Soft Shell Question.

Status
Not open for further replies.

katelyn0974

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2012
Messages
387
Location (City and/or State)
Paradise
Hey everybody. I was wondering how soft/hard a turtles shell should be on the under shell (belly) area. I am a bit paranoid about shell rot and calcium deficiency. Currently my babies are about two months old and they were fed a lot of protein the first month with high calcium gut loaded worms. Earth, wax, and meal. Now they eat a little bit of strawberries, zucchini, mushrooms, kale, raspberries, and I offer carrots, sweet potato, squash, and iceberg lettuce, but they aren't interested yet in my offerings. They also get 2 gut loaded meal worms with that food everyday and half of a huge earth worm every other week. Soaks once a day, everyday for no less than 20 minutes in half shade and sun. If you have any feedback on if they need more or less of something, please inform me. I want the best for my babies! Thank you.
 

Attachments

  • image-1496123422.png
    image-1496123422.png
    990.4 KB · Views: 25
  • image-3344063456.png
    image-3344063456.png
    812.9 KB · Views: 49
  • image-3720087932.png
    image-3720087932.png
    200.8 KB · Views: 29
  • image-4194630807.png
    image-4194630807.png
    202.2 KB · Views: 25
  • image-2130982283.png
    image-2130982283.png
    908.8 KB · Views: 25
  • image-2086574141.png
    image-2086574141.png
    1,000.4 KB · Views: 26
  • image-2085822294.png
    image-2085822294.png
    826.9 KB · Views: 27
  • image-128390548.png
    image-128390548.png
    184.1 KB · Views: 34

katelyn0974

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2012
Messages
387
Location (City and/or State)
Paradise
Thanks, they are precious. Walks!? I'm so scared! Over protective turtle mommy over here.
 

Mky2k

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2012
Messages
114
Location (City and/or State)
Central New Jersey
Yeah, if you have a big cage, they'll be fine, but they always like walks. Just make sure you always know where they are!:)
 

yagyujubei

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
2,407
Location (City and/or State)
Amish Country
Their plastron will be very pliable for a time. I wouldn't be concerned. My year old ones still eat mostly live food or meat.
 

stillframeband

Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 22, 2012
Messages
48
Location (City and/or State)
Arkansas
I think I've read that their shells don't fully harden until 7 years of age. Sounds like you're taking awesome care of them! :)
 

diaboliqueturtle

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
559
Location (City and/or State)
Toronto, Canada
Hi Katelyn :)
I'll go off topic for a sec... I don't know if you were notified of it or not, but I added you to my buddy list. Although I'm not sure what that'll do (still new on here) but my thinking is that since we both have hatchlings of roughly the same age (mine is a 3 toe) any questions/answers/info we get will be beneficial to the both of us :)
And gorgeous babies, by the way!
 

mlnauman

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Messages
24
Location (City and/or State)
Whidbey Island WA
GREAT pics and beautiful babies! Love the fourth picture - which should read - find the turtle in this picture!
 

katelyn0974

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2012
Messages
387
Location (City and/or State)
Paradise
diaboliqueturtle said:
Hi Katelyn :)
I'll go off topic for a sec... I don't know if you were notified of it or not, but I added you to my buddy list. Although I'm not sure what that'll do (still new on here) but my thinking is that since we both have hatchlings of roughly the same age (mine is a 3 toe) any questions/answers/info we get will be beneficial to the both of us :)
And gorgeous babies, by the way!

Great idea, thanks! Hope your babies are doing well. :)

mlnauman said:
GREAT pics and beautiful babies! Love the fourth picture - which should read - find the turtle in this picture!

I captioned it "Peek-a-boo baby" when I sent it to my friends. :p Thank you!
 

jojodesca

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2012
Messages
769
Location (City and/or State)
Bay Area
What type of turtle is the second pic..sorta looks photoshopped..hmmmm...more pics plz
 

katelyn0974

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2012
Messages
387
Location (City and/or State)
Paradise
jojodesca said:
What type of turtle is the second pic..sorta looks photoshopped..hmmmm...more pics plz

She's an eastern boxie. There is a light flash in this picture because the original was really dark.

Here's more pictures of the second one. Shelly girl. Enjoy!
 

Attachments

  • image-2447724257.png
    image-2447724257.png
    175.7 KB · Views: 8
  • image-2282049552.png
    image-2282049552.png
    183.8 KB · Views: 8
  • image-1041328994.png
    image-1041328994.png
    272.6 KB · Views: 8
Status
Not open for further replies.

New Posts

Top