I'm Shaq's 3rd owner, and I have a bit of history of the first one. Apparently he didn't have an enclosure, or heating, and they just let him roam around the house. He'd end up trying to warm himself up on their router, and I think he also just basically got lettuce and such.
When I adopted him from the previous owners they got him set up with the enclosure I have him in right now, a 4 foot by 2 foot box with walls about 2/4 feet high, and a ramp that leads up to an upper section that's about 2 by 2 feet, with (what I think?) is proper lighting and heating. They did say they'd had his entire enclosure out in the backyard for a while, and during this time they think maybe a bird or something got after him and damaged the back of his shell, where you can see the shell rot taken effect. They took him in to get treated and get shots and everything, and it appears that he no longer has any issues with that.
My question is mainly trying to get up to speed on how his shell should be looking, and whether or not his past history is why his shell looks the way it does. Obviously the white is where the shell rot WAS, which was a while ago, but should I be expecting it to heal within the next year? Does it take far longer? The scutes where the shell rot was are flaking enough to where if I wanted to, I could peel them off. Should I? Do I need to clear it for new growth to take effect?
And are those little, I guess, divets? On the rest of his shell due to his past nutrition, or the shell rot, or is it just "weathering" and it gets worn down a little bit like that? He's a russian tortoise, approximately 12 or so, and I've only had him for like a month or so now, so I'm just trying to get as much info and do the best I can to take care of him. I've got him on a kind of rotation of diet now with dandelions, or mustard greens, or a spring mix with the spinach removed, with some romaine since he seems to enjoy that a lot more than taking a dip in his water to hydrate, mostly dandelions (leaves and flower heads). Just want to make sure his shell is on its way to being as healthy as possible, the plastron feels and looks smooth and great, and the sides of his shell and even a bit of the front is also nice and smooth. I can provide any other pictures if they'd help as well, these ones were a bit hard since he's not a very patient photography model
Thank you so much if you can help! The only things I can find online regarding shell rot have to do with preventing it or treating it in the first place, not what it should look like afterwards. I hope this isn't too dumb a question, but this is the first reptile I've ever owned. I'll probably take him to an exotic vet sometime soon regardless just for a checkup.
When I adopted him from the previous owners they got him set up with the enclosure I have him in right now, a 4 foot by 2 foot box with walls about 2/4 feet high, and a ramp that leads up to an upper section that's about 2 by 2 feet, with (what I think?) is proper lighting and heating. They did say they'd had his entire enclosure out in the backyard for a while, and during this time they think maybe a bird or something got after him and damaged the back of his shell, where you can see the shell rot taken effect. They took him in to get treated and get shots and everything, and it appears that he no longer has any issues with that.
My question is mainly trying to get up to speed on how his shell should be looking, and whether or not his past history is why his shell looks the way it does. Obviously the white is where the shell rot WAS, which was a while ago, but should I be expecting it to heal within the next year? Does it take far longer? The scutes where the shell rot was are flaking enough to where if I wanted to, I could peel them off. Should I? Do I need to clear it for new growth to take effect?
And are those little, I guess, divets? On the rest of his shell due to his past nutrition, or the shell rot, or is it just "weathering" and it gets worn down a little bit like that? He's a russian tortoise, approximately 12 or so, and I've only had him for like a month or so now, so I'm just trying to get as much info and do the best I can to take care of him. I've got him on a kind of rotation of diet now with dandelions, or mustard greens, or a spring mix with the spinach removed, with some romaine since he seems to enjoy that a lot more than taking a dip in his water to hydrate, mostly dandelions (leaves and flower heads). Just want to make sure his shell is on its way to being as healthy as possible, the plastron feels and looks smooth and great, and the sides of his shell and even a bit of the front is also nice and smooth. I can provide any other pictures if they'd help as well, these ones were a bit hard since he's not a very patient photography model
Thank you so much if you can help! The only things I can find online regarding shell rot have to do with preventing it or treating it in the first place, not what it should look like afterwards. I hope this isn't too dumb a question, but this is the first reptile I've ever owned. I'll probably take him to an exotic vet sometime soon regardless just for a checkup.
