Reason of fungus on shell

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Mochii

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Hello,

Marley has fungus on his shell :( He's about 3.5 weeks old now. and I've been treating him with anti-fungal cream after Dan's advice. It feels like he's getting better but at the same time, I feel like he's getting worse. It's almost like there is no progress. Maybe I'm doing it wrong? haha. So I've been doing some research, and was wondering if I should try a different method.

But I was also curious to what caused it. My boyfriend says that it's because it is too humid in his enclosure, but his humidity measure is 55. Shouldn't it be more humid for it to be good for him? Marley is a Sulcata. Is it because his enclosure is dirty? It has been about a month since we set the enclosure up for him. Should I change his substrate? But isn't bed-a-beast/play sand the best one for Sulcata hatchling?

I found this: http://redfoots.com/smf/index.php?topic=544.0
This person says to clean the area with soft toothbrush (like that of a baby) dipped in Betadine, rinse it and apply 1% Clotrimazole anti-fungus cream on the area. He kept him in a non-substrate area to keep the tortoise dry as well.

Should I do what he did? Or is Marley too young for that? I'm really worried that his shell might rot with all that fungus. We're going to change his substrate today entirely to make it 70/30 with bed-a-beast/play sand.

Should I go on with what that person did to help it clean up a bit more? Or is it different because Marley's is on his shell and that person's tortoise had it on his plastron?

Thanks again.

- M&M
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Yvonne G

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Maybe you have your habitat too moist. They really only need the moisture inside their hiding place. I would let it all dry out all over the habitat, then get some sphagnum moss for inside the hide. You can leave the substrate dry, but moisten the moss.

The treatment you read about on the redfoot forum would be ok for your little sulcata. But you need to get him dry first. And then keep him dry until the fungus has cleared up. After he's all well, then you can add the moistened sphagnum moss to his hide.

Yvonne
 

Mochii

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The substrate is not moist enough that water squeezes out when we press on it. But perhaps it's not good for him right now when he has that fungus on his shell. Should I try to dry out the substrate and then place him in there? Or Should I place him where there is no substrate? Will that be okay for a hatchling tort? And he hides under the bridge that we have for him. I find him burrowing and digging under there. Will he be able to do that with the moss still?

Will the fungus come back after he gets rid of them?

Thanks Yvonne. :)

- M&M
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Crazy1

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Mochii, there are different reasons for shell rot and different pathogens that cause it. I would read up on it here.
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/shellrot.html
follow the clean with toothbrush method and place him on white paper towel for right now until he is well. You can keep a better eye on him that way. The amount of time he is on paper towels should not hurt him. But you need to keep him dry right now. Fungus grows like crazy in a damp or humid enviornment.
 
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Maggie Cummings

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I don't want to start any problem here, but I disagree with both you and Yvonne. I think if you take that baby off of a substrate he's been on his whole life that might start a period of not eating. I would leave the substrate alone. I would take him outside and give him some sun daily and I would clean his carapace with chlorhexidine.
Mochii...you are reading from a redfoot site and they are kept much more moist then your Sulcata. I would dry out your substrate and make a humid hide like Yvonne suggested. But keep his normal routine. I am afraid to change his house too much and he'll stop eating. Just my opinion
 

K9KidsLove

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Hi...I agree with Maggie. The vet at the hospital I worked for said to use diluted betadine only once, then clean the shell daily with chlorhex. You can get it at the pharmacy. It takes a while to clear up. I have foster cared several turtles & tortoises with fungal infections, and that is how I did it.

I would get him out in the sun part of the day if you can.

Dry out the substrate in his tank. I have the top layer dry with the bottom barely damp. Then make a small area under his hide with damp substrate.
Good luck
Patsy
 

CommularZer

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The analysis you apprehend about on the red foot appointment would be OK for your little sultana. But you charge to get him dry first.

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Mochii

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Thank you.

I discovered that the fungus came with Marley when I got him :( It was, of course, smaller. I saw it on the pictures I took on the first day. And him being in the moist substrate, the fungus grew big enough for me to notice. AH! So mad. I'm guessing the other tortoises (that hatched earlier) had it and got it on him when he hatched and was placed in the same batch. :(

- M&M
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