Tortoise scale around the nose fell off?!

[Mari cardozo]

Has anyone seen this before? It feels raw and soft like the tissue is exposed.

 

[vladimir]

Oh wow, I have not seen that before!

@Yvonne G or @Tom or @zovick might have some insight.

Welcome to the forum! how old is your sulcata?

 

[Mari cardozo]

@vladimir thank you and he is 8 years old

 

[vladimir]

Do you have any idea how it happened?

 

[Yvonne G]

Is he alone in his yard?

 

[zovick]

Oh wow, I have not seen that before!

@Yvonne G or @Tom or @zovick might have some insight.

Welcome to the forum! how old is your sulcata?

I have seen sulcatas and other tortoises lose leg scales, but never saw one lose its nose scale(s) as this one has. The lost leg scales gradually grow back, but it takes quite a while because tortoises heal at a much slower rate than humans do. I imagine this tortoise will grow the peri-nasal scale(s) back if it doesn't keep re-injuring its nose the same way that caused to original loss of the scale(s) and assuming that this scale loss is traumatic in nature and not due to a systemic infection such as the yellow bump disease (note that this scale loss doesn't appear to be due to an Austwickia chelonae infection as far as I can tell by the photos).

Is the tortoise acting normally and eating well, etc.? Are any other scales missing, such as on the legs?

 

[pacific chelonians]

I have seen one or two cases like this of tortoises coming into my rescue turns out they had severe micro plasma in my case but the nostrils do not look to Abnormally large definitely would recommend taking it to a vet