Urgent Care :: Ends of Shell turn upwards & Pyramiding

[MariGabie]

He's an awesome turtle with a not so awesome problem. This is Napoleon or Napi-po as everyone likes to call him. I've had him for a year and ever since i've had him the ends of his shell turn upwards. I don't know if it's because he has a problem with his shell or if it's just natural. Also his shell is pyramiding and i have no clue how to fix the problem. He's a sweet turtle and i wanna know if ne one has advice for me. Thanx [/img]

[sonyj]

There's a list of questions you need to answer when posting under the Urgent Care section. They are located at the top of the section. Please answer these for us to get an overall view of his habitat and lifestyle. This helps tremendously in trying to help you and your turtle.

Shell problems will occur without the proper lighting, diet, and basking area. Without knowing his set-up it's hard to say for sure.

Just so you know, the gravel should be removed ASAP. Turtles have been known to eat it and become impacted. Over time if they can't pass the stones, it will lead to a slow demise. Replacing the gravel with just a handful of river rocks for him to play with and push around is fine as long as they are much larger than his head. It will also help keep the water quality higher by not trapping debris.

[marisa]

What are you feeding him, how much and how often? Does your turtle have a UVB light as well as a heat source?

[CountryGirl68]

It doesn't look like there is enough water in the tank for your turtle. What size is the tank you have him in?

[cprcheetah]

From what I've read, overfeeding leads to a large intake of protein & fat that can lead to pyramiding. What is his diet like?

[MariGabie]

How big is your turtle? He's 4 inches wide..and almost 4 inches across
How long have you had it? 1 year and few months

What is the water temperature? Around 75
Are you using a water heater? No
How much water is in there? Half the tank is full of water
Are you using a water conditioner? I don't know what is meant by this but i have drops that you put into the water to take away the ammonia, chloramines and chlorine
Are you using any filtration? Yes.

What is the basking temperature?..None
Is there a basking light? There was..but it was making ALOT of algae in the water
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? Sort of
What kind is it or what is it made out of? I'm assuming plastic..but not for sure..It floates..but sinks a little when he's on it
Is there a UVB light?..Nope

What have you been trying to feed it? I just to put these veggies when i first got him but now it's all reptomin
When was the last time your turtle ate? yesterday morning

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 10 gallons..and i think he's ready of a 20 gallon tank
Is the tank near a window? No
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? I'm usually the one who walks in and out of it, my mom will occationally walk in too. His across the room from my bird too

Have you read the Basic Care section? Yep
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? Yep

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? No, besides the fact that he's a hyper little guy

*****
He use to try to eat the gravel before..now he doesn't. i got bigger rocks he doesn't even bother with it anymore. But i definately think he's grown out of his 10 gallon tank. Plus that island that he has floats..but when he's on it it was start to sink, not all the way but enough for me to notice that he needs another one.

[sonyj]

He outgrew his ten gallon when he was 1 inch in length. He should be in at least a 40 gallon now with as much water as it can hold. Minimum tank size is 10 gallons per inch of turtle. As he grows his home should as well. When he's full grown he will need a 90 gallon tank.

The shell problems you are seeing are do to the basking situation. Without the proper lighting he will develop serious shell problems. Metabolic Bone Disease can occur if there is no UVB light where he absorb the calcium that his shell and bones need to stay healthy. He also needs the heat light to encourage him to bask and help digest his food. Without basking on a regular basis his shell can not completely dry and will be more likely to get shell rot or other illnesses.

Even if you aren't seeing him do it, he could still be eating it. If it doesn't pass from his system then it can lead to him requiring surgery or a long slow death if it isn't caught soon enough. It's not worth taking the chance and should be removed.