Shell Rot???

[Oogway the russian tort]

HELLO I was bathing my Russian tort and notice some weird spot I have a feeling it is shell rot I put so petruleum jelly on it thank

 

[Oogway the russian tort]

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't think that's shell rot, but if it is, petroleum jelly will have no effect on it.

 

[Oogway the russian tort]

I don't think that's shell rot, but if it is, petroleum jelly will have no effect on it.

Then what will

 

[Yvonne G]

Athlete's foot cream

 

[Pearly]

Couple things: 1) shell rot is best treated with antifungal creams like Lotrimin or Clotrimazole or whatever you can get over the counter for athletes foot. 2) shell rot is usually in torts' plastron, it's from sitting on damp/wet substrate too much. I can't really see very well on your picture. Maybe someone with better eyes than mine chimes in soon

 

[ZEROPILOT]

The thing about Athletes foot cream is that it will quickly stop shell fungus. If that's what it is. But will do no harm if it is not.
Is the tortoise constantly sitting in wetness? water or urine?

 

[Oogway the russian tort]

The thing about Athletes foot cream is that it will quickly stop shell fungus. If that's what it is. But will do no harm if it is not.
Is the tortoise constantly sitting in wetness? water or urine?

I don't know will it heal over time on its own or should do something if Ido how

 

[Yvonne G]

If it is shell rot, it just keeps growing. You have to kill it with the foot cream.

 

[Oogway the russian tort]

If it is shell rot, it just keeps growing. You have to kill it with the foot cream.

I have been applying it once a week for almost a month and a half it doesn't look like its healing

 

[Yvonne G]

Then it probably isn't shell rot. Old scars on a tortoise shell don't go away. The keratin is gone and the white underneath is dead bone. Eventually, over a very long period of time, new keratin and bone grow UNDER that white spot and as it grows it lifts up the dead bone, which eventually flakes off leaving the new shell exposed. But it may take a couple years to reach that point.

I THINK the protocol for athlete's foot cream and shell rot is to apply it daily.

 

[Pearly]

I have been applying it once a week for almost a month and a half it doesn't look like its healing

"Once a week"???? Antifungal cream won't work unless you rub it on the affected area twice a days for several weeks

 

[MPRC]

That looks more like an old injury than shell rot to me. Has it changed in size, had any smell or discharge or changed at all since you noticed it?