What's happening to my tortoises shell?!

[Rachelcoul91]

Hi everyone.

We got our tortoise on 23rs October 2015 and we have someone looking after him until we move out shortly.

Today I noticed our little guy has browning on the outer parts of his shell ? It almost looks like a dead nail.

Could you tell me what it is?

I don't know whether he's just shedding his shell or if it's shell rot?

Thankyou in advance.

 

[wellington]

What kind of substrate is he on? Looks to me like either substrate staining or just shell color change. The shell itself looks healthy though to me.

 

[Rachelcoul91]

Thankyou!! You have put me at ease! He is on 90% topsoil & 10% playsand, so it makes sense to be staining!

Thankyou so much! I was so worried about our little guy! x

 

[Lyn W]

Hi Rachel and welcome to the forum
I can't answer your question specifically but can maybe offer a possibility.
What heat sources are you using e.g. heat mat? Just wondering if it's a burn.
What is the plastron like?
If you can post pics of his enclosure members will be able to see if there's anything affecting him there.

 

[Rachelcoul91]

We don't have a heat mat I've heard they can often overheat and can cause burning, so we have the arcadia 100w bulb with the Arcadia clamp lamp the temperatures are always within range, I will post a photo of his enclosure as soon as I can, Thankyou for your help.

I've looked back at photos of when we got him and it actually looks like he has this pattern before we got him.

This is the photo of him the day we got him. And the upper photo was today.

 

[WithLisa]

Do you mean the somewhat transparent part at the edge of his shell?
It's totally normal that the colour is different, because there is no bone in the keratin anymore (that's why it's transparent like a fingernail).

 

[Rachelcoul91]

Yes the transparent part!
Thankyou, I've been so worried but thankyou for helping me!
will that part continue to just be the same or is it expected to peel or anything?
hes a hermann's tortoise and is around 2 years old.

I'm glad he's looking healthy I'm trying my very best to give him the best that he need's.

 

[WithLisa]

It should stay the same. If it starts to (visibly) peel off there's probably something wrong.

 

[Rachelcoul91]

Thankyou withlisa!
thankyou everyone else! glad i can always pop on here when i need to double check something youve all been a great help!