Is it normal for a baby turtle shell to peel?
Peeling as part of the growth process is normal as long as the thin layers come off, revealing shell that looks and feels normal. Scutes should generally be intact and whole and not come off in parts. If they don’t, it could be a sign of disease.
How do you fix turtle shell rot?
Antibiotic cover is essentially in severe shell rot cases or if the shell has been fractured. Topical antibiotics such as silver sulfazadine cream applied daily can be enough for many cases. If they need systemic treatment as well I generally use ceftazadine injection.
How to tell if a turtle is a softshell turtle?
If the shell/carapace is pliable and soft and the snout is elongated, then it is a softshell turtle. If the shell is hard, then it is not a softshell turtle. Move on to the next section. 4. Inspect The Scutes On The Shell Scutes cover the turtle’s shell. They are composed of keratin. If the turtle has 12 scutes, continue to section 6.
What do you use to cover a turtle shell?
Some will need wires, and others may just need a few zip-ties that glue on top of the shell to hold the pieces back in place. A turtle and tortoise safe fiberglass patch will be used to cover up any cracks or depressions on the shell. This patch will need to be adhered to their shell with glue.
How can you tell if a turtle’s shell has rot?
The most common symptoms generally start off with visible damage to the shell. It will look uneven, some plates may lift up slightly, and there’s sometimes foul-smelling discharge underneath the shell. There will also be some pitting present in the shell, with some pieces falling off when the rot gets really bad.
Can a crack in a turtle’s shell be fixed?
The essentially “trapped” infection will inevitably cause your turtle or tortoise to get very sick. Fixing large openings or crack should be left up to an exotic vet as they are the ones whom have plenty of experience in this department.
