Update with Questions

[Lindsey28]

So I've separated my tortoises into separate bins - the smaller one already seems to be improving in activity and growth! I'm feeding them a mix of romaine and squash and gets weeds and grasses in there whenever and as much as I can.

Little Loretta is getting full sun in her habitat that I put outside and it seems to be helping her shell harden up!
Loo is still growing strong and has even started burrowing in his habitat

But one thing.. Loretta's front nails have all curled and come off. She has little nubs now and hasn't seemed bothered by her nails at all. But I'm just curious as to why this has happened? All of her back nails are fine, it's just her front ones - it seems like the way her feet go on the ground that her nails were too long to bendable or something and so they all came off. But like I said, she has the beginnings of new (stronger looking nails).

Her humidity is right and everything.. just curious to any thoughts?

Maybe she has a little bit of deformities in her genes or something - or maybe something that I need to change?

 

[Tom]

This sounds like early nutritional deficiencies and possibly lack of UV.

 

[Lindsey28]

I mean I live in South Florida so there's no scarcity of UV's that's for sure.

But now that she's in better conditions, her nails will grow better, right?

My other one was kept in the same housing conditions and he's much much stronger, grown a lot more (shell-wise) and eats a lot haha. I heard that the dominant one mentally bullies the less dominant which causes them to not grow as well - so o separated them a couple weeks ago and I can see major improvements already.. Just the nail thing.

 

[Tom]

But now that she's in better conditions, her nails will grow better, right?

Sometimes they grow back and sometimes they don't. TIme will tell.

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

One of my Russians has a dead toenail. Its short and white/cloudy and dull. Not like how healthy nails are. & it hasnt grown since ive gotten him. Not sure if I should cut it or not.
I thought it would have fallen off too but nope.
Did the full nail fall or or was it just a majority ?

 

[Lindsey28]

Just the majority - she has nubs now.

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

Do they look "healthy"?

 

[Speedy-1]

I would also think something is missing from their diet are they getting calcium and or cuttlebone ? Are they getting any supplements , or some sort of pelletized food like Zoo med or Mazuri ?

 

[Lindsey28]

Calcium Powder often! And I made a calcium ball for them to nibble on. I believe I posted pictures earlier on in this post.

 

[JoesMum]

Calcium Powder often! And I made a calcium ball for them to nibble on. I believe I posted pictures earlier on in this post.

Calcium powder should only be used a couple of times a week. You can overdo it.