Urgent Care :: Sudden white under shell

[prdmommyof3]

My son has 2 RES, both for about 3 years. I noticed this weekend while cleaning the tank that one of them has a visibly sick under shell, it is white & soft, some black areas, and the "normal" areas are very scarce. I apologize in advance if this has been answered, however I spent quite a while looking on here for an answer or indicative solution as to what this may be or how how to cure it. There are not any exotic vets that I know of in the area...

The other turtle is doing very well, and the one referred to in this concern is not "acting" sick at all. Still has a great appetite and is as feisty as ever!

Any suggestions you have to offer would be great!

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[vic021]

im thinking it might be calcium build up but it can also be shell rot though so i would try to wash his shell (i put mine in a little container with a little bit of water and then use a tooth brush to brush the shell and clean it) and see if it goes away if not i would try to find a vet and use yellow pages and look up some vets and see what they have to say about it

[prdmommyof3]

Thanks for your reply. It definitely isn't calcium deposit, because the shell is peeling off. Once dried, it is a little harder, but still noticeably softer than the top shell.

[prdmommyof3]

BUMP

[seano997]

Is it soft when you press on it or does it smell bad?

[prdmommyof3]

When wet, it is a lot softer than when dry. I left her out of the tank all night to dry off, and her under shell was harder. It wasn't as hard as the top or surrounding "normal" areas on the bottom, but still a little impressionable.

It does not smell at all, nor seem to bother her when I press on it. I'm thinking it is a fungus of some sort, but can't really find a lot of supporting information online to confirm that it IS a fungus, or how to treat it.

I read that salt water is good, but fear that it is harmful for the turtle. Also, anti fungal creams...but there aren't specifics on the type or dose.

Thanks for your help!

[seano997]

Here are a couple of ideas on what it might be.

http://www.redearslider.com/shell_conditions.html

"
Fungus

A white cotton-like coating or patch over the shell may be a fungal infection. Fungus may appear in varying degrees of whitish to brownish color. Inadequate filtration and lack of basking greatly contribute to this condition. If this condition is caught early, it should be easy to treat once you provide a proper habitat. A commercial product such as Repti Turtle Sulfa Dip (sodium chloride, sulfisoxazole andneomycin sulfate) allows you to prevent and control external bacterial diseases and fungal infections. If the condition is excessive or does not improve, then you should consult a veterinarian for an appropriate diagnosis and medication.

Mineral Deposits

A build up of minerals on your turtle's shell is another water quality-related condition. Having hard water - water that is high in dissolved minerals, specifically calcium and magnesium - will lead to this whitish build up all over the shell. This is not a threatening condition but it should be addressed. Refer to the hard water section regarding solutions. "

[Kemul]

It looks like fungal infection and the beginning of shell rot, since you said it's soft
when you press on it. The best remedy is to go to a vet and get silver sulfadiazine
cream (if I spell it correctly). You need to dry dock the turtle when applying the
cream. The vet will let you know the right procedure. I don't think it'll matter if
the vet is an exotic animal vet. All vets should have basic knowledge about the
main animal groups.

Cheaper and not really correct method is to use a wide spectrum antifungal cream
for humans, for example the cream to cure athlete's foot. What you do is dry the
turtle, then clean the infected area with betadine and let dry for about 15 minutes.
Next, you apply the cream and keep the turtle in a dry place (dry docking) for
a day. At night, clean the cream thoroughly first before putting the turtle back
into the tank. You need to clean the tank thoroughly to avoid reinfection. Do
this for several days until no more white patches.

To avoid this, you need to make sure the turtles can dry out several times
daily while basking. Drying the shell makes fungus can't grow.

I've done what I described above, but my turtle's shell wasn't soft. In the end,
the shell shedded revealing healthy shell underneath. If anyone thinks this is
"dangerous" for the turtle, feel free to comment.

[marisa]

It's fungus. Does your RES have a basking area where he can completely dry off or does his plastron rest on a wet or damp surface?

I would not use any cream that's meant for humans without a herp vet's say so.

[prdmommyof3]

Yes, the turtles have a large dock under their heat lamp that is free of water, except for what they drip onto it when they climb up. Like I mentioned, we've had them over 3 years, and never had any issues.

I'll schedule an appointment with our dog's vet to get the cream. Thanks for the attention & suggestion!!