Urgent Care :: I think this is shell rot?

[Schatzman]

How big is your turtle? 8 inches
How long have you had it? 4 years

What is the water temperature? 72
Did you use a thermometer? yes
Are you using a water heater? yes
How much water is in there? 185 gallons
Are you using a water conditioner? no
Are you using any filtration? yes 2 fx6

What is the basking temperature? 84
Is there a basking light? yes
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? Yes
What kind is it or what is it made out of? Rocks
Is there a UVB light? Yes

What have you been trying to feed it? pellets and veggies
When was the last time your turtle ate? today

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 220 gallons
Is the tank near a window? yes
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? no

Have you read the Basic Care section? yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? yes

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? no


I am planning on taking her to the vet tomorrow, but I was hoping to get some help from the forum tonight. I was cleaning my turtles tank tonight, and I notice her shell felt slimy in a way it hadn't before. I thought perhaps there had been some brown algae build up since my tank was showing some. I decided to give her a bath and use a soft tooth brush to clean her shell. When I did i noticed her shell peel off a layer and start bleeding. It is mostly started peeling between the scutes at first.

I recently had moved my tank and reset it up and had noticed she hadn't been basking as much. I didn't think much of it because she has always been a night time basker since I've had her. I believe this to be shell rot. the shell isn't soft, and the exposed part is white but hard. I am just curious if anyone has any suggestions as to what might be wrong. Like I said, she is going to the vet in the morning regardless of what anyone says. This is more for my own mental health i think

Thanks in advance

[Jeremiah]

That looks like bone to me. Often, the turtle's body will form a natural scar tissue over it and it will harden again. Does it smell? Do you use fresh or brackish water? Some dry-docking may help as the dry shell may reveal the extent of the damage.

[Schatzman]

That looks like bone to me. Often, the turtle's body will form a natural scar tissue over it and it will harden again. Does it smell? Do you use fresh or brackish water? Some dry-docking may help as the dry shell may reveal the extent of the damage.

It doesn't smell especially bad. It smells like standard aquarium smell. I use fresh water, but when I do water changes i add a little aquarium salt to the tank. The longer she has dry docked and the blood has dried, the section appears mostly white.

[Jeremiah]

I'm 99% sure the white stuff is bone, in which case it's a good sign that's it's so white/firm. I don't think infection has set in, either. Until you get to the vet, you can gently wipe the area with clean water, dab it off, then apply Neosporin. I'm not a DBT keeper, so I'm not sure how long it's safe to dry-dock them.

I do know that their skin is quite sensitive. Are there any white patches, especially near the eyes, that don't match its natural pattern?

[steve]

With RES, the bone layer will be quite thin and there should be flesh underneath. The amount of blood would make me think that's what that is. On a RES, the bone layer would feel a bit rough. Had she gone through a shed recently? It also looks like some of the edges around the other scutes don't look to be in great shape.

[HamzahJameel]

Hey steve,

What would you do if the bone is exposed? What if it is not, but I pulled the shell more than usual?

[steve]

Under what circumstances would you want to pull on the shell? It's really a case by case medical situation.