Unshed Scutes

[meghaffer]

We adopted a Russian tortoise last week who has some health problems. One of the most noticeable is her shell. She has not shed her scutes properly. Her previous owner primarily fed her romaine lettuce and apples, provided inadequate lighting, and a small cage. We have addressed these things, but don't know if that will be sufficient to get her shedding, or should we somehow get the top of her shell good and wet?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Meg:

Tortoises don't normally shed their scutes like water turtles do. I'm guessing, not having seen pictures of your tortoise, that the tortoise has some old injuries on the shell. Russian tortoises hardly ever look pristine unless it was a captive bred tortoise.

 

[meghaffer]

Interesting. I'm going to try to post pictures, but my phone is less than smart some days. ;-)