Cleaning my turtle's shell?

Question

how should i go about cleaning my turtle shell? he is a red eared slider.

Answer 1

Why clean the shell?  A damp rag should do the trick if your turtle really needs it, but the turtle should stay pretty clean all by himself. If your turtle's shell has picked up mud from the water, try cleaning his tank.

Whatever you do... avoid Turtlewax.  :)

Answer 2

It's probably algae, which does no harm. If you must clean it, use an old soft toothbrush. Salt makes a decent abrasive. Just remember not to use that toothbrush on your teeth afterward.

Answer 3

This happened with one of my sliders before. I have never encountered this issue other than with him, which leads me to believe that it has something to do with the amount and/or content of his individual excrements, lol.

Anyhow, I used an old toothbrush to clean his shell. It's best to do this quickly and efficiently, a little while after feeding. That way he will stay as calm as possible. Just use light, circular motions, and do not press to hard. If there is a lot of that green scum, you might not do it all at once. Do a little, and once he starts getting agitated, give him a break. Once its clean, stay on top of keeping it that way!

Make sure his enclosure is cleaned often as well. Consider getting a filter or some snails to help maintain it. (Be aware that the snails will get eaten, however.)