Turtle Shell Spot Help

Dayronestevez

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Jun 13, 2019
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Hello,

I’ve had my turtle for about a year now and lives in a water tank with a basking area attached to it. For as long as I can remember, my turtle has had these spots on its shell. At first I thought it was shell rot but when I treated it with the medicine picture, the spot would not go away.

If anyone can help with what they think these spots can be and a way to treat them or if they are nothing to worry about.

884A58F4-78F5-445F-9CF3-AF696A6954FC.jpeg 190A92F8-0EC6-420D-AFC4-D7763DABB8EE.jpeg 856F9B22-B2FB-4C82-AFA2-FB6B9E7905E6.jpeg C354D82A-6AD3-4659-9DFD-28B15F559D50.jpeg
Thanks.
 

Yvonne G

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They just look like old abrasions to me. If that's what they are, then eventually, as he shed scutes, they'll disappear. But I'm not a water turtle person, so let's ask @Markw84
 

Dayronestevez

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They just look like old abrasions to me. If that's what they are, then eventually, as he shed scutes, they'll disappear. But I'm not a water turtle person, so let's ask @Markw84
Thank you for your response. Will await the response from Mark. Is this something that happens naturally to turtles?
 

dmmj

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Looks like abrasions to me as well, they rub up against stuff and the shell takes damage
 

Markw84

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Kind of hard to tell from the picture. I does look like an old shell abrasion, but also a bit like shell rot that developed under the scute. Map turtles are more prone to that than may turtles and water quality if very important for them. Is the spot a bit soft feeling and does the scute over that area feel a bit loose or like the area beneath is soft? If it is/was shell rot, to treat you have to get to the infected area as treatment on top of an intact scute protecting the area. If everything feels tight and no "give" to the scute there, it is probably an older issue. If active, it would have a soft area beneath the scute. Shell rot will often form where there has been a bump or scrape and the fungal infection can start under the damaged scute. Be sure your water quality is very good and keep an eye on it for any changes.

The look of it just would have me a bit concerned and taking a closer look.
 
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