My 16 month old painted turtles shed A LOT! (I feed conservatively, 10 pellets every 3 days + veg) When they were younger, they had no trouble shedding scutes completely. Two months ago, I noticed they’ve begun to form gold spots under loose (but definitely still attached) scutes. I manually removed a couple of them because I noticed algae growing under one and knew it could lead to shell rot. I scrub their shells once every two weeks with soft bristle toothbrush. While I understand it is normal for them to shed, my concern is that I am not providing a proper environment or diet for them and that it could lead to bigger shell development issues down the road.
I would like to know whether or not I should be removing these scutes that have water/algae trapped under them manually.
And if not, what can I do to minimize these “golden spots”.
I will attach pictures of their shell dry for your reference. The gold spots show much clearer under water.
Forum questionairre responses:
How big is your turtle? About the size of the palm of my hand
How long have you had it? 1 year, hatchlings last August.
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? 75 gallon tank, filled to about 60 gal
Are you using a water conditioner? Yes
Are you using any filtration? 100gal fluval canister filter
What is the basking temperature? 84*
Is there a basking light? Yes, mercury bulb (heat, uva uvb)
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? Yes, two large floating docks with ramps
What kind is it or what is it made out of? Maybe some kind of coated foam? It’s light, bought it at pet store. I think it’s made by zoomed.
Is there a UVB light? In mercury bulb yes
What have you been trying to feed it? Romaine every other day, 10 protein pellets every three days, occasional worm treats
When was the last time your turtle ate? Yesterday evening
Yes I have a cuttlebone in my tank at all times
How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 75 gallons
Is the tank near a window? No
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? Hardly any
Have you read the Basic Care section? Yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? Yes, I have been unable to find what to do when water has penetrated below a shedding scute.
Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? No, they’re well behaved. Just odd shell bumps.
