Shell rot?!

[lupitapliego]

Can someone please identify this as shell rot or not or something else?! And if it is anything, what do I DO?! 1st & 2nd pic of October (larger tortoise) last picture of little Sheldon. Help please!!

 

[hunterk997]

I'm not really seeing signs of shell rot. But I might be wrong. But it is important to point out that shell rot usually is on the plastron, not the carapace. I think I see some growth lines, though.

 

[SunnySideUp]

How old are your tortoises? If anything, I would say they look kind of dry. Do you soak them?

 

[lupitapliego]

I do soak them, once a week. Do I need to do more?
And the adoption shelter I got them from said they couldn't be sure about the age on either one.

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Picture of their underside. October and then a pic of Sheldon's. View attachment 66969View attachment 66970

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[SunnySideUp]

It depends on the humidity of the environment you keep them in. If you have moderate humidity in their enclosure (Russians don't require high humidity, but they still benefit from some, especially if they're young), then you can get away with soaking them less. Providing a humid hide is also beneficial.

Maybe try soaking them a bit more often to see if that improves anything. More than anything else, though, I would just say their shells look worn with age, which is perfectly natural. Nothing from those pictures stands out to me as alarming.

I'm sure if you shared a bit more about the humidity, temperature, and substrate in your enclosure, a more seasoned tortoise owner could help you out. Have you seen Tom's Russian care sheet? It's a good read http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-80698.html

 

[Yvonne G]

Shell rot usually starts on the plastron from sitting on too wet substrate. A spritz of water over the shell of a tortoise is not going to cause shell rot. Your talking about the new growth that looks like it might be peeling a bit? Try dabbing on a bit of topical...olive oil, mineral oil, coconut oil, whatever you have handy, then polish it off real good with a soft cloth.

 

[lupitapliego]

I will look that care sheet over. Thanks very much, to all of you.

 

[SunnySideUp]

Listen to Yvonne, she's overflowing with knowledge and experience

 

[lupitapliego]

Thanks Yvonne.
And yes I have noticed that she seems completely full of useful hints and tips.
Thanks everyone.
On another note, does anyone have that thread that talks about the turtle emergency kit?

 

[Yvonne G]

Here's something from my overflow:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-85514.html

 

[lupitapliego]

I read that thread & went on the link you had posted but nothing came up. Maybe it's because I was on my phone?
Thank you though. I'll try it on the computer later.

 

[Yvonne G]

See if this one works for you: Tortoise Library

Once you get into the library, you'll have to scroll around to find the site. I think it's under the health section and its called emergency.

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Or this is another way to get there:

https://sites.google.com/site/tortoiselibrary/

Then its under "Emergency Planning"

 

[lupitapliego]

Ohhhhh yes, I was able to find it now thank you very much!

 

[Yvonne G]

I'll see if I can copy/paste the info therein. Give me a minute.

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Ok...let's see if this works:

First aid and evacuation kits
The list of a good reptile first aid kit is in the 'First Aid Skills' page. A first aid kit should be part of your evacuation kit.

The idea of an evacuation kit or 'Bug Out Bag' (BOB) is to have a pre-packed kit that you keep close and can grab in a hurry. A plain BOB usually is geared to getting you through the first 24-48 hours of the emergency, buying you time to get other plans going. There is a lot of info on making your own BOB online at sites like Frugal Dad.To modify a BOB to handle your tortoises, you need to think about their basic cares on the road. Some basics might include:
A cheap, clean cooler- to transport the tortoise(s) in, and store supplies in the meantime. You can further enhance your cooler by drilling ventilation holes you can cover or open as needed. You can use a pet carrier, but a cooler will be more helpful in cold weather.
A pile of newspapers- to use as substrate, packing material, and to help insulate.
Paper towels to clean up messes, or dampen for humidity, or to help 'pack' the tortoises to minimize movement and shock.
Packet of disinfecting wipes to decontaminate messes, surfaces the tortoise walks on, or your hands after handling the tortoise.
A sealed bag of emergency food, like Zoo-Med Natural Tortoise Diet (which seems to store longer than Mazuri.)
A gallon or more of clean water, and a water dish, possibly one that Velcros to the cooler wall to minimize spillage.
Long-lasting chemical heat packets or other heating solutions (a brick and a camp oven, a lightly insulated tight-lidded water bottle you can fill with hot water, etc.)
2 complete copies of the identification photos and paperwork mentioned above- 1 to keep with you, 1 to keep with the tortoise.
Basic first aid supplies and needed meds
Basic care info that a pet-sitter can use to care for your animal for a while.

 

[lupitapliego]

Thanks for going to the trouble. I just read all of that on the link. They both work fine, just had to switch to the computer view instead of the mobile view.