Urgent Care :: Skin Problems

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Post Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 3:01 am   Skin Problems

My boyfriend and i recently got "petey" from a friend of mine that moved away. petey did not have a proper habitat when we got him. he was in a very small tank, almost like one of those critter keepers that you can get from a pet store for holding mice or spiders. he had no filtration system or a basking area. he had a rock and a little bit of water and that was it.
we bought him all of the necessary things and upgraded him to a 30 gallon tank. for a while he seemed like he was doing much better. when we got him he was very listless and hardley ate or moved around. now he's always moving and begging for food. but latly we have noticed that his shell has been peeling and he has these long stringy things hanging from under his front legs. i tried to tell my boyfriend that i think petey is growing because now hes in a much larger tank, but he is still concerned. thats his buddy so i am writing this to anyone who might be able to help put his fears to rest. petey is an older turtle, my friends mom owned him for about 6 years and my friend had him for about 4 or 5 years, but no one knows exactly how old he is. if anyone could please help me with any answers as to why his shell is peeling and why he has long string this under his front legs it would be most appreciated. thanks very much.

How big is your turtle? - About 5inches
How long have you had it? - About 4 months

What is the water temperature? - It usually varies from 75 to 80 degrees
Did you use a thermometer? - Yes
Are you using a water heater? - Yes
How much water is in there? - About 20 gallons
Are you using a water conditioner? - Yes
Are you using any filtration? - Yes

What is the basking temperature? about 90 degrees
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? i believe plastic
Is there a UVB light? yes

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

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? about 30 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

My boyfriend and i recently got "petey" from a friend of mine that moved away. petey did not have a proper habitat when we got him. he was in a very small tank, almost like one of those critter keepers that you can get from a pet store for holding mice or spiders. he had no filtration system or a basking area. he had a rock and a little bit of water and that was it.
we bought him all of the necessary things and upgraded him to a 30 gallon tank. for a while he seemed like he was doing much better. when we got him he was very listless and hardley ate or moved around. now he's always moving and begging for food. but latly we have noticed that his shell has been peeling and he has these long stringy things hanging from under his front legs. i tried to tell my boyfriend that i think petey is growing because now hes in a much larger tank, but he is still concerned. thats his buddy so i am writing this to anyone who might be able to help put his fears to rest. petey is an older turtle, my friends mom owned him for about 6 years and my friend had him for about 4 or 5 years, but no one knows exactly how old he is. if anyone could please help me with any answers as to why his shell is peeling and why he has long string this under his front legs it would be most appreciated. thanks very much.
jenna1986
 
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Joined: Feb 22, 2009

Post Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 4:23 am   

Without looking at photos, but reading from your tank's description, I think "petey"
is shedding schutes and skin. Shedding schutes is a good thing, considering the
upgraded environment. It'll give "petey" a healthy shell. Shedding skin, however,
might be caused by the water temperature. For a turtle that size (adult), water
temperature of around 75 degree F is adequate. Higher than that and the turtle
will shed more skin.

For a turtle 4 or 5 years old, "petey" is rather small at 5 inches. Most likely because
of the improper previous habitat. Keep caring for him well and you'll get a much
healthier "petey". Oh, upgrade to a larger tank if you can. You know the rule:
10 gallons of water per inch of straight shell length.

Good luck and keep up the good work :)
RES - Ramen <f> (51/4")
RES - Heine <f> (43/4")
Asian Leaf Turtle - unnamed <m> (53/4")
measured at Nov 24, 2012
< my turtles' pics >
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Kemul
 
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Joined: Aug 31, 2008
Location: Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 5:21 am   

I agree with Kemul, I think he's shedding now because he is in better conditions.
RyanJ
 
Posts: 68
Joined: Jan 24, 2009
Location: Calgary, Alberta Canada

Post Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 8:25 pm   

The upgrade in habitat could be contributing to the skin and scute shedding. Was his shell in poor condition from his prior enclosure? Out of curiosity, what are the water temp and basking area temp?
"You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed." -Antoine de Saint Exupery-
marisa
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