Turtle Shell Scarring?

tank_and_gammy

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ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1462403661.411467.jpg

When I received Tank from my friend, she said that she saved Tank after running over the poor girl with a lawn mower.

I don't necessarily know if turtles shells can actually scar or not, so I am asking you guys if you know!
You can kind of see marks along her shell that are a lighter shade of the normal brown that are abnormal to the shape of her scutes.

Are these scars, or is it something worse that I need to consult a vet about?
 
M

Maggie Cummings

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Tank needs more water, not a Vet. They like to be in water, Tank looks dehydrated to me. Congrats on getting him. But give him more access to water.....
 

tank_and_gammy

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Tank needs more water, not a Vet. They like to be in water, Tank looks dehydrated to me. Congrats on getting him. But give him more access to water.....

Oh shoot :( Now I feel bad
Tank has a water dish in her tank, and I always keep it full with clean water
Maybe I need to soak her often? Because on her own I suppose she isn't exploring the options of her water dish
 

Sara G.

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What kind of water dish is it?
Usually if a turtle/tortoise isn't going into their water dish it's because there's something wrong with it.
Do you have pics of Tank's enclosure you can post? Maybe we can figure out the mystery behind the water dish. :)
 

tank_and_gammy

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What kind of water dish is it?
Usually if a turtle/tortoise isn't going into their water dish it's because there's something wrong with it.
Do you have pics of Tank's enclosure you can post? Maybe we can figure out the mystery behind the water dish. :)

I can get some pics when I get home today
You may be right about the dish, I do not know
But I do know she goes into it every day
 

Yvonne G

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I see the areas you are concerned about. It's nothing. You might be able to eliminate them with a dab of olive or coconut oil. But polish it off with an absorbent cloth. That's a cute baby.
 

Yvonne G

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It just looks like she's rubbed the shell on something. Scuff marks. The oil would lubricate the area and remove the scuff marks. There is really nothing to "help." It would be like you polishing off the scuff marks on your leather shoe.

You want to talk scuff marks? There's a sight barrier fence alongside my Aldabran tortoises' mud wallow. They've been rubbing up against the fence. The result:

aldabran 5-2-16.jpg

You can see their mud hole to the right of that black thing at the top of the picture, then the sight barrier fence to the right of the hole. Notice how you can see grass under the bottom of that fence? It used to sit on the ground. They've raised it up, pulling the posts up out of the ground. That's how they ended up with scuff marks on the TOP of their carapaces.

Things like this are not harmful to their shells. A bit of lubrication and all is well with the world!
 

tank_and_gammy

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It just looks like she's rubbed the shell on something. Scuff marks. The oil would lubricate the area and remove the scuff marks. There is really nothing to "help." It would be like you polishing off the scuff marks on your leather shoe.

You want to talk scuff marks? There's a sight barrier fence alongside my Aldabran tortoises' mud wallow. They've been rubbing up against the fence. The result:

View attachment 172524

You can see their mud hole to the right of that black thing at the top of the picture, then the sight barrier fence to the right of the hole. Notice how you can see grass under the bottom of that fence? It used to sit on the ground. They've raised it up, pulling the posts up out of the ground. That's how they ended up with scuff marks on the TOP of their carapaces.

Things like this are not harmful to their shells. A bit of lubrication and all is well with the world!

I have a little rock inside Tank's terrarium that I intended for her to use as a bit of a spot to bask
She instead tends to burrow under it when she goes to sleep, and that does scuff her shell up a bit
Thank you for informing me though :D always good to learn something
 

David Salas

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Can anyone tell me what happened to my Hermenn's tortoise shell? I got it from the seller at reduced price. Was told it was a birth defect
 

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