Is his shell okay

JDoriott

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Is it okay for my Russian tortoise to have these scuff marks on his shell?
 

Sarah2020

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Hi have a look at the enclosure as to what is causing this. There must be a low tunnel or hide? You can try applying coconut oil after a soak to nourish the shell and growth lines.
 

JDoriott

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Thank you! He does have a half log maybe it’s too short and he’s scraping his shell on it. I will put some coconut oil on his shell.
 

JDoriott

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This is his hideout and the only place he could’ve been possibly scraping his shell.
 

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harrythetortoise

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This is his hideout and the only place he could’ve been possibly scraping his shell.
Hmm... it looks large enough. Can we see a photo of your whole enclosure? Maybe there is something else that could be contributing to it.
Does the tortoise stay inside the enclosure 24/7? Any chance another pet (dogs/cats) could have gotten to him?
 

Yvonne G

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Yes, it's quite normal for Russian tortoises to have beat up shells. They are "captured" from the wild in large groups, and kept in small enclosures with too many tortoises in them. They clamber all over each other, and poop and pee on each other. They are then shipped in small containers. By the time they arrive in the pet store they look pretty beat up. Usually the only time you'll see a russian tortoise with a perfect shell is when he was captive hatched and raised.
 

JDoriott

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Here is Tortellinis set up.
 

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JDoriott

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It’s a 40 gallon breeder, it’s what the store recommended. He was in a 30 there. What size should he have?
 
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