Yellow Bumps Question

Arilyna

New Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2020
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
Asheville, NC
Hey everyone, I’ve been seeing an alarming amount of posts about this yellow bump issue in a Facebook group that I’m in. Weve had our baby sulcata for almost three months. We haven’t seen any spots, thankfully. I’m just wondering if anyone has a time frame on this, as in when would they actually appear if the tort has it? I understand this is highly contagious to other reptiles, what about other animals. Mammals, tarantulas?? I tried to use the search bar and couldn’t find this exact info if there’s a thread on it.

To be honest, we just lost one of our bearded dragons to a ruptured GI tumor last week and I’m an absolute mess about it. She was only five years old. I’m so worried about something happening to any of our other babies and then I saw a bunch of posts about this issue....

Thanks for the help!
 

Hamiltondood

Active Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2019
Messages
248
Location (City and/or State)
Richmond, Texas
Hey everyone, I’ve been seeing an alarming amount of posts about this yellow bump issue in a Facebook group that I’m in. Weve had our baby sulcata for almost three months. We haven’t seen any spots, thankfully. I’m just wondering if anyone has a time frame on this, as in when would they actually appear if the tort has it? I understand this is highly contagious to other reptiles, what about other animals. Mammals, tarantulas?? I tried to use the search bar and couldn’t find this exact info if there’s a thread on it.

To be honest, we just lost one of our bearded dragons to a ruptured GI tumor last week and I’m an absolute mess about it. She was only five years old. I’m so worried about something happening to any of our other babies and then I saw a bunch of posts about this issue....

Thanks for the help!
@mastershake
@Pastel Tortie
 

Pastel Tortie

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
4,264
Location (City and/or State)
North Florida
Hey everyone, I’ve been seeing an alarming amount of posts about this yellow bump issue in a Facebook group that I’m in. Weve had our baby sulcata for almost three months. We haven’t seen any spots, thankfully. I’m just wondering if anyone has a time frame on this, as in when would they actually appear if the tort has it? I understand this is highly contagious to other reptiles, what about other animals. Mammals, tarantulas?? I tried to use the search bar and couldn’t find this exact info if there’s a thread on it.
@Arilyna, you ask some really good questions. We have better answers for some of those questions than others. There's still a lot we don't know about Austwickia chelonae. Keep in mind, we still can't say definitively if that's the cause for all (or most) of the yellow bumps cases across the country, because it's a challenge to get samples submitted for testing.

In baby sulcatas, if they're infected, sometimes the bumps appear to go away and then reappear even months later. Some have had issues with lost or damaged toenails. Infected babies don't grow as well, and that situation is usually compounded by the hatchling not being started properly by the breeder.

Especially since you have other reptiles, you need to be vigilant and quarantine any new arrivals (including your recently acquired baby sulcata). As you're aware, this disease is highly contagious and can be mechanically transmitted from one animal to another on hands and objects. Putting an uninfected reptile into a contaminated environment may well result in another infected reptile.

We know reptiles are susceptible: chelonians, lizards, snakes, and crocodilians. When reptiles are susceptible to something, it's usually a good idea to assume that amphibians would be susceptible as well (and be pleasantly surprised if they aren't).

There hasn't been much testing done to determine what other animals might be susceptible to this particular bacteria. That's why quarantine and good hygiene are so important.
 

Arilyna

New Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2020
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
Asheville, NC
@Arilyna
Where did you get your little one from?
How much does your little one weigh now?
Thanks for your response! I definitely want to keep up with this as it develops, it’s some scary stuff. I’m in a group called Sulcata Tortoise Care Group and its come up with multiple babies.

I got my tort from the local Repticon in Asheville, NC. I’m not sure the vendors name, but we’re going again in December and I’m hoping my boyfriend can recognize the guy he bought the baby from. I’ve tried looking up a vendor list, but since it was a past show I can’t find anything.

(I call the tort a she, I know it’s too small to sex) Agave has done great since we upgraded her enclosure from the advice given on this forum. We brought her home August 22nd of this year. 3C851CB2-E7EA-455A-9878-9ED197E6BC64.jpeg
F80E0337-0211-4512-A9A5-8667A3908C46.jpeg
Our first weigh in was on October 2nd and she was 55g. October 11th she was 63g. Our latest weigh was on November 15th and shes 77g.

06EC9423-4FEC-4E51-8A61-8C2F86954E4A.jpeg
5364F714-B625-47B1-8A3E-8A455E9C2833.jpeg
We are now doing either a daily bath or keeping her in a small container in the bathroom while one of us takes a steamy shower. I’m also having my boyfriend weigh her more often so we can keep better track of her progress. She eats, poops and is very active.
 

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