Is my sulcata ok??

[Tyler McRae]

Hey guys im new to the Tortoise Forum and pretty stoked to be apart of it. My name is Tyler and i live in Ogden Utah. We have pretty cold winters so its hard to be a tortoise keeper. I have two awesome Sulcata tortoises. I have a 3 year old named dude he/she? is very beautiful shelled healthy and social tortoise. I also have a 9 year old i just recently got from girl down in st Geroge. He is a big guy and not very social it doesnt seem like he got a lot of care or attention for nine years when i got him his shell was very dirty and dried out he is peeling and flaking in some parts also sunken in the back of his shell. In the crevis of his shell its all peely and flaky looking He also has a little bit of white in his shell were the crevis is it should all be black im assuming, just looks out of place. But i have been soaking him daily and putting some cream stuff called vita shell it seems to be getting a little better im just trying to get him a bit more social. But i was just hoping to get some answers from some people who may know about these symptoms. so PLEASE help me out thanks guys look forward to chatting up thanks.

 

[BrookeB]

I can't see the pictures but I'm sure one of the great keepers on here will help you and Welcome! Hope your new baby is not sick and just needs some TLC

 

[Tyler McRae]

I can't see the pictures but I'm sure one of the great keepers on here will help you and Welcome! Hope your new baby is not sick and just needs some TLC
[/q

Thanks, i posted some thumbnail picks still trying to learn how to use this site. But thanks for checking it out

 

[LuckysGirl007]

Probably signs of MBD. I was told lots of calcium, sunlight and Vitashell can help. My vet mentioned the other day with some "flakey" shells they see it means the tort might have the herpes virus. I don't know about this but it's what he told me. But probably because of the MBD his shell is soft and easily damaged.

---

Oh, and I can't see the white lines you are talking about in the pic but I'm thinking it may just be new growth.

 

[shellysmom]

Which tort is that in your avatar photo? A whole boy shot of his shell would give a better idea of his overall condition. The small marks you show on his shell look almost like little wounds, or places where the outer layer has flaked/rubbed off a little. Is his shell soft/spongy, or is it hard?

 

[Baoh]

Not sure, but what I think you are trying to show is mechanical wear.

 

[Tyler McRae]

Which tort is that in your avatar photo? A whole boy shot of his shell would give a better idea of his overall condition. The small marks you show on his shell look almost like little wounds, or places where the outer layer has flaked/rubbed off a little. Is his shell soft/spongy, or is it hard?

The one in my avatar is the same one ill post a pick of his whole shell when I get home. And his shell is nice and hard not soft he just seems a little flaky and dried out and he is sunken in in the back a little so I'm just hoping he is ok also he has a major under bite is that normal ? Thanks

 

[Tyler McRae]

Here's his whole shell you can kinda see that he is sunken in the back

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Tyler and welcome to the Forum!

When you see the carapace sort of sinking over the "hips," it sometimes means MBD (metabolic bone disease). I think this is from when he was younger. Just make sure he gets his calcium and sunshine (or UVB from an expensive light) and it should be ok. The dryness in between the scutes is from the tortoise being kept too dry. The new growth, instead of being nice and pliable, is dry and brittle. It might help to paint the spaces between the scutes with some sort of lubricant, but if you use a petroleum product, that just ends up drying it more. I try to paint only the spaces between the scutes, and not the whole carapace in order that dirt doesn't get stuck to the shell and cause the tortoise to overheat.

 

[Tyler McRae]

Hi Tyler and welcome to the Forum!

When you see the carapace sort of sinking over the "hips," it sometimes means MBD (metabolic bone disease). I think this is from when he was younger. Just make sure he gets his calcium and sunshine (or UVB from an expensive light) and it should be ok. The dryness in between the scutes is from the tortoise being kept too dry. The new growth, instead of being nice and pliable, is dry and brittle. It might help to paint the spaces between the scutes with some sort of lubricant, but if you use a petroleum product, that just ends up drying it more. I try to paint only the spaces between the scutes, and not the whole carapace in order that dirt doesn't get stuck to the shell and cause the tortoise to overheat.

That's very helpful thanks a bunch!