Is this normal? (soft spot on shell)

[Aerdna1202]

Hi everyone so I got my lil Pistachio on the 21st. Hes a baby Greek tortoise and I’ve been researching on how to give him the best care. Today I noticed he has a very tiny soft spot in the dark corner of the scute I’m pointing at, right above my finger (see picture below) is this normal or could it be something to be concerned over? There is no other soft spots but that minor one. One thing I’ve struggled with is feeding him. He is very picky and I’ve been trying to sprinkle calcium on his food but he won’t eat much of it if I do. I give him dandelion weeds primarily and sometimes mix in collard greens, lettuce (I’m trying to get him to stop eating lettuce) and a bit of radicchio. It’s just difficult for me to find many resources that have a more extensive selection of greens and weeds. I’m just hoping this soft spot isn’t a concern and if you guys have any foods that he would enjoy I would love to hear it. It seems that the reptile shop he was at before fed him lettuce most of the time so he loves lettuce ?

 

[method89]

that spot looks like normal markings, I can't see a "soft spot".

Broadleaf weeds should be readily available in your yard (as long as they havent been sprayed)

@Kapidolo Farms has an extensive catalog of organic dried food that you can offer plus you can order fresh spineless cactus online... both of these items are readily available in California

 

[Aerdna1202]

that spot looks like normal markings, I can't see a "soft spot".

Broadleaf weeds should be readily available in your yard (as long as they havent been sprayed)

@Kapidolo Farms has an extensive catalog of organic dried food that you can offer plus you can order fresh spineless cactus online... both of these items are readily available in California

Awesome I’ll have to go look in my yard or go on a walk to look for some. I’ll order some of the cactus as well. Do you know of any guides that tell you what broadleaf weeds are good For them?

 

[Ink]

Make sure your yard is free from pesticides of course. Also, how often do you soak your tortoise?

 

[Aerdna1202]

Make sure your yard is free from pesticides of course. Also, how often do you soak your tortoise?

I soak him everyday. I try to do twice a day, one in the morning one in the evening. I soak him from about 20-30 min.

 

[Aerdna1202]

that spot looks like normal markings, I can't see a "soft spot".

Broadleaf weeds should be readily available in your yard (as long as they havent been sprayed)

@Kapidolo Farms has an extensive catalog of organic dried food that you can offer plus you can order fresh spineless cactus online... both of these items are readily available in California

Also kapidolo farms is a great website I’m sure I’m gonna order his food from there. Thank you for the recommendation

 

[Ink]

Terrific, I have purchased from kapidolo farms too. My tortoises love it.

 

[Aerdna1202]

Terrific, I have purchased from kapidolo farms too. My tortoises love it.

I have a baby Greek tortoise so I’m wondering what I should buy for him? I definitely want to get him some calcium and also some things he can’t resist but there’s just so much to choose from!

 

[Ink]

I would contact kapidolo directly and they will help you. That is what I did. They are very helpful and knowledgeable!

 

[Aerdna1202]

I would contact kapidolo directly and they will help you. That is what I did. They are very helpful and knowledgeable!

Doing that right now! Thank you so much! Finding someone who sells what he needs takes a lot of stress off my shoulders about feeding him properly.

 

[method89]

I have a baby Greek tortoise so I’m wondering what I should buy for him? I definitely want to get him some calcium and also some things he can’t resist but there’s just so much to choose from!

I believe he has a "testudo munch" package...its a great start. but you should be able to find fresh dandelion and escarole in your supermarket. these are 2 good "weeds" to mix the dry stuff with

 

[Aerdna1202]

I believe he has a "testudo munch" package...its a great start. but you should be able to find fresh dandelion and escarole in your supermarket. these are 2 good "weeds" to mix the dry stuff with

Fresh dandelion I have on deck but I’m gonna go pick up some escarole as well! Thank you ?

 

[KarenSoCal]

There are so many things to feed him. Here's a very loooong list...
Compiled by Tom:
Good foods for tortoises are "chicories," types of lettuce that are likely to be on the far side of the more common floppy green heads of lettuce most people buy. Anything labeled as simply "chicory" is good, as are radiccio, frisee, escarole, and endive; you might even find something labeled as dandelions. You may find a bag of "Spring" or "Spicy" mix that is good, just check the label to be sure it has some of the chicories I just mentioned. The leaves (just the leaves) of turnips and radishes are also good, as are carrot tops. Collards, mustard greens, bok choy, and other dark, leafy greens are okay as well. If you have any kind of Mexican/hispanic market near you, they will sell cactus, labeled "nopales." Cactus is a great food to rotate in the diet, as it is high in calcium.
You don't need to feed all of these at one time, just make sure your tortoise is getting access to different types of food. As you get more experienced, you can find the better types of food listed on the care sheets.
Here are a whole bunch of non-grocery store suggestions.
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Nasturtium
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads
Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard
Other good stuff:

Category: Organic sourced diet items

kapidolofarms.com

"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food
Ones that you can buy in every store:
Arugula
Lambs lettuce
Chicory
Kale
Mustard greens
Organic kohlrabi leafs
Organic carrot leafs
Organic radish leafs
Dandelions
Radiccio
Their main diet should be broad leaf weeds, succulents and grasses. Store bought foods are okay, but not the best. Collards and dandelions are a good food, but neither should be used every day. Check out the plant ID section for lots of ideas on weeds to feed. You can get spineless opuntia cactus pads from most Mexican grocery stores, or grow them yourself. You can also easily grow grape leaves, african hibiscus, regular hibiscus (if it will survive in your area), and mulberry leaves. You can try red apple, ice plant, and jade plant too. Also look into Gazania, pansies, nasturtiums, carnations, geraniums and many others. At the grocery store, favor endive and escarole, but also use cilantro, carrot tops, mustard and turnip greens, bok choy, radiccio, swiss chard, watercress, parsley, all the lettuces, etc. Lots of variety is best. There are also tortoise "weed" seed mixes that you can grow. I like the "Testudo Mix" from Tortoisesupply.com.
Buckwheat; cactus; vetch; Mohave aster; creosote bush; desert four o’clock; tacoma stans; bladderpod; globe mallow; goldenhead; burro weed; so many things!

 

[zovick]

Hi everyone so I got my lil Pistachio on the 21st. Hes a baby Greek tortoise and I’ve been researching on how to give him the best care. Today I noticed he has a very tiny soft spot in the dark corner of the scute I’m pointing at, right above my finger (see picture below) is this normal or could it be something to be concerned over? There is no other soft spots but that minor one. One thing I’ve struggled with is feeding him. He is very picky and I’ve been trying to sprinkle calcium on his food but he won’t eat much of it if I do. I give him dandelion weeds primarily and sometimes mix in collard greens, lettuce (I’m trying to get him to stop eating lettuce) and a bit of radicchio. It’s just difficult for me to find many resources that have a more extensive selection of greens and weeds. I’m just hoping this soft spot isn’t a concern and if you guys have any foods that he would enjoy I would love to hear it. It seems that the reptile shop he was at before fed him lettuce most of the time so he loves lettuce ?View attachment 304422

Your tortoise is quite young and therefore its shell will be rather soft for a few months or so as it calcifies more and more The soft spot is most likely just an area which has not calcified as much as other parts of the shell as of yet. Just feed it a good diet with calcium supplements and vitamins and the tortoise should be fine from all appearances.

Notes:
1. Soaking once a day for 20 or 30 minutes is plenty. Doing it twice is not necessary and is probably more stressful than beneficial to the tortoise.
2. I like Herptivite Vitamins and Rep-Cal Calcium supplement. Both are very good products. You can get them from LLL Reptile in CA. You can order online or go to one of their stores.

 

[Aerdna1202]

Your tortoise is quite young and therefore its shell will be rather soft for a few months or so as it calcifies more and more The soft spot is most likely just an area which has not calcified as much as other parts of the shell as of yet. Just feed it a good diet with calcium supplements and vitamins and the tortoise should be fine from all appearances.

Notes:
1. Soaking once a day for 20 or 30 minutes is plenty. Doing it twice is not necessary and is probably more stressful than beneficial to the tortoise.
2. I like Herptivite Vitamins and Rep-Cal Calcium supplement. Both are very good products. You can get them from LLL Reptile in CA. You can order online or go to one of their stores.

Awesome thanks for the info!

 

[Aerdna1202]

There are so many things to feed him. Here's a very loooong list...
Compiled by Tom:
Good foods for tortoises are "chicories," types of lettuce that are likely to be on the far side of the more common floppy green heads of lettuce most people buy. Anything labeled as simply "chicory" is good, as are radiccio, frisee, escarole, and endive; you might even find something labeled as dandelions. You may find a bag of "Spring" or "Spicy" mix that is good, just check the label to be sure it has some of the chicories I just mentioned. The leaves (just the leaves) of turnips and radishes are also good, as are carrot tops. Collards, mustard greens, bok choy, and other dark, leafy greens are okay as well. If you have any kind of Mexican/hispanic market near you, they will sell cactus, labeled "nopales." Cactus is a great food to rotate in the diet, as it is high in calcium.
You don't need to feed all of these at one time, just make sure your tortoise is getting access to different types of food. As you get more experienced, you can find the better types of food listed on the care sheets.
Here are a whole bunch of non-grocery store suggestions.
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Nasturtium
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads
Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard
Other good stuff:

Category: Organic sourced diet items

kapidolofarms.com

"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food
Ones that you can buy in every store:
Arugula
Lambs lettuce
Chicory
Kale
Mustard greens
Organic kohlrabi leafs
Organic carrot leafs
Organic radish leafs
Dandelions
Radiccio
Their main diet should be broad leaf weeds, succulents and grasses. Store bought foods are okay, but not the best. Collards and dandelions are a good food, but neither should be used every day. Check out the plant ID section for lots of ideas on weeds to feed. You can get spineless opuntia cactus pads from most Mexican grocery stores, or grow them yourself. You can also easily grow grape leaves, african hibiscus, regular hibiscus (if it will survive in your area), and mulberry leaves. You can try red apple, ice plant, and jade plant too. Also look into Gazania, pansies, nasturtiums, carnations, geraniums and many others. At the grocery store, favor endive and escarole, but also use cilantro, carrot tops, mustard and turnip greens, bok choy, radiccio, swiss chard, watercress, parsley, all the lettuces, etc. Lots of variety is best. There are also tortoise "weed" seed mixes that you can grow. I like the "Testudo Mix" from Tortoisesupply.com.
Buckwheat; cactus; vetch; Mohave aster; creosote bush; desert four o’clock; tacoma stans; bladderpod; globe mallow; goldenhead; burro weed; so many things!

Thank you so much!

 

[zovick]

Awesome thanks for the info!

By the way, I neglected to mention above that I always use the Rep-Cal with Vitamin D3 rather than the Rep-Cal without Vitamin D3.

 

[C. Nelson]

Hi everyone so I got my lil Pistachio on the 21st. Hes a baby Greek tortoise and I’ve been researching on how to give him the best care. Today I noticed he has a very tiny soft spot in the dark corner of the scute I’m pointing at, right above my finger (see picture below) is this normal or could it be something to be concerned over? There is no other soft spots but that minor one. One thing I’ve struggled with is feeding him. He is very picky and I’ve been trying to sprinkle calcium on his food but he won’t eat much of it if I do. I give him dandelion weeds primarily and sometimes mix in collard greens, lettuce (I’m trying to get him to stop eating lettuce) and a bit of radicchio. It’s just difficult for me to find many resources that have a more extensive selection of greens and weeds. I’m just hoping this soft spot isn’t a concern and if you guys have any foods that he would enjoy I would love to hear it. It seems that the reptile shop he was at before fed him lettuce most of the time so he loves lettuce ?View attachment 304422

Cute pic and cute name!

 

[Aerdna1202]

Cute pic and cute name!

Thank you! ?