Urgent Care :: HELP!! Shell Skin Peel?

[k9ck024]

Hi, I noticed that my RES's shell layer can peel. It is like a snake peel off its skin. Is there a problem with my turtles? And is it ok for me to peel of its shell layer?? Thanks

[Nettle]

Shedding scutes is normal. It's just like when snakes peel off their old skin. Don't help them peel it off, though. You could cause more harm than good. It's best to just let it come off naturally, even though it takes a very long time.

[mikee]

Do not help in taking scutes off or helping them come off. It would be like me yanking your finger nail off and exposing the raw skin. It is a normal process and let nature take its course. Just make sure the water is very clean and thr turtle can bask properly with uvb lighting.

[k9ck024]

what will happen if i fell of its scutes

[marisa]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say here---do you mean what would happen if you felt the scutes to see if they're loose? If you filed off his scutes (I hope this isn't what you mean)?

If you leave them alone, from what you described, they'll come off fine on their own.

[mikee]

k9-24 --Again, leave them alone!. Nature has a way of getting them off. They have been around millions of years with no help getting their scutes removed. You may cause an infection or make a place where fungus can get started. Clean water and plenty of proper basking is in order. m.

[k9ck024]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say here---do you mean what would happen if you felt the scutes to see if they're loose? If you filed off his scutes (I hope this isn't what you mean)?

If you leave them alone, from what you described, they'll come off fine on their own.

sorry i mean i peel off its scutes before i post the question here. what will happen?

[k9ck024]

if i change the water and have proper basking will my turtle be fine??

[k9ck024]

Now im so scared now!!

i post the same question on allturtles.com and one person said

"peeling it off can cause more bad than good. i remember seeing a picture i forgot the link the owner peeled off his shell and its intestines was sticking form the outside of the shell. it wasnt pretty trust me. it wasnt bleeding but the damage was really critical. i asked the same question and its said that peeling the old skin causes more harm and its true"


Is that really true??

[TheComputerGremlin]

DO NOT PEEL OFF ANY SCUTES. Let nature get them off. If you have peeled any off (which don't ever do again), look very carefully at the turtle underneath. Is there any bleeding or raw skin or internal organs? If so, take your turtle to a vet.

Yes, if you peel off a scute that isn't ready to come off, you can open up the turtle's insides and have intestines come out. So don't do it.

You sound very inexperienced with animals. In the future, don't do anything like this. Talk to the board and get opinions BEFORE doing anything. Just because you may not have hurt your turtle this time doesn't mean you will be so lucky next time.

[k9ck024]

DO NOT PEEL OFF ANY SCUTES. Let nature get them off. If you have peeled any off (which don't ever do again), look very carefully at the turtle underneath. Is there any bleeding or raw skin or internal organs? If so, take your turtle to a vet.

Yes, if you peel off a scute that isn't ready to come off, you can open up the turtle's insides and have intestines come out. So don't do it.

You sound very inexperienced with animals. In the future, don't do anything like this. Talk to the board and get opinions BEFORE doing anything. Just because you may not have hurt your turtle this time doesn't mean you will be so lucky next time.

wait i dont think it is scutes. actually it is top layer of the scutes. like it is a skin or something. like snakes old skin. i didnt peel of its scutes but the top layer of the scutes

[mikee]

k9-24 -- All of the scutes are stacked and they come off one at a time as they grow. If you haven't damaged it too much the others will come off by them selves. If you pulled it off, it came off too soon. I hope it does not get infected. Good Luck!!

[marisa]

How much resistance was there when you peeled the scutes off? If it was minimal, and the scutes pretty much came off whole, then there probably wasn't any real damage. In the future, though, leave them alone until they're ready to come off on their own---the underlying scute will be ready to take the place of the one that shed.

[k9ck024]

How much resistance was there when you peeled the scutes off? If it was minimal, and the scutes pretty much came off whole, then there probably wasn't any real damage. In the future, though, leave them alone until they're ready to come off on their own---the underlying scute will be ready to take the place of the one that shed.

actually i peel of the top layer of the scutes. not the whole scutes.

[hdaisog]

If it is very thin very narrow pieces with the consistency of skin it may be what happened to a turtle I am fostering. His first shed has been very thin and not scute shapped. The vet said it is because he was malnourished and not given proper habitat with his previous owners. It basically looked like the skin that sheds when I get a bad sun burn.

I'm not sure how long you have had your turtle or what kind of habitat and nutrition it has, but you should research and make sure you are doing everything right.

Since you already peeled it off there isn't anything you can do except see what happens, but in the future don't peel anything off.