Uneven Shell Growth

[sarajaju]

Hello, new to the forum and living with a tortoise. This site has been a wealth of ideas and knowledge in adopting our new tort.
My kids are 10 and 11 and have been asking for another animal. So we decided to look for a tortoise. I don't really like to buy animals from Petco so I checked craigslist. I found Melvin in the next town with a tank and lights. The boy (about 12) was having to get rid of him, it was very awkward. The house had about 3 dogs that had to be kenneled for us to come it and they had 3 other 20 gallon tanks with big lizards in them. The boy was crying and the mother was...dysfunctional and weird. The boy told us not to give him any vegetables because they give him the runs. Oh and his name was Sopa, Spanish for soup.
After bringing Melvin home we moved him to a 2' x 3' inclosure and he eats at least 2 handfuls of greens a day. He eats a small amount of the tort. kibble stuff and I do sprinkle his lettuce with calcium powder a few times a week. We live in the Willamette valley in Oregon. It's cold here now but I do plan on having Melvin spend a lot of time outside once it warms up enough.
My concern, his shell is growing unevenly. I will provide pictures of what I mean. I wonder if this is because he lived in a tank? With his log, water, and food dishes he had very little room to roam before. The boy said he was about a year old. Do you think it will fix itself in time now that he has more room to grow so to speak? Thank you in advance, Sara

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Sara and welcome to the Forum.

Actually the growth looks pretty darned even all the way around to me. I see a problem where the scutes are sticking together, but that's not uneven growth. If you take a Q-tip moistened in mineral oil and rub that spot with a little bit of pressure several times a day, you may be able to get it un-stuck. It's not going to miraculously pop open and automatically look like the rest of the new growth, but the pressure and lubrication will allow it to start growing there too.

Too bad the boy had to give up his tortoise, it sounds like he really cared for it, but I'm thinking the tortoise is in good hands now.

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I forgot to mention that he's quite a bit older than one year. Probably the boy has had him for a year. Your tortoise looks to be full grown to me. No telling the actual age, but older than 10 years for sure.

 

[sarajaju]

Hi Sara and welcome to the Forum.

Actually the growth looks pretty darned even all the way around to me. I see a problem where the scutes are sticking together, but that's not uneven growth. If you take a Q-tip moistened in mineral oil and rub that spot with a little bit of pressure several times a day, you may be able to get it un-stuck. It's not going to miraculously pop open and automatically look like the rest of the new growth, but the pressure and lubrication will allow it to start growing there too.

Too bad the boy had to give up his tortoise, it sounds like he really cared for it, but I'm thinking the tortoise is in good hands now.

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I forgot to mention that he's quite a bit older than one year. Probably the boy has had him for a year. Your tortoise looks to be full grown to me. No telling the actual age, but older than 10 years for sure.

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Wow, thank you emysemys, I will start with the oil today (fingers crossed) 10 years at least! good to know, thanks again. I still do plan on taking him into a vet, maybe now since we are on break. Sara

 

[TortoiseWorld]

Merry Christmas and welcome to the forum.
I think its a good idea to let a reptile vet examine him. Keep his enclosure warm, humid, give him a soak once a week and good nutrition. His shell should improve.

 

[stinax182]

he looks great! make sure he has enough damp dirt to bury himself in and some dandelion greens! (their favorite ) they really like to burrow so if you get a clay flower pot and bury it deep in the dirt, he'd probably love that!

 

[sarajaju]

he looks great! make sure he has enough damp dirt to bury himself in and some dandelion greens! (their favorite ) they really like to burrow so if you get a clay flower pot and bury it deep in the dirt, he'd probably love that!

Thanks, would you recommend regular dirt (we have nice clean sandy loam) or more of the coconut shreds. I find the coconut is difficult to keep moist.

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Merry Christmas and thank you

 

[stinax182]

Thanks, would you recommend regular dirt (we have nice clean sandy loam) or more of the coconut shreds. I find the coconut is difficult to keep moist.

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Merry Christmas and thank you

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if you mean just digging up dirt, I'd bake it in an oven for like 20 mins to kill any bugs, spores or bacteria that may be in it. if not, you may find yourself with mushrooms sprouting or little bugs crawling around! i mix my regular dirt with sterile peat moss because i notice just dirt clumps up a lot and as you've noticed just the peat moss (basically the same as the coco coir) didn't stay damp.

 

[biochemnerd808]

I can't see the pics (it just says the attachment name), but welcome to the forum! We live fairly close to you, north of PDX.
If you ever need help with beak trimming and the like, my reptile rescue friend is located in Canby, OR...

Hello, new to the forum and living with a tortoise. This site has been a wealth of ideas and knowledge in adopting our new tort.
My kids are 10 and 11 and have been asking for another animal. So we decided to look for a tortoise. I don't really like to buy animals from Petco so I checked craigslist. I found Melvin in the next town with a tank and lights. The boy (about 12) was having to get rid of him, it was very awkward. The house had about 3 dogs that had to be kenneled for us to come it and they had 3 other 20 gallon tanks with big lizards in them. The boy was crying and the mother was...dysfunctional and weird. The boy told us not to give him any vegetables because they give him the runs. Oh and his name was Sopa, Spanish for soup.
After bringing Melvin home we moved him to a 2' x 3' inclosure and he eats at least 2 handfuls of greens a day. He eats a small amount of the tort. kibble stuff and I do sprinkle his lettuce with calcium powder a few times a week. We live in the Willamette valley in Oregon. It's cold here now but I do plan on having Melvin spend a lot of time outside once it warms up enough.
My concern, his shell is growing unevenly. I will provide pictures of what I mean. I wonder if this is because he lived in a tank? With his log, water, and food dishes he had very little room to roam before. The boy said he was about a year old. Do you think it will fix itself in time now that he has more room to grow so to speak? Thank you in advance, Sara

 

[sarajaju]

I don't know what happened to my pictures I'll put them back up.

 

[biochemnerd808]

There they are, now I can see them. Yeah, emysemys knows her stuff, I'd follow her advice.

I don't know what happened to my pictures I'll put them back up.

 

[yagyujubei]

I believe that this is caused by a nutritional problem. There are trace elements that he is just not getting. His current or previous diet was lacking in something. I have an 11 YO leopard that growth is just beginning where it hasn't in over ten years. I feed mazuri, and I believe her more nutritional diet is beginning to get her on the right track. I know a lot of people think that store bought "greens" are a great diet, but I ain't buyin' it. I do buy some in the winter when it's the only thing available to add to the mazuri, but I think that in and of itself, it's a poor diet.

 

[mainey34]

Congratulations on your new addition...

 

[sarajaju]

I believe that this is caused by a nutritional problem. There are trace elements that he is just not getting. His current or previous diet was lacking in something. I have an 11 YO leopard that growth is just beginning where it hasn't in over ten years. I feed mazuri, and I believe her more nutritional diet is beginning to get her on the right track. I know a lot of people think that store bought "greens" are a great diet, but I ain't buyin' it. I do buy some in the winter when it's the only thing available to add to the mazuri, but I think that in and of itself, it's a poor diet.

I hope it corrects itself It made me curious when the boy told me not to give him vegetables, "they give him the runs". Soon into my reading up on their diet I know he was wrong. He was in cramped quarters and no leafy veggies I've been buying salad mixes in the bags but once spring comes I will be able to pick his meals. I can now with clover and dandelions but everything else is mush

I think I'm having more fun with Melvin than the kids

 

[biochemnerd808]

If you are buying food for him in the winter, make sure you don't just get him the 'soft' leafy greens, but also some of the tougher ones (like kale and collard greens). Cactus pads are also high in calcium, and are a good treat - I buy mine in a mexican food store for 75c/lb. I cut off a strip every few days and feed it to my torts.

I believe that this is caused by a nutritional problem. There are trace elements that he is just not getting. His current or previous diet was lacking in something. I have an 11 YO leopard that growth is just beginning where it hasn't in over ten years. I feed mazuri, and I believe her more nutritional diet is beginning to get her on the right track. I know a lot of people think that store bought "greens" are a great diet, but I ain't buyin' it. I do buy some in the winter when it's the only thing available to add to the mazuri, but I think that in and of itself, it's a poor diet.

I hope it corrects itself It made me curious when the boy told me not to give him vegetables, "they give him the runs". Soon into my reading up on their diet I know he was wrong. He was in cramped quarters and no leafy veggies I've been buying salad mixes in the bags but once spring comes I will be able to pick his meals. I can now with clover and dandelions but everything else is mush

I think I'm having more fun with Melvin than the kids

 

[sarajaju]

Thanks for the tips. I will get him some kale and some cactus, I've seen them in the produce section. With the Dandilion is it the yellow flower, stem, leaves or all of it?

 

[stinax182]

Thanks for the tips. I will get him some kale and some cactus, I've seen them in the produce section. With the Dandilion is it the yellow flower, stem, leaves or all of it?

they love any part of dandelions if you can get the yellow flowers, its a great treat. and the stems are soft so they can easily eat them. i don't even cut them up, they enjoy ripping it apart sometimes

 

[biochemnerd808]

The whole dandelion plant is good for tortoises, although they will usually leave the root untouched. The flowers are a yummy healthy treat!

Thanks for the tips. I will get him some kale and some cactus, I've seen them in the produce section. With the Dandilion is it the yellow flower, stem, leaves or all of it?