Sulcata Shell Rot

[aclesi11]

Hello,

Recently I noticed a few odd looking spots on the plastron of my sulcata. Does this look like shell rot?

Thanks

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Albert:

Yes, it looks like the start of shell rot. Add a dry layer of cypress mulch to the top of your enclosure so the tortoise isn't sitting on wet substrate.

 

[aclesi11]

Besides adding the dry cypress mulch, should I begin any sort of treatment such as anti-fungal cream? Thanks

 

[Yvonne G]

Can't hurt.

 

[aclesi11]

Do you think it would be a bad idea to replace his coconut coir bedding with the cypress mulch rather than only a top layer?

 

[Tom]

Shell rot is VERY uncommon in sulcatas. I've never seen it. Now I'm not saying Yvonne is wrong (Because she usually isn't), but shell rot seems unlikely. I see you are using coco coir. Is it really wet all the time? What is your enclosure like? Temps? Does your tortoise ever go outside for sunshine?

I see the spots, but I don't know what it is. I have no experience with shell rot, but I have lots of experience with sulcatas on wet substrate, so I find it interesting. Yvonne is a smart cookie, so I'd take her advice, but I would like to take this opportunity to learn more about how this happened or if it really is a case of shell rot in a sulcata.

 

[chelseamuz]

Does anyone know anything about turtles?

 

[Dizisdalife]

Does anyone know anything about turtles?

If you have specific questions you would get more direct responses to them by starting a new topic. You might want to go to the section of the forum dedicated to turtles and read some of the threads there. Here is a link to that section.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/categories/turtles.97/

 

[Tom]

Does anyone know anything about turtles?

I can say with 100% certainty that the answer to your question is yes.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Looks like that start of shell rot to me. Treat it with some athletes foot cream. Wash your tort, apply a dab of the cream to the affected area, then keep him on a paper towel in a tub for the next hour or 2. By then all the cream should be absorbed/gone and he can go back into the habitat. Do this for a few days.

@Tom I couldn't believe it but 1 of my baby Leopards got shell rot! I was stunned but there was no doubt, it was a start of shell rot. My coco coir in the closed chamber is damp but not at all soggy. Plus, I have sphagnum moss in there with dry areas. It's the only 1 to experience that out of...13.. or so babies that have gone through my care.
It was slightly worse than the OPs photos so I did a few applications of athletes foot cream regime I listed above and it stopped. There is a "scar" on the plastron showing where the shell rot was but it hasn't come back.

 

[aclesi11]

Tom, the coco coir is fairly damp in his enclosure. I have the ideal warm and cool temperatures for his enclosure and he goes outside daily for a few hours at a time. I have been having difficulty achieving adequate humidity in his enclosure without having the substrate damp.

And everyone, thanks for the suggestions. I have begun treating him for the shell rot. Should I be worried about him ingesting the medication during his soaks?

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I'd figure the medication would be minimal if you apply the cream after the soaks and then 24 hours go by.