Uneven growth lines?

[Blakem]

Am wondering why my Russian seems to be growing his scutes at an uneven rate? His diet is great, temps are correct and he is outside from 730am-730pm.





Hope the image posts. I've never done it through my iPhone before. Thanks in advanced for your input.

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Am wondering why my Russian seems to be growing his scutes at an uneven rate? His diet is great, temps are correct and he is outside from 730am-730pm.

Hope the image posts. I've never done it through my iPhone before. Also, I know his skin is dry, I soak him 3x a week. Thanks in advanced for your input.

 

[EricIvins]

Am wondering why my Russian seems to be growing his scutes at an uneven rate? His diet is great, temps are correct and he is outside from 730am-730pm.



View attachment 24006

Hope the image posts. I've never done it through my iPhone before. Thanks in advanced for your input.

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Am wondering why my Russian seems to be growing his scutes at an uneven rate? His diet is great, temps are correct and he is outside from 730am-730pm.

Hope the image posts. I've never done it through my iPhone before. Also, I know his skin is dry, I soak him 3x a week. Thanks in advanced for your input.

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Uneven as in how? That picture doesn't show too very much.......

 

[Blakem]

It looks like it is 2x the width on his rear? Maybe I am overreacting but I thought they were supposed to grow evenly all the way around?

 

[Yvonne G]

I've seen this an awful lot with steppe tortoises. I don't know the reason, but I'm going to say what I think it is.

Because yours is just starting, its a little easier to see what it MAY be. I THINK that the top of his shell is so dry that the new growth can't separate from the existing shell, so down along the marginals, where its a little more moist, the new growth takes up the slack. Why don't you try an experiment and use a shell dressing for a while on the top portion. Rub him down with either mineral oil or Vita-Shell, then polish it off with a soft cotton cloth, and keep it moistened this way every day. Rub it in good, and massage gently with your finger tips between the scutes. And see what happens.

 

[Blakem]

Okay, I will try the mineral oil. Should I be soaking him more often since his shell seems I be so dry? He is approximately 4-6 years of age. I am only 2 hours from you, emseys, so our climates aren't too much different.

 

[Yvonne G]

No, I don't soak my adults at all. But they live in a pretty wild and overgrown habitat that I water a lot to keep it green. Also, they have a big plastic lid waterer that they could climb into if they wanted.

 

[Blakem]

Doesn't this part seem so low?

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

What, you're talking about how the supracaudal scute dips down over the tail? That's normal and healthy morphology in tortoises.

 

[Blakem]

I thought because the growth lines were so much wider than the other part, that it was too much.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

I thought because the growth lines were so much wider than the other part, that it was too much.

Nope, not at all. Just enough space for the tail to come out, and not much more. And the way the marginal scutes flare upward over the legs is normal, too. All of this affords the tortoise as much protection as possible, but still allows it to move the legs comfortably.

Actually, one of my Russians has a supracaudal scute that does not dip down far enough. She was like that when I got her last year. Not sure why, but I think it's because she had a poor diet, even though she was wild-caught. Anyway, she's fine, but if she were to be attacked by a predator at some point (heaven forbid), then that raised supracaudal might allow her to get bitten on the rump. On the other hand, it might make it easier for her to mate when she gets older.

 

[Blakem]

Thank you for being so thorough with your information.

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He's all oiled up. I hope this works.

 

[TortoiseBoy1999]

Thank you for being so thorough with your information.

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He's all oiled up. I hope this works.

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Why the oil?

 

[Blakem]

How do I take off the old mineral oil from yesterday? His substrate is sticking to him. I don't want to soak him and it not be good for his skin or for him to drink it.

 

[Yvonne G]

That's why I told you to polish it off with a soft cotton cloth. You put it on, massage it in, then polish it all off. All you're left with is a very light coating that substrate won't stick to.

 

[SulcataSquirt]

the oil will not harm your tort if it gets in his drinking water, olive oil is perfectly fine, as to getting the oil off, wipe it off with water and paper towel, may have to use a little soap. if your really wanting it all off.

 

[Blakem]

Sorry, I misread thinking that it said polish it in...currently cleaning him.

 

[Blakem]

Is it okay to use the mineral oil every once in a while on my 4 month old sulcata?