Is my turtle's shell rotting? pics provided?

Question

I've circles the areas where his shell looks different. I just noticed it when I went to go feed him.

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/5492/y021hg0.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2172/y022ep8.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/8850/y020ij9.jpg (best quality i think)

Here are some things that might help with the investigation:

I cleaned his tank yesterday (changed filter, scrubbed the water stains off with white vinegar, changed the water, etc.)

Been only feeding him carrots or fruit this past week since I ran out of greens

He hasn't had a white disease block thing for about a month or so.

He's very active and eats fine

His sleep schedule/lighting has been an hour or two off lately since school started and I get home a bit later.

The stuff on his shell looks like yellow decay looking dead shells pieces? I dont know but he's got four (three on his left side and 1 by his rear).

Answer 1

take it to a vet or petco they shuld be able to give u an answer

Answer 2

That's a baby... you mentioned greens and fruit, but what about protein?  Are you including a pellet, live rosy minnows-guppies, gut loaded insects in his diet?  Babies need more meat than plants/veggies, and that flip-flops as adults.

Feeding:

http://reslider.free.fr/backup/feeding.h...

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/ca...

Do you keep a bird cuttle bone in the water to supply the calcium he needs?

These are some sites on illnesses/ailments.

I can't really tell from the photo what the patch looks like.  Check out the photos and descriptions in the links, and see if you can actually determine what the trouble is.  Some suggest home treatment, and others will tell you to see a vet, if it's something which needs anitibiotic treatment.

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/me...

http://www.geocities.com/margareth100.ge...

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/me...

If you don’t already know of a qualified exotics/reptile vet in your area, google: “Herpetological Society” -or-

http://www.herpvetconnection.com/  for the one closest to you.

Good luck, and I hope the lil guy gets well soon.

I hope this has been helpful.

Answer 3

Sure is little and his color is good.

You didn't mention any fish?  He is probably lacking in calcium. Thats wht fish is so needed. Calcium from the fish bones ans protein from the meat.

The bigger the environment the bigger the healthier the turtle. Remember 10 gallons for every inch of turtle. I have used kiddy pools and plastic pond liners from most nurseries and worked great.

Did you know that they need to bask under a reptile light UVA/UVB for 8 to 10 hrs a day for the vitamin D that they need to grow. So that means getting a turtle dock also.

Leave the heater on 75 to 78 degrees always. These turtles in captivity do not hibernate their eating may slow down some but they will not hibernate.

Their water needs to be clean otherwise they get sick easily from dirty water cause they p**p allot.

Total Body length: 5-8" average, up to 12 inches max. Life span: 15-25+ years

Males have the longer front nails and are used in mating. And are considered mature at about 5 yrs old. You can’t start sexing till about  3” across.

You need a good filter system! Gravel larger than they can swallow.

You need to feed them feeder guppies, goldfish or minnows for protein and calcium daily drop 20 or so in the tanks and watch them disappear in a few days! When I got these two 36 yrs ago all we had in back then  were goldfish to feed , so after 36 yrs and still going strong. They can eat goldfish! I spend about 175.00 a month on fish ,goldfish and minnows. An Extra  75.00 on leafy greens and dried cubed tubiflex worms.

This way when they swim for their dinner they get exercise also!

They sleep at the bottom of rivers, streams. lakes or ponds or your tank to avoid predators like coyotes,  foxes, owls, hawks, possums, raccoons and even some wide mouth bass.

TOSS in a bird cuttle bone in the water for calcium. it will dissolve real slow and if they eat it that’s fine!!

They can have garden worms, meal worms, snails, crickets, flies, crayfish small frogs, dragon flies and  anything that moves, but only as a treat.

They need leafy greens Romaine, Butter lettuce. (Iceberg and cabbage are bad for them, any other leafy greens will do) for vitamin A that they need at least 3 to 4 times a week.

You probably already know that they get sick easily, shell rot, respiratory sickness, lopsided swimming, coughing, blowing bubbles from their nose.

**Swollen cloudy eyes means lacking in Vitamin A. Which we all need for good eyes. Google ‘vegetables with Vitamin A.

**Contact the “www.anapsid.org/societies, for a turtle vet /  rescue in your city and state.

I wish you luck.

http://flickr.com/photos/29035692@N03/se...

Answer 4

YOUR TURTLE IS FINE no need to take him to the vet. mine has that too i took him to my pet store that i work att and they said that i dont hae enuff calcium in the water.

Answer 5

it could be a number of things could be shell rot could be his shell is chipping u need to go to the store and get some vegetable oil and rub his shell down with that a couple times a week you also need to get reptile vitamins you can probably find that at like petsmart or petco and sprinkle a little bit of that on his food once a week  

Answer 6

You should take him to the vet.