nail cutting and soft shell

[linxi]

Hello!

I am an owner of a young adult male (he's a little over 4 inches) and I just purchased a female from a local breeder who is about 8 inches long (not sure of the age). Her nails, both front and back, are pretty fierce. Fierce as in some are over an inch long. Has anyone trimmed their own torty's nails or is it best just left for the vet to do? I am a master at getting my cat and dogs' nails cut, but tortoises are a new one for me. Also, she is a brilliant primarily-yellow color and her shell is not pyramiding unnecessarily, but it feels a bit soft, like it has some give if you push. She's definitely older than my male, but his shell is almost all brown and is very hard. He's a WC and she's CB. Should I be worried about her shell softness? Is it common for the body type between WC and CB to be so varied? Thanks!


-Lin

 

[wayne.bob]

i dont think your tort or any tort should have a soft shell. i think something is wrong. as for the difference in body type i do see differences but they are not huge differences.

 

[linxi]

The soft shell is worrisome to me, seriously. I worried a lot about the male, him being a WC and all. But he's been very stable. The female is soft in certain areas and there is something else.

When I got my male, he spent about 15mins digging until comfortable and now seems pretty well settled in. He eats well and comes out of his shell for visits. Every day, he eats his fil then burrows for about 3 mins then sleeps. I bought the female today and, realizing the size difference with her and my male, I know there can be some strain. However, she has been digging into the bottom of the enclosure for the past 3 hrs. She had lived with other males(brothers) before, according to the reptile place. They said that all her mates were sold two weeks ago and she's been alone for about 10 days.

I can recognize that she may be nesting. Or she might be just irritated. How to tell between the two? I know little about nesting, but the place I bought her from will take in and nest any clutch. They said they will nest the clutch til born then they will get half and I will get half. I know I will have lots more monetary questions if my girl is nesting. But for now...

I would really appreciate any help.

 

[egyptiandan]

Hi Lin,
Can you post pictures of your 2 Russians? Especially where the female is soft. At that size she shouldn't be soft at all.
Is she digging with her back legs or just digging with front legs and burying herself?
I'm not sure, but did you put your new female in with your male?

Danny

 

[cvalda]

When I got my Roland, his shell seemed somewhat soft to me, but he wasn't getting proper UVB lighting, nor a proper diet. When he got here and I gave him a healthy environment and diet, it firmed up fairly quickly.

 

[linxi]

I wish I could post pics, but I can't find the USB cable for my digital camera. My male looks just like this: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/steven.parkinson/images/homer8.jpg. His shell is dark and nicely rounded.

The female is quite a bit larger and lighter in color. She is also flatter and more of an overall rectangle in shape. Her shell is soft all over; there is not one particular spot or anywhere I'd suspect shell rot. I am thinking it might be what Kelly said in that it was lack of proper lighting. The breeder also said that they feed her strictly romaine lettuce, so maybe it's from lack of a varied diet as well?

I have them separated for now until I get her checked with the vet. She alternates digging with front and then back feet.

 

[cvalda]

If she is digging with her back legs, then she is likely nesting and you need to get her in a nesting box or in something with deep enough substrate, as she's wanting to lay eggs... now!!

 

[ForestExotics]

anything on the nail cutting?

 

[Itort]

Nail trimming on a tort is pretty straight forward if you've done dogs and cats. It's the same. The problem is a heathly tort will retract and then you learn a new defination for strength. I give my torts a rough surface such as a flat rock in an area they visit peroidicully i.e. basking area or near feeding area.

 

[Jentortmom]

You can trim your own nails, but it can be difficult if they do not want to sit still. You trim them like you would a bird, but be careful you don't cut them to short. But most vets if you are going in anyway will trim them cheap. Mine does beak and nails for 12 bucks.

 

[Yvonne G]

When you say the tortoise alternates front/back when digging, I'm guessing you mean she is digging down in a forward direction. She is just trying to get away, and after she digs with the front legs she pushes away that dirt with the back legs. If a female were digging a nest, she would back up and put her back-end over the hole and start scooping out dirt with the back feet only.

Get yourself a good UVB light (or get the tortoise out into the sunshine a couple hours each day) and sprinkle calcium over her food, and the shell should firm up. Good lighting, good diet plenty of sunshine (or good UVB lighting), and lots of exercise...that's the prescription for a healthy tortoise.

Yvonne G.