Ok so with all of the above being said we will now look at how to treat turtle shell rot. If left untreated, this infection can work its way into a turtle's body cavity, which can be fatal. Shell rot is contagious, so you will need to immediately separate your turtles. It’s not a pleasant thing to have to deal with! Strangely enough, ticks can attach themselves to tortoises very easily, and will provide that essential penetrative injury shell-rot pathogens need to establish themselves. Shell rot can occur on both the carapace (top ½ of the shell) and plastron (bottom ½ of the shell). Here is one source that sells Dr. Turtle. Snapping turtles are also carriers of shell rot, hypovitaminosis A and D, Proteus infection and lumps and tumors.

Over time, the bones are weakened. Mild cases can be treated at home with chlorhexidine cleanings, dry docking your RES and cleaning the tank/filter. Treating it at home is really easy if you follow along with this guide, however there are some items that you will need to hand to treat it … However, it is highly unlikely that these would be transferred to humans. The medical term for shell rot is ulcerative shell disease. Shell rot looks really bad: Their bodies and shells are attached. No. Home Treatment for Mild Shell Rot in Turtles WARNING: If your turtle has any signs of pus or sticky wet areas on the damaged shell, take the animal to an experienced exotic animal veterinarian without delay. The infection will rot away at the shell and if left alone can rot through the bone and into the body cavity, which can be fatal. i have a 22 long rifle.i want to shoot it when i get it out the water.can i and is it safe to shoot the turtle?will the hollow point bullet go thru the shell… i have about ten snapping turtles living in my pond and they kill my fish. Severe infection will kill the turtle quickly.

Similarly, turtle fungus can be mistaken for shell rot. To prevent shell rot it is essential that you maintain a clean environment for your turtles. Shell rot generally gives off a bad smell, and the topmost layer may look blotched and filled with fluid. Fungal growths look like small raised greenish patches and can grow quite quickly. It is your job as a diligent turtle owner to check your turtle(s) for shell rot. Symptoms are basically the same, whether the shell rot is caused by an injury or an underlying condition, and … For a turtle or any animal to be healthy, it is necessary for the calcium to phosphorus ratio to be at around 2:1.

Knowing what shell rot looks like is an important step in keeping your turtle healthy.

Dirty water, and lack of appropriate basking area and light are the most likely culprits. How to treat turtle shell rot. However, it is highly unlikely that these would be transferred to humans.

More often than not, however, you will be able to almost intuitively know the difference between shell rot and simple hard water (or fungal infection). Turtles do not pop into and out of their shells like their heads and limbs.

Turtle" also should help kill fungus. Causes of soft shell in turtles At the root of this problem lies the issue of calcium levels, but it isn’t as simple as just not having enough calcium in the diet. Shell rot can be hard to detect in box turtles unless you inspect for it.