urgent! (split plastron)

lily9simone

New Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
ipswich
Hi!

I picked up my horse field tortoise tonight after feeding him and saw that he had an odd pink lump that seemed to be coming out from the underneath of his shell. He didn’t want to get it wet and was hiding away from the heat in his sleeping area.

I am concerned as to what this is as he is still very young!

Any suggestions as to what this could be would be helpful
 

Krista S

Well-Known Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 4, 2019
Messages
1,364
Location (City and/or State)
Saskatchewan
I don’t have any advice for you, but this looks serious, so I’m going to tag a couple people for help. I’m sorry for what you’re going through with your baby. Hopefully you can get some good advice very soon. @zovick @Yvonne G
 

Krista S

Well-Known Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 4, 2019
Messages
1,364
Location (City and/or State)
Saskatchewan
While you wait for experienced members to offer some guidance, can you provide some more information? How long had you had your tortoise, information about his enclosure, how has his behaviour been over the last week? Did something happen that you’re aware of to cause the issue on his plastron? This will all help.
 

lily9simone

New Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
ipswich
Looks like his plastron has spilt and I think I would get him to a tort vet asap
Is his shell soft?
@Yvonne G @Tom
yes i suspected that aswell and it is 1am here and no tortoise vet is answeing my calls : ( his shell hard as per usual but his plastron could be softer as hes only a baby
 

lily9simone

New Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
ipswich
While you wait for experienced members to offer some guidance, can you provide some more information? How long had you had your tortoise, information about his enclosure, how has his behaviour been over the last week? Did something happen that you’re aware of to cause the issue on his plastron? This will all help.
ive had him for almost a full year now and he was 2 months old when i bought him. he has a well sized wooden enclosure with a heat lamp, hideout, water pool etc. his behaviour hasnt been much different however i checked his plastron when i noticed he was sitting weird in his water pool.
 

Lyn W

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Messages
23,497
Location (City and/or State)
UK
Maybe try to gently wash rinse the dirt off with cool water and don't put him back on his substrate.
Keep him on something clean but you probably don't want it to dry out.
I hope someone with more experience can advise you soon.
Are you in the UK - you probably won't get a tort vet until tomorrow.
So sorry to see this.
 

lily9simone

New Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
ipswich
Maybe try to gently wash rinse the dirt off with cool water and don't put him back on his substrate.
Keep him on something clean but you probably don't want it to dry out.
I hope someone with more experience can advise you soon.
Are you in the UK - you probably won't get a tort vet until tomorrow.
So sorry to see this.
ok i will do that for now and yes i am uk
 

Lyn W

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Messages
23,497
Location (City and/or State)
UK
ok i will do that for now and yes i am uk
I think I would put him on something soft like an old pillow so a hard surface isn't pressing on it, but the experienced US members will be here soon with better advice - they are several hours behind us.
I've not seen anything like that before.
I wonder if it's some sort of tumour that has been putting pressure on the plastron causing it to split
Do you know when you last looked at his plastron?
Such a shame for the little thing.
 

lily9simone

New Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
ipswich
I think I would put him on something soft like an old pillow so a hard surface isn't pressing on it, but the experienced US members will be here soon as they are several hours behind us.
I've not seen anything like that before.
I wonder if it's some sort of tumour that has been putting pressure on the plastron causing it to spit
Do you know when you last looked at his plastron?
Such a shame for the little thing.
will do that now! and im pretty sure i checked a few days ago and he has been eating and behaving normally it was only today i noticed a change
 

Lyn W

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Messages
23,497
Location (City and/or State)
UK
will do that now! and im pretty sure i checked a few days ago and he has been eating and behaving normally it was only today i noticed a change
Some other questions that may help
Has he been pooping and passing urates OK? When was last time for both?
What substrate are you using?
 

lily9simone

New Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
ipswich
Some other questions that may help
Has he been pooping and passing urates OK? When was last time for both?
What substrate are you using?
yes im pretty sure its been fine but then again he is tiny and buries them so its hard to spot them . he has a mix of soil in some areas and a tortoise pellet substrate
 

TeamZissou

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2020
Messages
1,048
Location (City and/or State)
Albuquerque, NM
This looks rough. I do not know the best course of action besides what others have already written with regard to washing the area and preventing substrate from getting caked on it, keeping it warm etc.

It looks as if the tortoise's liver is coming out of the plastron, possibly due to the yolk sack area not healing properly or something. This tortoise is extremely small for being 1 year old.

I don't know how much a vet could help either. Hope he makes it.
 

Lyn W

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Messages
23,497
Location (City and/or State)
UK
yes im pretty sure its been fine but then again he is tiny and buries them so its hard to spot them . he has a mix of soil in some areas and a tortoise pellet substrate
I really hope he can be helped.
If so, there is a good caresheet you should read n the species specific section for looking after torts from Temperate areas which will tell you all about diet, substrate, temps and humidty etc,
 
Top