Urgent Care :: What could this be? white stuff grows on plastron scute

[Bernie]

Marisa--It's an Exo Tera Sun Glo blub. Gets hot and also provides UVB rays.

Here are some pics:

Burg several months ago:


Burg this week:




What do you guys think?

[Bernie]

Does anyone have any feedback?

Please?

[TheComputerGremlin]

Hi, I think the feedback already came in that you need to get a better habitat for your turtle. Also, I don't believe the Exo Terra Sun Glo is a UVB light, I think it's a heat and UVA light bulb. Look into buying the Exo Terra Repti Glo 5.0 bulb, that has 5% UVB. As best as I've read about the Sun Glo is that it doesn't say UVB on it. Aside from that, upgrade the habitat and get UVB rays onto the shell and the shedding should start.

[Bernie]

Thanks. I'm planning on moving her into her new tank this weekend. And it looks like you're right about the light, I found the specs online and it doesn't have UVB rays. ARG!

I will pick that up as well.

As for the pics, is my diagnosis accurate or am I just paranoid?

[TheComputerGremlin]

I'm not the most experienced RES owner, but I think your turtle looks fine. The scutes will darken over time and your turtle will be more brown as it ages, not green like the babies. My RES is undergoing his first shed, he's just taking a long while to do it, so I'm still learning. But your RES definitely looks healthier than Mikey does right now, he looks like he's falling apart, pieces of skin and shell everywhere!

[marisa]

Bernie, the Sun Glo in the bulb's name is a tip-off that it's not a UVB light (which you now know). Regular UVB lights are flourescent and don't give off heat.

It looks lie Burg hasn't shed in a good long time---you can see the layers of scutes particularly well in the first pic. And the overall condition of the shell looks like he hasn't had the best of living conditions. TheComputerGremlin is right---your turtle needs a better habitat (and it's good that you're starting to provide this). Basking under correct lighting (the heat and UVB lights) will help his shell, as will a healthy, balanced diet (and don't overfeed). It took time for his shell to get this way, and it will take time for it to improve.

[Bernie]

Thanks you guys for your help. As it turned out, I had a UVB light I just hadn't used yet. I changed it out tonight and used a toothbrush on her shell to get rid of the algae.

I am still not convinced she doesn't have the bacteria, but I am very hopeful that your advice will help her get better or prevent any health problems.

[steve]

From those pics, it does not look like a fungal/yeast infection. An improved setup can make a dramatic difference, keep us updated.

[SpotsMama]

Hi Bernie,

I'm sorry I've been away for awhile - computer stopped working.

On her carapace, it doesn't look to me like she has a yeast infection either. She does seem to need to shed some scutes, which as others have said, will hopefully happen after her habitat has been upgraded.

On the plastron, though, I still think there is a problem. And I think a clue as to why it's happened is in one of your recent photos up above. Looks like she's gotten so heavy she's sinking her dock when she basks so her plastron isn't really getting a chance to dry off like it needs to. When you upgrade her habitat, you need to get her a dock she can't sink so that her plastron can dry off every day. Otherwise, the infection on her plastron will get worse and worse.

On the lighting, it's good that you've got her a good UVB light now - what brand and strength is it, by the way? However, she also needs a heat light bulb. If you're using a compact fluorescent for UVB, it won't provide the heat she needs to motivate her to bask. Setups like yours actually require two bulbs for the basking.

[amsude]

Well i have an appointment at 5:30 today with a vet here in Plano.
Speedy got a new tank about a month ago and ever since then he kinda hasn't been himself. He swims a lot and i am not sure if he is eating wont' eat out of my hand at all. We have noticed small white spots. So i tookd his turtle bone out thinking it might be too much calcium. Then last night my husband said he basked all day. I noticed when i got home from work he looked awfully white. I don't know if he basked too much but i got nervous. I turned his light off and woke up early to turn it on this am and see how he was doing. Well he didn't look as white and he was sleeping peacefully. I did notice that the shell on the top looked like it had to slits in it. Oh and i remembered to put the turtle bone back in the tank. When he saw it he started to chewing on that. That made me feel good. I am still nervous that maybe taking the turtle bone screwed him up. We need to completely change his tanks the water is low but foggy. Has been ever since we put Speedy in there.
I think this was more of me just typing to make me feel i am doing the right thing and I didn't screw him up.
We also just started veggies and I am wondering if that could have anything to do with these changes?

Thank you all for listening

[SpotsMama]

Hi AmSuDe,

Why don't you start a separate thread on your turtle. This thread actually belongs to someone else and is on a different subject. If you start your own thread you'll get much better responses from people. I can understand your concern and I think from the little you've said we can make helpful suggestions. It's very good that you are taking Speedy to see a vet - let us know how it goes when you get back.

[amsude]

Yes I am sorry thought i did but messed up somewhere