This time RED mold (fungus??)

[Connie]

I soaked Ruby today as recommeded (1/2 hour). I looked at her plastron after and noticed RED MOLD or fungus?? What is it?? It is also in the two thin areas by the front legs (Indented). Good grief. I used Nolvasan wash (Nolvasan skin and wound cleaner) after I took these pictures.This looks like the fungus or mold you get when you let water stand (red) Go back to use Lotrimin???
I had her on cage carpet (dry)and damp spagum moss in her hide only.She digs in the moss so there in none underneath her. Should I take the heating pad out of her hide?? What to do>>> Yikes! This time it is not the same as before. I never saw the red mold of fungus or whatever, If it is MOLD does Lotrimein cure that??? My poor Ruby! They say the path to hell is paved with good intentions. I feel I am on that road!!

 

[tyler0912]

on the third picture...is that a gash on the side of the shell...it looks like blood to me...I don't have a clue but the third picture looks like she has a shell injury...or is it the photo!

 

[Connie]

on the third picture...is that a gash on the side of the shell...it looks like blood to me...I don't have a clue but the third picture looks like she has a shell injury...or is it the photo!

No its NOT blood. The shell damage you see is the damage she got from her shell rot (I bought her that way) .I bought her because I couldn't stand the living conditions a she was under and I fell in love with her. I just washed alot of that red mold off it off with the Nolvasan wash and scraped it with a toothpick to get at the crevices. Not blood --red mold (fungus). I left the wash in her and she is sitting in her new soaking tub I got for her today.. I have the regular Nolvasan but I am afraid to use it again (Diluted) because I just used it to get rid of her fungus. The Nolvasan wash(skin and wound cleaner) is safer to use I am assuming....
Good grief what to do?? My poor Ruby!!

I just went to see my Ruby and she pooped in her little tub. I will wash her again. Maybe the red is not mold but bacteria??? I have seen this red mold or bacteria or fungus before. I have seen it at the bottom of my bathroom cup when you leave a bit of water left in there. I wash it periodically away when I see it...
She is now in the little tub with the Nolvasan wash on her on a paper towel. Poor thing ! She is probably freaked out. I know I am!!! Dry Dry DRY . I have to keep her bottom dry!!

I think because her plastron was so badly damaged (crevices and such) before that the slightest moisture will seep into a crevice and cause this to happen. She has alot of peely shell and crevices on her plastron and the fungus mold or bacteria easily find themselves a nice home on my Ruby!

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on the third picture...is that a gash on the side of the shell...it looks like blood to me...I don't have a clue but the third picture looks like she has a shell injury...or is it the photo!

No its NOT blood. The shell damage you see is the damage she got from her shell rot (I bought her that way) .I bought her because I couldn't stand the living conditions a she was under and I fell in love with her. I just washed alot of that red mold off it off with the Nolvasan wash and scraped it with a toothpick to get at the crevices. Not blood --red mold (fungus). I left the wash in her and she is sitting in her new soaking tub I got for her today.. I have the regular Nolvasan but I am afraid to use it again (Diluted) because I just used it to get rid of her fungus. The Nolvasan wash(skin and wound cleaner) is safer to use I am assuming....
Good grief what to do?? My poor Ruby!!

I just went to see my Ruby and she pooped in her little tub. I will wash her again. Maybe the red is not mold but bacteria??? I have seen this red mold or bacteria or fungus before. I have seen it at the bottom of my bathroom cup when you leave a bit of water left in there. I wash it periodically away when I see it...
She is now in the little tub with the Nolvasan wash on her on a paper towel. Poor thing ! She is probably freaked out. I know I am!!! Dry Dry DRY . I have to keep her bottom dry!!

I think because her plastron was so badly damaged (crevices and such) before that the slightest moisture will seep into a crevice and cause this to happen. She has alot of peely shell and crevices on her plastron and the fungus mold or bacteria easily find themselves a nice home on my Ruby!

Here is her plastron after the wash--all the red is pretty well gone--just like my bathroom cup!!

 

[zesty_17]

the red looks internal to me... but if it is not, and is indeed a shell fungus you can use any over the counter jock itch or yeast infection cream with the main active ingredient miconizole. I have used this over the years successfully on a few box turtles at the suggestion of my current vet. another more "natural" anti-fungal treatment is tea tree oil, found in health food stores and also found in many pet store type reptile wound aids. however this is very harsh stuff and should always be diluted & not gotten in the eyes. fyi, tea tree and peppermint oil is also GREAT for ringworm (on humans of course, not turtles).

 

[Connie]

It's NOT internal. It was washed off. Pictures can be deceiving sometimes. I hate using so much of this anti fungal stuff because of side effects and such (she does walk on her food and then eats it and goes in the water and drinks it,etc. not good for her to eat....
I was thinking of contacting the makers of Nolvasan tomorrow and seeing which is better to use: Nolvasan skin and wound cleaner or Nolvasan surgical scrub.(It might be the same stuff under a different name) I think I need something on an ongoing treatment because her plastron will take many Months to heal. Like wash her with the surgical scrub every day or two....She is such a good tortoise. She is on my lap now--so sweet...
Her bottom stays dry and the top I will spray. and use vitashell on her top only to help keep moist and maybe olive oil on top only. The only thing is when I keep her plastroncompletely dry it gets flaky. Maybe a little vitashell there????

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It's NOT internal. It was washed off. Pictures can be deceiving sometimes. I hate using so much of this anti fungal stuff because of side effects and such (she does walk on her food and then eats it and goes in the water and drinks it,etc. not good for her to eat....
I was thinking of contacting the makers of Nolvasan tomorrow and seeing which is better to use: Nolvasan skin and wound cleaner or Nolvasan surgical scrub.(It might be the same stuff under a different name) I think I need something on an ongoing treatment because her plastron will take many Months to heal. Like wash her with the surgical scrub every day or two....She is such a good tortoise. She is on my lap now--so sweet...
Her bottom stays dry and the top I will spray. and use vitashell on her top only to help keep moist and maybe olive oil on top only. The only thing is when I keep her plastroncompletely dry it gets flaky. Maybe a little vitashell there???? I think I will put the vtiashell on her bottom too because it gets too dry and flaky if I don't. Besides it gets dry after a while anyway...it would help to heal the shell. It says it good for dry shells...

 

[Connie]

the red looks internal to me... but if it is not, and is indeed a shell fungus you can use any over the counter jock itch or yeast infection cream with the main active ingredient miconizole. I have used this over the years successfully on a few box turtles at the suggestion of my current vet. another more "natural" anti-fungal treatment is tea tree oil, found in health food stores and also found in many pet store type reptile wound aids. however this is very harsh stuff and should always be diluted & not gotten in the eyes. fyi, tea tree and peppermint oil is also GREAT for ringworm (on humans of course, not turtles).

BTW The shell has no hole or opening where I saw the red , not unless blood can pass thru the shell thru osmosis in no way is it blood... Like I said I have seen this color mold in my bathroom cup if there is a little water left in it.

 

[BrookeB]

I have seen red mold like this before but not on a tort.... We have this mold in our bathroom shower, I'v always wonderd what kind of mold it is.. we spray bleach on it but you can't do that to your tort this is not good, sorry to hear that, good luck I have no idea tho what to do.. sorry

the red looks internal to me... but if it is not, and is indeed a shell fungus you can use any over the counter jock itch or yeast infection cream with the main active ingredient miconizole. I have used this over the years successfully on a few box turtles at the suggestion of my current vet. another more "natural" anti-fungal treatment is tea tree oil, found in health food stores and also found in many pet store type reptile wound aids. however this is very harsh stuff and should always be diluted & not gotten in the eyes. fyi, tea tree and peppermint oil is also GREAT for ringworm (on humans of course, not turtles).

BTW The shell has no hole or opening where I saw the red , not unless blood can pass thru the shell thru osmosis in no way is it blood... Like I said I have seen this color mold in my bathroom cup if there is a little water left in it.

 

[Momof4]

I get the same color in my shower & kids bathroom, it's from the water. It's not mold or bacteria. I think someone told me is was iron in the tap water. It's no big deal just annoying.