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ok, so i'm really not sure if this is normal or not and i figured that i would ask...

after my last turtle disaster with shell rot, i am extremely careful and i try to check my turtle's shell at two times a week. yesterday when i lifted him out of the water he, like, exploded bubbles...i didn't see where the the bubbles came from but it was like a burst. then when he was out of the water he hissed at me! maurice is a male and i thought that maybe it is common among males for being aggressive or defensive or something...but then again i've never owned a female so i wouldn't know.

also, after all my routine checkups on his shell, i'm still paranoid that he might have the beginnings of shell rot. i have some pics of it and i'll get them on here but at the moment i don't have the connection to the computer. does anyone know exactly what the beginnings of shell rot look like? i only know what it looks like when it's too late.

anyway, thanks for helping me out!

if you havent started feeding him the cuttlebone (sp) start asap....make sure you lighting is right so that his shell can dry out...thats a starter....and get everyone a pic so they can tell you more

i coat his food in calcium but i don't have any cuttlebone...is it the same thing? also...what about the hissing and bubbles? does anyone know about that?

here's my baby! i'm concerned about the wrinkles and also the redness around there (on both sides). so...what do you think turtlepeople?

I don't know what the other folks will say, but to me your turtle has an absolutely gorgeous shell. Looks very healthy to me.

Hissing is a normal thing when you pick up a turtle that doesn't want to be picked up. I believe the expel air when they pull their heads into their shells quickly. Mine does this on occasion. He's pretty used to being picked up by now but once in a while I'll catch him in a bad mood and "hisssss", just like a snake!

I don't know about the bubbles. Has it happened again? Probably just some air trapped under his shell.

A cuttlebone is a natural source of the calcium that you're dusting his food with. They're stiff and shaped like little surf boards. You find them in the bird secton of the pet store because parakeets eat them too.

Besides being sure he gets plenty of calcium in his diet, it's also important for your turtle to bask every day so his shell has a chance to completely dry out, and he needs to bask under a UVB light or natural sun. These are ways to be sure he doesn't develop shell rot.

oh good, so it is normal! is spot a male too? maybe my theory was right...maybe not! lol!

oh and thank you! maurice loves getting compliments!

i actually haven't taken him out in a while...after the hissing event i wasn't in a hurry to make him angry again. i'll see though and maybe try to see where they are coming from.

this is a silly question, but can a turtle OD on calcium? and do you think that the calcium dust is enough?

yeah, i already knew that. see, this is why i'm worried because he doesn't bask...at least, not yet anyway. i asked around and a few other people said that it might be because i haven't had him long enough yet and he's still adapting to his new habitat. i'm worried that he's not getting enough of the UVB. anyway, thanks so much for the feedback!

I agree, I didn't see any signs of an unhealthy shell or turtle, if anything, the shell is in great condition, flawless really.

His shell looks great. To prevent Shell rot, make sure he *completely* dries off periodically (where he is out of the water for about 4 hours at a time). Most turts do this by basking on a dock. Make sure the dock is sturdy enough so that none of his shell is in the water when he is on it. And make sure the UVA is strong enough (warm enough) to encourage him to bask & dry off.

Hissing is normal for the males. They are a little harder to "train" and are more suspicious of humans than the females (and more aggressive....just trying to show you who's boss!), but honestly, the way to their hearts is thru their stomachs. Whenever you work with him (take him out of the tank & play with him gently on the floor for a while...let him climb on you) give him a tasty little treat before you put him back in the tank. Interaction helps. Hissing may not completely stop ever, but I guarantee that over time, it will lessen. Make sure you also feed him by hand too so that he associates you with food.

You're worried about shell rot with a shell that looks like that? It looks fine to me.

If you startled your turtle and he withdrew his head in response, the hissing is the air being let out of the lungs to make way for the head.

hey thanks guys! i feel a lot better knowing that you all think his shell looks good! i'm just really paranoid, like i said...

thanx again guys! he's so active and happy! i think that i'm doing everything right this time!