Shell cracks?

[montecarloz38]

Hey guys I've had my Russian for close to a year now. I feed him premium lettuces since I work in a produce department. But recently I noticed that there are a few surface cracks on his shell. I do not think it goes deep, it looks more like a scratch on a wood surface would look. I am not sure how long he had it but I did not notice it before. Is this normal ?


Also if you guys dont mind telling me if this is a male ?

Thank you.

[moeNlily]

Hi,
Do you provide UVB lighting for him? and do you use cuttlebone or a supplement? Are there things in his enclosure that he can squeeze under and scrape up his shell?

[montecarloz38]

I use 75w heat lamp with uvb rays and on ocations I will turn on a 28" uvb florescent light.
Just purchased a bone for him but he has not touched it, and no nothing heavy in there, but he will try to dig in the corner and 10 to 20 minutes, maybe he damaged it by trying to go though the aquarium ?

[Jules]

Is it soft under the cracks?  How long have you had the tort? 

The UVB is VERY important for shell development.  What type of bulb is the heat/UV?

How big is the tort?  http://russiantortoise.org/measure.htm   From the pictures it may be too small to tell sex. 

[montecarloz38]

http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?familyid=12323&Ntt=repti%20halogen&OneResultRedirect=1
75w version, and sometimes I turn on a compact florescent light from an aquarium light that I switched out to a UV bulb.

I will feel it tomorrow and measure him (he is a sleep now). But I don't think its soft underneath, I am almost certain its a surface crack, as if your skin was cracked on top.

[Joe H]

That 75 watt bulb doesn't have UVB.

The compact uvb bulbs are at best low output and at worst very dangerous.

The shell looks like a growth spurt with old shell rot. Keep a close eye on it and if it starts looking worse, get it to a vet.

It looks like a young male

[montecarloz38]

Thank you for advice. So do not use compact florescent? If I can remember correctly its rated for 28w.
 

[Joe H]

I wouldn't/won't use them. The manufacturers are making improvements in them, but its a toss up if you are getting a good bulb or a dangerous one. To me its not worth the risk.

[montecarloz38]

What do you use or what would you recommend if taking him outside is just not an option (for another year until I move to a house)

[Joe H]

What do you use or what would you recommend if taking him outside is just not an option (for another year until I move to a house)

I use the T-Rex uvheat bulb.
http://www.carolinapetsupply.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=44

[goatlady13]

When I took Stuart to the vet they debrided the area...looked similar to yours but not as deep...and I had to wash him in a mild iodine solution with a toothbrush every day, then rinse and dry.  His shell looks good as new now!  The ver said if you get scutes that are loose then stuff can get under them as turn to shell rot pretty easily.  HTH Terri O