Please help! Possible shell rot?

[Banner's Mom]

Hello, my name's Nicole. I am a first time turtle ownere however my husband has had turtles before. He told me everything I need to know about how to care for our one year old Mississippi map turtle, Banner, while he is on the road (he is a trucker). Everything was going well, I clean her tank once a week, feed her regularly and on the same schedule he did, change her filter on time, give her 8-10 hours of basking light a day, etc only today I noticed a couple small suspicious spots on her carapice and it also looks a little dry, I am worried this may be shell rot and need some advice. I do not have regular transportation and would not be able to get her to a vet until Wednesday and I don't want to wait that long. If she needs betadine (sp?) I can get it from the hospital I work at I'm sure but I need advice! I will post pictues of her but I apologize for the quality as they are from my cell phone. The first 2 will be of her a few weeks ago pre-spots...the rest are what I noticed today.


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Hello, my name's Nicole. I am a first time turtle ownere however my husband has had turtles before. He told me everything I need to know about how to care for our one year old Mississippi map turtle, Banner, while he is on the road (he is a trucker). Everything was going well, I clean her tank once a week, feed her regularly and on the same schedule he did, change her filter on time, give her 8-10 hours of basking light a day, etc only today I noticed a couple small suspicious spots on her carapice and it also looks a little dry, I am worried this may be shell rot and need some advice. I do not have regular transportation and would not be able to get her to a vet until Wednesday and I don't want to wait that long. If she needs betadine (sp?) I can get it from the hospital I work at I'm sure but I need advice! I will post pictues of her but I apologize for the quality as they are from my cell phone. The first 2 will be of her a few weeks ago pre-spots...the rest are what I noticed today.

I added another picture thats a little closer up on her shell

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[egyptiandan]

Looks to me like Banner is starting to shed her scutes. Perfectly normal for map turtles to shed their old scutes.

Danny

 

[Banner's Mom]

After my mild freak out I thought about that and told myself I was probably over-reacting but I just wanted to be sure I figured it is probably about time for her to be shedding and thats all it is but will still keep an eye on her. Her appetite is still very healthy and she is still active

 

[Cameron]

Looks to me like Banner is starting to shed her scutes. Perfectly normal for map turtles to shed their old scutes.

Danny

really? i had no idea turtles shed their shell scutes. i had a map turtle when i was in high school (back before internet) and i always thought it was sick when i saw the shell peel like that. i know tortoises don't. at least, i have never seen any of their shells peel like that. anyone know why the difference???

 

[egyptiandan]

Only our Sliders, Cooters and Map turtles shed their scutes. Here's the thing about scutes , they don't just grow from the edge of the old scute out when a turtle or tortoise grows. It actually forms a whole new scute under the old one and just gets bigger than the old one to grow. So the scute material "stacks up" (very thin layers though) one on top of another. Most turtles and tortoises keep the extra scute material as protection from wear or damage. But our Sliders, Cooters and Map turtles loose the old scute once or twice a year depending on how fast they are growing. I'm assuming it keep the shell more aerodynamic in the water.

Danny

 

[Cameron]

thanks for the info man, much appreciated!