General Care Discussion :: Carapace colour doubt

Taking care of your turtle's overall health.

Post Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 1:37 pm   Carapace colour doubt

HI everybody!

My name is Laura and I have a 9 month red ear slider. It's the first time I have a slider. I think he's healthy (he's growing and he is active) but last week I observed that two of his vertebral scutes have like a white patina, spot (I attach some photos, I don't know if it's clear but it's the more brilliant part).

Today I observed again and the white part is bigger. He scratched his carapace just in this scutes (in the vertebral scute) so, first, I thought it was something related but today I've seen that there is this white colour in other scutes, so I'm starting to wonder if there's something wrong.

Any advice is welcome :)
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Laura84
 
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Post Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 4:36 pm   Re: Carapace colour doubt

Looks like an air pocket forming and he will shed those scutes. His seams are a bit dark, so he might be growing too fast. How long is he? What are you feeding him?
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steve
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Post Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 5:05 pm   Re: Carapace colour doubt

Agree with Steve ! Quite normal when shedding. At 9 months old his coloration is dark , may just be in his DNA , growth line are wide too , growing too fast. Look under top header on this page and read under nutrition for the 2/3's rule. He's almost a juvenile , don't feed like he's a baby and all will be good. Yes hard with the all time begging but they get only better at begging as an adult , don't give in to it.
Keep observing you are a good parent. Read all topics at top header will only help , "prevention" is key in this hobby.
And welcome Laura to forum , what's your turtles name ?
litefoot
 
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Post Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2019 1:21 pm   Re: Carapace colour doubt

Hi! Thank you Steve and Litefoot for your kind answers. It's interesting that you mention that maybe he's growing too fast because I was thinking about it lately. I explain myself:

When he came home he was 1 day old and he weighed 8 grams and he was about 3 cm. During winter he basically remained the same, but since spring time he started to gain about 4 grams per month and this last month he've gained 10 grams!! So now, he weigh 36 grams and he is 5 cm long. Is it too much??

He beg quite often and when he saw me with the food he is very very desperate, so I have the doubt if I am underfeeding him but, on the other side, I'm thinking that maybe I am overfeeding him because he gain weigh quickly.

I feed him once per day with pellets for babies, some days mixed with gammarus and from time to time some meat or fish. I tried with veggies but he don't eat (I read now that I have to put him veggies even if he don't eat by now). I read about the 2/3 rule so I'm going to use it.

I really appreciate to know your opinion about his growing (especially his weigh) yo know if I am doing well or not.

His name is Pepito. My 4 years old nephew named him :)
Laura84
 
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Post Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2019 1:39 pm   Re: Carapace colour doubt

Piggley say's Hi Pepito. The grandkids named him for the cartoon. Eats and acts just as in the cartoon character .

Yes try the 2/3's rule. I go by the growth lines on feeding then I adjust diet to fit on my Piggley.
Turtles are just like kids wanting the wrong food the most and first. On the veggies offer them to him first when the hungriest first. Some you need tough love ! Like a leaf lettuce a piece the size of his shell is good. Most like the red in red leaf lettuce better than the green type , think its just the color , try several types as stated in the nutrition section /plant matter. It will be hard to get off that baby protein but will change in time to veggies.

As I said earlier they only get better at begging with age so you will have to get use to it. You don't want him in control seeing you as the food source and caving in to more food. Being captive you must control the diet. Wild turtles always eat not knowing were the next meal will come from , it's instinct to hunt for food and carried over even to a captive turtle. Many problems will come up by over feeding. A good controlled varied well mixed and nutritious diet goes a long way for a turtle and us too !

Doing ok with a little adjustment on the diet , keep observing.
litefoot
 
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Post Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2019 3:21 pm   Re: Carapace colour doubt

Thank you litefoot! and say hi to Piggley. How old is Piggley?
2 last day I gave him red leaf lettuce and he ate it. So cool. I adjust the number of pellets,too.

Another question that has nothing to do with food...when is it possible to know the sex of a slider? I think he must be older, is it true?
Laura84
 
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Post Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2019 4:07 pm   Re: Carapace colour doubt

Piggley coming up on six. I got him a few years after Hurricane Katrina. Had to build another house first. Had a big loss with my in ground pond when the levee's broke , nine foot of flood waters sat on my pond for 21 days. Had 6 RES's most over 30 years old that I raised from babies. Minnie was 42. Still hurts today...
Started over but just one , I too dam old for more .
Look at top header under nutrition , links on pellets and veggies/plant for a varied diet.
Sexing , depending on it's DNA some around three inches but most by the time they are 4". If were in my hands can tell sooner , but... See top header for sexing too.

PS : Could be 9 months they do grow fast in the first year but do slow down some. Still over fed. Adjusting the diet is healthier for Pepito.
Edit shows when Steve posted I was just adding the PS.
Last edited by litefoot on Wed Jun 19, 2019 4:24 pm, edited 2 times in total.
litefoot
 
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Post Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2019 4:17 pm   Re: Carapace colour doubt

I would even go a little further, make the amount of pellets about 1/4 head size daily. He will learn to take those veggies if he is hungry. Also make sure no one is sneaking him food, a begging turtle is hard to deny :)
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steve
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