Introduction

[KathG2013]

[attachment=55670
Hello All,

I am a Law Student in the North-East of US. I have a red-foot tortoise who is about 6 months old, named Littlefoot. He has been to the vet since I acquired him in March of this year (2013). Recently I have been noticing either dryness or white areas on his shell and am becoming worried because they do not seem to be improving. I was hoping some experts may offer their advice as to a home remedy as money is extremely tight for me during school and his vet trips are not cheap!

...I am attempting to figure out how to post some photos

Thank You, Kath & Littlefoot <3[attach]55670[/attach]

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum, Kath!

Those spots are probably the beginning of shell rot. You have to walk a pretty fine line with RF tortoises...they need to be kept moist, but if you keep them too moist they develop shell rot.

Clean the areas well with a soft brush, dry it, then apply some athlete's foot cream to the spots. Should clear up in a couple weeks.

I use orchid bark for my YF substrate. I start with moist substrate, then after the light dries out the top layer, I add more water at a corner of the habitat so it runs down and under, keeping the top layer dry. The heat causes the moisture to rise in the air and keeps it humid, but the tortoise isn't sitting on wet substrate.

 

[KathG2013]

Welcome to the Forum, Kath!

Those spots are probably the beginning of shell rot. You have to walk a pretty fine line with RF tortoises...they need to be kept moist, but if you keep them too moist they develop shell rot.

Clean the areas well with a soft brush, dry it, then apply some athlete's foot cream to the spots. Should clear up in a couple weeks.

I use orchid bark for my YF substrate. I start with moist substrate, then after the light dries out the top layer, I add more water at a corner of the habitat so it runs down and under, keeping the top layer dry. The heat causes the moisture to rise in the air and keeps it humid, but the tortoise isn't sitting on wet substrate.

The vet as well as store I purchased him/her from said not to use an actual substrate until he is older so I have been using cardboard, paper towel and he has a little hand towel that he likes to snuggle with. For the most part his tank is kept quite dry so I am confused how this happened

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello kath welcome to the TFO. Good luck with school

 

[cemmons12]

Hello and welcome to the forum! And since I have never had to deal with shell rot, thanks for that info Yvonne! I learned something new and useful today!

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome

 

[sibi]

Hi Kathy. Yvonne is telling you what she thinks is the problem. I also agree with her...it looks like the beginning of shell rot, which redfoots are highly susceptible to. Try what Yvonne said to do and see if this doesn't correct the problem.

 

[mike taylor]

This is another way to fix it wash it with this Hibiclens/antiseptic/antimicrobial skin cleaner you can get it at Walmart . Then apply Some of this Betadine. Then the foot cream but only use the Betadine one time because it will also stop new growth and slow healing. Here are some pictures of the bottles .Use the soap then the Betadine one time then foot cream . The next day use the soap then foot cream. It will take two weeks or so to fix . Like Yvonne said use the bark for bedding keep humidity on the high side but keep the top dry . So the tortoise is not sitting on a wet surface.

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[KathG2013]

Thanks everyone! I lightly scrubbed then applied the betadine and then athletes foot cream he already looks better! Just want to confirm I should continue lightly scrubbing and applying the foot cream but not the betadine?

 

[mainey34]

Hello and welcome...cute little redfoot you have there..please do some research on your little friend. I can see he is very dry. His head shows it. They need 80%and above humidity...you can type redfoot caresheet in the search tortoise form for answers....

 

[KathG2013]

Hello and welcome...cute little redfoot you have there..please do some research on your little friend. I can see he is very dry. His head shows it. They need 80%and above humidity...you can type redfoot caresheet in the search tortoise form for answers....

I have thought he seemed dry, my vet never said anything...I think I will be looking for a new one. Having a hard time finding the right balance but am looking into the advice everyone has given...very hard when receiving such different opinions etc. He has a large water dish and I spritz him/tank lightly each day. Then he got this which people are saying is due to being to moist and at the same time he is to dry...

 

[sibi]

You can do both remedies. Wash the areas good, and keep the humidity high. That doesn't mean to keep him wet, just the environment humidity high. This way, he gets the best of worth worlds

 

[mike taylor]

There is wet and there is humid two different things . They need to be in a humid enclosures. You can do this many ways . The key is to make humidity without making your tortoise sit in a wet substrate all the time . This is how I do it I got coco chor on the bottom packed down then put cypress mulch on the top. That way I can pour water in the corner and keep the top dry . The enclosure is covered so the heat light will evaporate the water and make humidity. The bedding is very important. Some use just dirt from the yard. Some use the store bought stuff . It also depends on your location in the world . People in Florida don't have to work so hard . But people in Arizona have to work harder. Think rain forest and make his enclosure match that climate. Hot and humid is good cold and humid not good . Hot and wet good as long as they can dry off but stay humid .

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