Is this shell rot?

[Darwinsmom]

Darwin’s shell is starting to look a little rough. I soak him 2-3 times a week (what I read causes shell rot is shell is too dry) and I’m concerned because his shell looks like it’s getting kinda cracks in it if that makes sense?
His indoor enclosure has the UVB bulb and temp underneath is around 92. Cool side of his enclosure is around 75-80. He does also have an outdoor enclosure and temps have been getting to mid-90s here, will be in 100-110, later this weekend.
What am I doing wrong? Should I soak him more? Am I soaking too much?
Should I take him to the vet?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

No

 

[Tom]

No shell rot there. Shell rot happens on the plastron of red foot tortoises when they are kept on wet substrate all the time. Other species seldom get shell rot.

You have a normal looking Russian tortoise. No rot, or any other problem there. Soaking two or three times a week is great and I think just the right amount. He could survive with less, but more would do no harm. No need for a vet.

Just make sure he has an underground retreat to escape temps when the weather is hot.

Check this out for more info:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Darwinsmom]

No shell rot there. Shell rot happens on the plastron of red foot tortoises when they are kept on wet substrate all the time. Other species seldom get shell rot.

You have a normal looking Russian tortoise. No rot, or any other problem there. Soaking two or three times a week is great and I think just the right amount. He could survive with less, but more would do no harm. No need for a vet.

Just make sure he has an underground retreat to escape temps when the weather is hot.

Check this out for more info:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Thank goodness!! I was so worried that his shell was getting dried out.
Yeah he has a hide in his indoor enclosure and that side is always kept cooler. His outdoor enclosure has a buried pot, sun shade, and I keep an umbrella over that side of the enclosure lol.
Ill keep soaking him 2-3 times a week, thank you for your help ?

 

[Darwinsmom]

No shell rot there. Shell rot happens on the plastron of red foot tortoises when they are kept on wet substrate all the time. Other species seldom get shell rot.

You have a normal looking Russian tortoise. No rot, or any other problem there. Soaking two or three times a week is great and I think just the right amount. He could survive with less, but more would do no harm. No need for a vet.

Just make sure he has an underground retreat to escape temps when the weather is hot.

Check this out for more info:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Hey Tom, I’m not sure the original pic from yesterday showed correctly what I was trying to describe. Can you please take a look? I know you’re not a vet lol, but you seem very knowledgeable in all things tortoise and this just doesn’t look normal to me. The shell looks like it is tilting upward at the bottom, and the “crack” I was mentioning kinda shows better in this picture

 

[Tom]

Hey Tom, I’m not sure the original pic from yesterday showed correctly what I was trying to describe. Can you please take a look? I know you’re not a vet lol, but you seem very knowledgeable in all things tortoise and this just doesn’t look normal to me. The shell looks like it is tilting upward at the bottom, and the “crack” I was mentioning kinda shows better in this picture

Wild caught Russians tend to have pretty rough looking beat up shells. That is what you've got going there. Nothing to do about it.

Make sure your bulbs are set at the correct height and check the temperatures under them. Get rid of the red bulb. Use white light for day time basking, and if your house gets below 50 degrees at night, you can use a CHE or RHP set on a thermostat for night heat.

Make sure your substrate stays damp, and the tortoise has a humid hide.

Other than that, just enjoy your tortoises company.

 

[Darwinsmom]

Wild caught Russians tend to have pretty rough looking beat up shells. That is what you've got going there. Nothing to do about it.

Make sure your bulbs are set at the correct height and check the temperatures under them. Get rid of the red bulb. Use white light for day time basking, and if your house gets below 50 degrees at night, you can use a CHE or RHP set on a thermostat for night heat.

Make sure your substrate stays damp, and the tortoise has a humid hide.

Other than that, just enjoy your tortoises company.

Thank you!!
Yes I have the UVB bulb during the day and the red lamp is night time bulb but I can definitely ditch that lamp since it definitely doesn’t get under 50 degrees at night in my house lol.
Substrate stays damp as well.
Thank you!! Sorry to bug you lol, I just get paranoid sometimes because I’ve read and seen pictures of shell rot and Metabolic bone disease and what more. Just want my guy to be as healthy as possible, I definitely do enjoy his company very much ?

 

[MaNaAk]

Darwin’s shell is starting to look a little rough. I soak him 2-3 times a week (what I read causes shell rot is shell is too dry) and I’m concerned because his shell looks like it’s getting kinda cracks in it if that makes sense?
His indoor enclosure has the UVB bulb and temp underneath is around 92. Cool side of his enclosure is around 75-80. He does also have an outdoor enclosure and temps have been getting to mid-90s here, will be in 100-110, later this weekend.
What am I doing wrong? Should I soak him more? Am I soaking too much?
Should I take him to the vet?

View attachment 305137

Beautiful tortoise. How old is he?

MaNaAk