what to do about sore on plastron

[Nimbledoe]

I just noticed that Oakley has a scrape or gouge about 1/4 inch kinda circular. Not deep at all but scraped off the first layer of the plastron. How do I help it to heal? she must of cought it on a corner of the slate is the only thing I can think of. I have since removed it.

Is there a salve I can put on it?
Thanks for your help.

 

[Yvonne G]

We'll have to see a picture of the spot in order to help you, as it might also be shell rot.

 

[Nimbledoe]

We'll have to see a picture of the spot in order to help you, as it might also be shell rot.

She is in a large enclosure 6 x 3 1/2. By herself. She has a good 12 hours of uvb light and heat lamp. One end is 90 -97 degrees on down to 68 at other end. Substrate is coir and cyprus mulch. It is not wet anywhere in her enclosure, but I try and keep the under part slightly moist. She gets calcium about 4 x weekly. Her shell is nice and smooth and hard. I have had her almost 2 months and the pastron has always been smooth and hard. THis is new. I had slate rocks in different places where I put her food, not realizing the sharp edge would hurt her. They are sunk into the substrate so they are level. But edges were exposed some of the time.

Oh, she also self soaks and drinks at least every other day.

 

[biochemnerd808]

It might be a 'ding' from the slate, but it could also very well be old shell rot healing and falling off. It looks like there is a little flaking-off of the shell around it - which to me says that it MIGHT be fungal damage, rather than impact damage.

We'll have to see a picture of the spot in order to help you, as it might also be shell rot.

She is in a large enclosure 6 x 3 1/2. By herself. She has a good 12 hours of uvb light and heat lamp. One end is 90 -97 degrees on down to 68 at other end. Substrate is coir and cyprus mulch. It is not wet anywhere in her enclosure, but I try and keep the under part slightly moist. She gets calcium about 4 x weekly. Her shell is nice and smooth and hard. I have had her almost 2 months and the pastron has always been smooth and hard. THis is new. I had slate rocks in different places where I put her food, not realizing the sharp edge would hurt her. They are sunk into the substrate so they are level. But edges were exposed some of the time.

Oh, she also self soaks and drinks at least every other day.

 

[Yvonne G]

Kind of hard to really see it in a picture, however, if you dose it with athlete's foot cream, there would be no harm done if it ISN'T shell rot.

I see two spots. A very pink spot up near the top and center, and the dry, old-looking spot towards the bottom. Clean them real well and scrub with a soft bristle brush, then dry it and apply the cream.

 

[Nimbledoe]

Kind of hard to really see it in a picture, however, if you dose it with athlete's foot cream, there would be no harm done if it ISN'T shell rot.

I see two spots. A very pink spot up near the top and center, and the dry, old-looking spot towards the bottom. Clean them real well and scrub with a soft bristle brush, then dry it and apply the cream.

Thank you very much for the advice ! The 'pink' spot is not that noticable at all in person. But you are right it does really show up in the picture. I'll do as you suggested and keep a close eye on her. I have removed any and all rough or sharp rocks/slate. Do you think I should be giving her more calcium. I sprinkle a little, 1/8th to 1/4 tsp. on her food 2 - 3 times a week. Zoo Med repti calcium with D3. I have cuttle bone in her enclosure but she has never touched it.

I also have been meaning to ask: I bought the zoo med calcium with D3 before I read that it might be too much D3 with the uvb light. What are your thoughts on this.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Most Russian tortoises in captivity were wild-caught, and most of those were stacked uncomfortably on top of each other, resulting in sores on either side of the body in that exact spot. Mine had it, but they recovered without any problems. Just provide good husbandry techniques for Russian tortoises (i.e. moist but not damp substrate), and that should heal up just fine. If it stays too wet all the time, even a normal plastron could develop shell rot. If it stays too try, it will heal, but perhaps not as quickly as it might otherwise. So, just provide a nice substrate, like coco coir, and it should heal with little scarring in about a year.

 

[Nimbledoe]

Most Russian tortoises in captivity were wild-caught, and most of those were stacked uncomfortably on top of each other, resulting in sores on either side of the body in that exact spot. Mine had it, but they recovered without any problems. Just provide good husbandry techniques for Russian tortoises (i.e. moist but not damp substrate), and that should heal up just fine. If it stays too wet all the time, even a normal plastron could develop shell rot. If it stays too try, it will heal, but perhaps not as quickly as it might otherwise. So, just provide a nice substrate, like coco coir, and it should heal with little scarring in about a year.

Thanks for your reply. Would this still be the case if she has not shown any signs of this up until this last week? I have had her almost 2 months now and she has always looked perfect.

I do have coco coir with 25% cyprus moss mixed in. I have kept the bottom 2 - 3 inches of 4 to 5 inch depth slightly moist. (In the beginning I did not know about keeping the under substrate moist, as she self soaks and drinks often and I thought that was enough. On another post I was told other wise, so since changed) Except when she burrows down for the night in her hide she is not in/on any wet or moist substrate, as the top is dry. She also now gets the TNT sprinkled on her greens. Can she get too much of this?

 

[Tom]

This would fall under the category of "normal wear and tear" for me. As tortoises live their lives all sorts of things can happen. The only tortoises I have with perfect shells are tiny babies. I wouldn't worry too much about this. I agree with Yvonne. Clean it and put some athletes foot cream on it. If its not some sort of fungal infection, the cream won't hurt anything. Keep an eye on it to see how much more it progresses.

The calcium with D3 should not hurt anything regardless of your UV situation. I have used it with tortoises that get sun all day. No Problem. I don't know the TNT, but from what I have read its pretty harmless too.

Last thing: Carapace on top. Plastron on bottom.

 

[Nimbledoe]

This would fall under the category of "normal wear and tear" for me. As tortoises live their lives all sorts of things can happen. The only tortoises I have with perfect shells are tiny babies. I wouldn't worry too much about this. I agree with Yvonne. Clean it and put some athletes foot cream on it. If its not some sort of fungal infection, the cream won't hurt anything. Keep an eye on it to see how much more it progresses.

The calcium with D3 should not hurt anything regardless of your UV situation. I have used it with tortoises that get sun all day. No Problem. I don't know the TNT, but from what I have read its pretty harmless too.
Last thing: Carapace on top. Plastron on bottom.

Thanks for replying. Good to know about the calcium with D3. Don't you guys just love us 'new worry wort moms'

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Ah, okay. Well, if this is not a shipping injury, then I agree that it's probably just a simple injury from clambering about the enclosure. Again, nothing to worry about. As long as the environment is right (see my comment above), then it should heal fine. Only if the substrate is too wet would this turn into shell rot, or a bacterial or fungal infection.

You can take him to a vet if you're concerned. However, my guys have had similarly minor scratches and scrapes, and they healed well because their environment is neither too wet, nor too dry.