Jet is back outside! :) Shell is not developing normally :(

[Laijla]

Hi all, It's been a long time since I posted and enough time to have forgotten how to post pictures here... I will need to back track notes and figure it out again!

By mid April Jet started getting extra active inside and I knew he was ready to go outside ASAP! He has been outside for about a month now and loving it I live in Kentucky - he is outside May-October/ish. He will be 2 years old July/August and he is about 3.25" to 3.5" inches long - he seems to be on the smallish side compared to other peoples redfoot babies. Some might not know nor remember but Jet was mauled by a dog in Feb. 2010 leaving deep puncture wounds... It's been over a year now and the shell is unfortunately developing abnormally around the three scutes that were bitten/chewed. The scute directly over his head seems extra 'bumpy' and the two front scutes slightly to the left are 'stuck together' - no growth gap is forming... wondering if it's inner scar tissue ??? has anyone had a baby injured and had similar growth patterns as Jet's afterward? Curious how any malformations of his shell will effect his health and development long term?
Laijla

His 'man cave' in the corner - very humid and he loves it!

Open area has nasturiums and mixed greens but he keep mowing them down! - still loving his outdoor pen built last year!

Healthy appetite! He has been eating lots of rolypolys and earthworms too!

In the image below you can best see the scutes 'stuck together'

 

[DixieParadise]

RE: Jet is back outside! :0 Shell is not developing normally

He looks happy to be outside. I bet he was ready to get out of that cold Kentucky winter.

 

[dmarcus]

RE: Jet is back outside! :0 Shell is not developing normally

He looks very good for what he has gone thru. Looks like you have done a wonderful job making sure he healed and except for the couple scutes, you would never know that he was mauled by a dog..

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Laijla:

You can try putting a little bit of vaseline on the spot between the two stuck scutes, just to keep them lubricated. It may help, but it may not.

You've made a nice home for Jet. I'm sure he enjoys being outside.

 

[Laura]

i think he looks awsome.. good job!

 

[Laijla]

EJ - He was very DONE with this past Kentucky Winter! Last year I was able to get him outside a bit earlier but he sure loves the warm months here His hibiscus tree is happy to go outside with him too!

& D'marcus - he does look good overall for everything he went through - when I found him after the attack, he was bleeding on the floor & it was the worst feeling picking him up - "did he loose limps or worse!" The injuries were shell puncture wounds only but any internal damage was tough to tell - it took months to even be sure he was out of harms way. He was only about 7 months at the time
I call him my little IRON JET - he is a tough little guy!

 

[Sky2Mina]

His shell looks great - I wouldn't even know he was attacked by a dog (poor him) if you hadn't said anything. It's only a little "scar".
The enclosure is great and he looks happy.

 

[Laijla]

Hi Laijla:

You can try putting a little bit of vaseline on the spot between the two stuck scutes, just to keep them lubricated. It may help, but it may not.

You've made a nice home for Jet. I'm sure he enjoys being outside.

Thanks for the tip - I will try that!

 

[bumblebee51]

Aww he's adorable! And you could never tell he had been involved in such a terrible incident, he's looking great
His enclosure looks excellent and he's certainly enjoying life outside by the looks of things!!

 

[Fernando]

cool looking little RF!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Very Nice.