SHELL SMELLS &.............

[ILoveTortoises2]

Ok so I just went to put my torts in a nice warm soak. Now I had Franklin picked up just checking out my torts like I ALWAYS do EVERYDAY when I give them a soak. When I picked him up I smelled something. I didn't know what it was BUT the only thing that was near me was my little Franklin. So I went to smell him to see if it was him sure enough it was. So he does smell & does have a little spots of white BUT it isn't come out good on my camera. I did try to get it off BUT of course it didn't come off. It is just little tiny white spots on his shell. Now my Lily doesn't have it ONLY Franklin. Now what is this? Also could my moss that I bought from the pet store be doing this? I'm supposed to be getting real moss and getting rid of this fake moss. SO If this is the problem it will be changed ASAP.....
Does anyone know what is wrong with Franklin?????

 

[skmackley2]

White spots , hmmm, well other people say its new growth, and the shell does smell a bit, keep soaking him in Luke warm water so not hot or to cold, and keep us updated

 

[ILoveTortoises2]

White spots , hmmm, well other people say its new growth, and the shell does smell a bit, keep soaking him in Luke warm water so not hot or to cold, and keep us updated

HMMM... Ok I hope it isn't anything to bad. Like I said the white spots are very tiny. I'm going to see how he is today. I'll let you know exactly how he is doing in alittle bit.

 

[Tom]

Redfoots are prone to shell rot if their plastrons are kept too damp too much of the time. Might this be your issue?

 

[ILoveTortoises2]

Redfoots are prone to shell rot if their plastrons are kept too damp too much of the time. Might this be your issue?

I don't know if it is. It is VERY small dots. I don't know what the shell rot looks like. Now what can I do IF this is what it is? I want to catch it sooner then later. I don't have the tank that wet though so I don't see this being the problem BUT then again I'm NOT an expert on this. I spray the tank down every day OR every other day depending on how it is in the tank. So it isn't that wet. So this is where I'm alittle confused.

 

[Tom]

Perhaps a forum or google search for "shell rot" might show you some pics and shed some light?

If you put a dry paper towel on your substrate and press your hand on it lightly, does it come up wet or stay relatively dry?

 

[Yvonne G]

Some RF tortoises develop a mottling pattern or speckled pattern as they grow. Is the spotting only in the new growth areas or all over the tortoise?

Look to see if there is any poop stuck on the shell someplace causing the stink.

 

[ILoveTortoises2]

Some RF tortoises develop a mottling pattern or speckled pattern as they grow. Is the spotting only in the new growth areas or all over the tortoise?

Look to see if there is any poop stuck on the shell someplace causing the stink.

It is just on his belly (Forgot the word it is called )
It is right near his lines on his belly. It is where his yolk sak used to be it is all around there. Like I said it isn't much and it doesn't look to be shell rot as I did look online EVERYWHERE and doesn't look like shell rot. Like I stated before I don't spray down the tank everyday so it is hard for me to believe it is that. I give him backs everyday but sometimes I get to busy to give him a soak everyday which doesn't happen much. But then I dry them down with a paper towel as best as I can do. So it isn't like they are wet for long when they take there 15-30 min soaks. Maybe it is just the growth

 

[Tom]

A clear pic with god lighting might help to ID the problem.

 

[ILoveTortoises2]

Yeah I'm going to have to see if my camera will work. I will try my best tomorrow morning to get this photo.

 

[ILoveTortoises2]

I FINALLY took some photos of Franklin's shell. I was having problems with my camera but I got it fixed.

So IF I need to take another photo let me know BUT I think this is a good enough photo right????

 

[TommyZ]

Im no pro, but the white spots look like start of fungal shell rot. IMO, dry dock him for a week, totally change substrate, clean the entire enosure with rubbing alcohol really well. Use a toothbrush and iodine once to gently scrub belly, only use the iodine once as it curtails good growth as well as bad. Then, a little lotrimin (foot fungus cream) a few times a day and it should be no worries any more.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using TortForum mobile app

 

[ILoveTortoises2]

So if I do this it should make it all go away? What about my Lily????? She won't get it right OR should I put her in another enclosure & keep them in separate for a week? Should I treat her 1 time so she doesn't get it at all????? This is my FIRST time deal/doing this. So any info will help a lot

I didn't see the enclosure wet BUT when I moved the moss the coconut soil was damp. So I will do this all after my daughters get on the bus. Tomorrow they start school WOOOOO HOOOOOO LOL...
Anyways Thanks so much for your help. I will go grab this stuff first thing in the morning.

 

[wellington]

If you wet the bottom substrate so that the top stays dry, this will help for future shell rot problems. Yow want higher humidity for RF but them not to be on wet substrate. Usually poring some water into the corners of the enclosure will wet the bottom while the top stays dry. Make sure you have a deep enough substrate for this to work and not soak right upto the top layer.

 

[ILoveTortoises2]

Oh ok... I will do this all tomorrow after I get my kids off to school. I do have like an inch of coconut soil so maybe just a little more and that will be good then start putting a little water on the sides like you said.