General Care Discussion :: Weird spots situation

[Starchick]

Ok, this is an odd situation. When we got Hercules, he had a few spots that looked like they were getting ready to shed, sort of bubbles under the surface of the shell. I think he's close to shedding soon, I see more and more spots forming all over his shell and the big ones that have been there are getting bigger and bigger. The thing is, a few of them are sort of turning white underneath. I'm worried that water somehow got trapped in there and maybe there's something going on, but I can't imagine how to treat it until after he sheds because it's completely under the surface. The spots feel totally normal, not soft at all, no smell, just this opaque white stuff in them. I'll post the pic I have, not sure if it'll help much. Has anyone ever seen this before? Is there anything I should be doing? I do the hibiclense once a week as a preventative. EDIT: Added a closer cropped picture for detail.

[Hoooneylynn]

I really dont know what that could be! It looks like he is starting to shed... and I dont know how you would treat it cause, like you said, he needs to shed those scutes first! Are pieces actually peeling up yet? Like... I dont see any pieces that are peeled halfway and are still attached.. but if so, when you push on the pieces that are starting to peel off, do you see water move /come out from underneath the scute?

[Starchick]

They haven't started peeling up yet at all, but I'm hoping that they will very soon. I tried pushing on the spots to check for softness or any kind of movement but there was nothing, it feels very solid and nothing came out.

[Hoooneylynn]

Well, its a good sign if they dont smell, and they arent soft. Does he eat cuttlebone? Shedding is a good sign too... I really think that if he had a shell problem, he wouldnt be shedding... thats just my opinion though.

[Starchick]

Hmm, that's reassuring though. He always has cuttlebone in the tank, although it tends to get waterlogged and sink, and I'm not sure if he eats it after that happens. He got a fresh chunk last night at least.

[SpotsMama]

My turtle won't eat a cuttlebone that's not fresh. I've read that other people's turtle's won't either. Once it sinks, it's sunk!

Maybe I'm not understanding the photo, but it looks to me like those white areas are etched into the shell. Are they raised, lower than the rest of the shell, or at the same level?

[Starchick]

The bright white spots to the far far left seem to be closer to the surface than the others. The big spot in the middle of the second picture is the main one I'm worried about, as it started out looking normal, like one of those silvery spots you see when they're underwater, then the white stuff on the left half of the spot started to develop. And that seems to be under at least one layer of the shell. I wasn't able to scrape off any of the ones that appear to be at the surface with a fingernail, and they all feel perfectly smooth and flat.

[grey goose]

Some parts look like shedding, others look like dents and chips. Is he banging into or rubbing against something in the tank?

[Starchick]

What part looks like chips to you? I don't think there's anything, his whole shell feels smooth, even the funky looking parts.

[DavidY]

Hmmm, could it be mineral deposits from hard water? I doubt that would be reason for concern if it is. Turtle's shells seem to get kind of funky as they get older. I'm sure certain elements in the water contribute to that. If it's not soft and mushy, or smelly, or pitted (like something eating into the shell), and the turtle seems happy and healthy otherwise, I wouldn't get too worried about it. Maybe just keep an eye out for other symptoms, or take him in for a checkup just to be safe.

[marisa]

It kind of looks like some white debris (from cuttlebone, powder?) has become trapped in/under the shell...