in the morning. From initial observations it was just those missing nails and lack of color in that one leg. I'll update soon. Thanks

 

[trevor343]

I washed it off this morning and couldn't find any yellow spots, sores, etc.

Missing nails can be a sign of Austwickia chelonae (a very serious disease). Hopefully it is not that.

Do you notice any yellowish bumps on its skin anypla

Missing nails can be a sign of Austwickia chelonae (a very serious disease). Hopefully it is not that.

Do you notice any yellowish bumps on its skin anyplace?

I've gave it a wash and didn't find any yellow spots. Thanks Again for your response.

 

[TammyJ]

Is there another tortoise in the same enclosure with this one?

 

[trevor343]

Is there another tortoise in the same enclosure with this one?

There was briefly. I've since separated. That one is just as small, hatchling, so I wouldn't think it was nipping or biting but thought of that. That one also appears healthy.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Have you found the fallen nails? Are the remaining nails on that food discolored? Is there something in the enclosure that could cause injury? A fungal infection is one possibility.

 

[trevor343]

Have you found the fallen nails? Are the remaining nails on that food discolored? Is there something in the enclosure that could cause injury? A fungal infection is one possibility.

So I have not found them but i haven't looked yet. No discoloration or blood. It almost looks like in my pic that they may be growing back unless I'm looking at the wrong thing. There are hard objects like a flat stone for basking and another in the back more or less for enrichment/climbing.
Thanks

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I hope that this was just an injury and the nails will grow back!

 

[trevor343]

I consulted with a vet and he wasn't to concerned about the nails. It appears it is doing some shedding and I will continue to monitor. Thanks for all the responses.

 

[Ink]

I consulted with a vet and he wasn't to concerned about the nails. It appears it is doing some shedding and I will continue to monitor. Thanks for all the responses.

I'm not an expert but I have not heard of a tortoise shedding their toenails. @Tom or @wellington

 

[Tom]

I noticed today that my baby hermanns tortoise is missing a few nails on one foot. The skin looks a little different as well. It is puting on weight still, eating, soaking, etc. It's very possible I'm just being paranoid as well.

Thanks!

I've seen this sort of thing with babies that are kept on sopping wet substrate. How damp is your substrate? What are you using for substrate? The dirt like peat moss, often found in store bought bags of soil, can also cause this sort of thing.

 

[mark1]

how long have you had this tortoise? this just recently got like this??? looks like a healing injury that would come from mice chewing on him...... but that would not be new........ from a picture it's hard to tell the condition of the skin , is it healing or is it an active infection.......

 

[trevor343]

I've seen this sort of thing with babies that are kept on sopping wet substrate. How damp is your substrate? What are you using for substrate? The dirt like peat moss, often found in store bought bags of soil, can also cause this sort of thin

So I mix reptisoil, Cypress mulch and a little sand. I tried to copy what Chris Leone GST does with the storage bin. The one thing I did differently was added a clump of sphagnum moss under the basking are. I have kept that moist to create more humidity. I will stop that. Thanks for the info!

 

[Tom]

So I mix reptisoil, Cypress mulch and a little sand. I tried to copy what Chris Leone GST does with the storage bin. The one thing I did differently was added a clump of sphagnum moss under the basking are. I have kept that moist to create more humidity. I will stop that. Thanks for the info!

This might be the problem. Sand, soil and sphagnum moss should never be used as tortoise substrates.

Give this a read through. Its for people new to the forum, not necessarily new to tortoises:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[wellington]

Looks to me like too much of a constant wetness.