Please help a Newby Out !!! (Pink line on plastron)

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Yashil Ghazi

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Hi everyone

Im new here ,and I think I have an emergency with my 1 year old leopard tortoise.
I picked up my tortoise to dry him after his soak,and when I looked on the underneath of his plastron I noticed that he had a faint pink streak running down one of the gaps ,right down the middle of his plastron. I noticed that the streak looks the pinkest whenever I hold him up to the sun ,and if I gently press on it,It goes away for a few seconds.His shell is otherwise hard ,and has no smell at all.

Im really freaking out, because i read that this could be a septicemia infection.

I live in South Africa,and ,as far as i know,there are no reptile vets around.I did however take him to a normal vet ,but he said that he doesn't know much about tortoises ,and so dident want to give me the wrong info.

I have a couple of pictures,I hope they come out Ok.

I put him outside ,He gets direct sunlight from 10am to about 2pm,but depending on the season,the sun sometimes hits his cage at around 9am to 2pm.

He used to be on a diet of different species of lettuce ,but a few weeks ago,after reading through these forums,I changed it ,and try to vary it as much as possible.It now consists of Mainly endives, Radish tops,Rocket, A lot of hibiscus .2 weeks ago I gave him some red cabbage .I don't give him any calcium supplements,just cuttlbone,for him to chew on.

Hes otherwise been active and normal ,eats as much as he allways does,but I have noticed that he sits in the shade for a bit longer,and doesn't try to escape as often.
But the temps have cooled down a bit,and he does get his sunlight a bit later.

Yeasterday his outside substrate ( Normal garden sand ) was dry ,so I hosed it down.I keep a little bit of hay in each corner ,to help him flip himself back if he flips over,but Ive noticed he likes to burrow in it.
His inside enclosure has eco-earth as a substrate,that I keep very damp.



Pleeeeaaassse.Is this pink line normal, is there anthing that I can do to get rid of the line.I read that mazuri could have coused it,but Ive never fed it to him,infact we dont get it here.
 

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lkwagner

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I'm pretty sure it's just new growth


Mine has it..... Ya I just got peed all over for taking this pic
 

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AZtortMom

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Yup, new growth= good thing :)
 

wellington

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Nothing to worry about at all.


lkwagner said:
I'm pretty sure it's just new growth


Mine has it..... Ya I just got peed all over for taking this pic



Hahaha, sorry, but that's funny:p :D
 

mctlong

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The pink growth line a good sign. It shows that he's growing.

It sounds like you're taking very good care of him. :)


Welcome to the forum! :)
 

tortadise

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It is just new growth as stated above. Septicemia is only present typically under the cutaneous(skin) areas.. No worries. You will have other issues very present before septicemia occurs.
 

theelectraco

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Yashil Ghazi said:
Hi everyone

Im new here ,and I think I have an emergency with my 1 year old leopard tortoise.
I picked up my tortoise to dry him after his soak,and when I looked on the underneath of his plastron I noticed that he had a faint pink streak running down one of the gaps ,right down the middle of his plastron. I noticed that the streak looks the pinkest whenever I hold him up to the sun ,and if I gently press on it,It goes away for a few seconds.His shell is otherwise hard ,and has no smell at all.

Im really freaking out, because i read that this could be a septicemia infection.

I live in South Africa,and ,as far as i know,there are no reptile vets around.I did however take him to a normal vet ,but he said that he doesn't know much about tortoises ,and so dident want to give me the wrong info.

I have a couple of pictures,I hope they come out Ok.

I put him outside ,He gets direct sunlight from 10am to about 2pm,but depending on the season,the sun sometimes hits his cage at around 9am to 2pm.

He used to be on a diet of different species of lettuce ,but a few weeks ago,after reading through these forums,I changed it ,and try to vary it as much as possible.It now consists of Mainly endives, Radish tops,Rocket, A lot of hibiscus .2 weeks ago I gave him some red cabbage .I don't give him any calcium supplements,just cuttlbone,for him to chew on.

Hes otherwise been active and normal ,eats as much as he allways does,but I have noticed that he sits in the shade for a bit longer,and doesn't try to escape as often.
But the temps have cooled down a bit,and he does get his sunlight a bit later.

Yeasterday his outside substrate ( Normal garden sand ) was dry ,so I hosed it down.I keep a little bit of hay in each corner ,to help him flip himself back if he flips over,but Ive noticed he likes to burrow in it.
His inside enclosure has eco-earth as a substrate,that I keep very damp.

Pleeeeaaassse.Is this pink line normal, is there anthing that I can do to get rid of the line.I read that mazuri could have coused it,but Ive never fed it to him,infact we dont get it here.

He looks like he skips 'leg days' at the gym >.<
 

Tom

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Hello and welcome to the forum.

Your baby looks fine to me and your diet sounds good too.
 

Yashil Ghazi

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Thanks everyone,I was so worried about septicemia.
Im so glad its new growth,Maybe its because of his new diet.

Also ,Is he too young to eat grass,I offer it to him,but he smells it and walks away,Is this normal ?

thanks again for settling my fears,I will be able to sleep well tonight :)
 

Yashil Ghazi

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IKWAGNER ,sorry you got peed on,and thanks for taking the trouble to take a pic.

MCTLONG,do you think it will be OK if I cut the grass up and leave it on top of his food,so that he might get a taste for it?


Thanks everyone,Your experience and advice will be greatly appreciated. :)
 
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