My sulcata's plastron, normal or not normal?

[Gaia]

Hi everyone, about 2 weeks ago I noticed that my sulcata tortoise's plastron line(the one that does down the middle) was off to the side now on the bottom. It is about 1 year 9 months old. I've attached a picture, is this normal?

 

[Tom]

That is unusual, but it happens.

Is the tortoise being kept hydrated, fed a good weedy/grassy diet, and under UV in the winter months?

 

[Gaia]

Yes, we keep him hydrated, soak him at least occe a week, and give him his weeds and grass, and we def have his uv during the winter. Have you seen it before with your tortoise?

 

[Tom]

Yes, we keep him hydrated, soak him at least occe a week, and give him his weeds and grass, and we def have his uv during the winter. Have you seen it before with your tortoise?

I have not had one of my tortoises do it, but I've seen it before.

A tortoise that size should be soaked more than once a week.

What type of UV bulb are you using and how far above the tortoise is it?

What substrate is the tortoise on?

Do you use any calcium supplementation, or any other supplements?

 

[Gaia]

The substrate is cypress mulch, we have a calcium bone in his home that he does feed on often. The uv bulb isn't far above him, about 8,9 inches above (65 watt bulb).
We will take what you said and will start soaking him 3 times a week from now on. Or what do you think?

 

[Yvonne G]

It looks like the side your thumb is on is growing faster than the other side and is pulling the shell off center. There's really nothing you can do about it, just cross your fingers and hope it straightens out as he grows.

 

[Gaia]

Yes. We definitely hope it's nothing bad but just a visual thing.

 

[Bass.Isles]

Is it dragging either of it's extremities on one side? Or do they seem weaker? One eye lid failing to open and/or close in comparison to the other? I've seen in humans, where if someone who is not done growing has a stroke (rare), it can stunt growth on one side.

 

[Gaia]

Hello, I have not noticed any of these things from our sulcata.