Tortoise shell conditioning

RioMarziliano

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Do any of you condition your tortoises shell. If so what do you do. I see this shell conditioner at the store but wasnt planning on buying it. Do tortoises even need their shells conditioned?
 

Blackdog1714

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I use Tortoise shell wax expertly made by jsheffield. I use occasionally to spruce it up otherwise no need to buy any. BTW jsheffield trades tortoise stuff for his!
 

jsheffield

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I don't think tortoises necessarily need shell conditioners, but it does make them look nice, and maybe in extreme cases of dessication....

Anyway, I make some in my home-kitchen from coconut oil, almond oil, olive oil, and a dash of tea-tree oil; if nothing else, discussing it is a good canary in a coal mine for rooting out old-school dogmatic tortoise keepers who will yell at you about suffocating their carapaces. ;)

Jamie
 

Cathie G

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I don't think tortoises necessarily need shell conditioners, but it does make them look nice, and maybe in extreme cases of dessication....

Anyway, I make some in my home-kitchen from coconut oil, almond oil, olive oil, and a dash of tea-tree oil; if nothing else, discussing it is a good canary in a coal mine for rooting out old-school dogmatic tortoise keepers who will yell at you about suffocating their carapaces. ;)

Jamie
Yes...I love conditioning my skin with nice oils mixed with herbs now and then. After a shower even better. If I'm all dried out it helps. Have I turned into a tortoise?
 

Blackdog1714

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Yes...I love conditioning my skin with nice oils mixed with herbs now and then. After a shower even better. If I'm all dried out it helps. Have I turned into a tortoise?
Even as a manly man I do enjoy facial Fridays-basic cleaning, organic sugar scrub, mud mask, and a collagen cream. Keeps my mug only moderately ugly!
 

Cathie G

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Do any of you condition your tortoises shell. If so what do you do. I see this shell conditioner at the store but wasnt planning on buying it. Do tortoises even need their shells conditioned?
I do but really lightly. I like jshefields formula. After a shower then buff him up. I think they need it now and then. So they don't get dessicated. But also not too soft.
 

Maro2Bear

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Every once in awhile I’ll rub some organic cold pressed coconut oil on our Sully’s shell. Let it soak in a bit, then wipe off with a good clean towel. Applying lotions to tort shells prob does more good for the keeper, than the tort. Routine soaking is probably better.
 

Tim Carlisle

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Even as a manly man I do enjoy facial Fridays-basic cleaning, organic sugar scrub, mud mask, and a collagen cream. Keeps my mug only moderately ugly!
I have a colleague who, I swear, looks like he washes his face with a pork chop. I'm gonna offer your recipe to him.
 

Cathie G

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Every once in awhile I’ll rub some organic cold pressed coconut oil on our Sully’s shell. Let it soak in a bit, then wipe off with a good clean towel. Applying lotions to tort shells prob does more good for the keeper, than the tort. Routine soaking is probably better.
Yes. Even with human skin all you are really doing with lotions is holding in some water. They sell lotions with aloe vera but aloe vera is an herb that will sink the other ingredients into your skin. So...
 

TechnoCheese

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Coconut oil really seems to help my outdoor sulcata’s shell, especially with how dry the weather has been lately. Definitely does a good job at keeping his shell from “peeling” and being overly dry, in addition to warm soaks.
 

Cathie G

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I don't think tortoises necessarily need shell conditioners, but it does make them look nice, and maybe in extreme cases of dessication....

Anyway, I make some in my home-kitchen from coconut oil, almond oil, olive oil, and a dash of tea-tree oil; if nothing else, discussing it is a good canary in a coal mine for rooting out old-school dogmatic tortoise keepers who will yell at you about suffocating their carapaces. ;)

Jamie
I especially have been thinking about the tea tree oil as probably really a good addition. It repels mites.
 
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