Possible shell rot?
Hello all,
I have yet another I THINK I HAVE A SICK RED EARED SLIDER post. I should note that I am very attached to my turtle and I am incredibly neurotic, so I'm hoping he's just a normal happy turtle.
He is less than a year old. He's been very healthy thus far. He has ample room and his water is always warm. His water is usually always clean, though this past month I've had a little trouble keeping up because his filter broke (I have already got a new one) but it was less than five days that his water was a little grosser than I would like it. He has something to climb on to bask and a lamp. I inherited him from a friend and I am starting to suspect that the lamp he gave me was not UV. I've ordered one and it should be here tomorrow. That fear has certainly just made more nervous.
Here are the symptoms. He's been eating fine, and I don't think he has any repository problems. My concern is his shell. I'm afraid he has shell rot, which is possible considering he had a dirty tank and possibly no UV. He has black bits on his shell. It's on three of his separate geometric bits. I'm not exactly sure what they are called. Where he has the dark spots the rest of that area is much paler than the rest of his shell. There is no oozing or bad smell. It doesn't come off when rubbed and it isn't soft. I tried cleaning him a bit with a toothbrush earlier, and he freaked out much more than he usually does. When I did that a bit of his shell shed. It was clear and seemed to be what is acceptable for them to shed, but under that bit it was paler and there were more black spots. There are not white spots.
I'm asking this here before I go to a vet because they are expensive. So is he just growing and that is the new color of his shell, or is this an early stage of shell rot. I know you are not vets, but I would like an opinion.
I have yet another I THINK I HAVE A SICK RED EARED SLIDER post. I should note that I am very attached to my turtle and I am incredibly neurotic, so I'm hoping he's just a normal happy turtle.
He is less than a year old. He's been very healthy thus far. He has ample room and his water is always warm. His water is usually always clean, though this past month I've had a little trouble keeping up because his filter broke (I have already got a new one) but it was less than five days that his water was a little grosser than I would like it. He has something to climb on to bask and a lamp. I inherited him from a friend and I am starting to suspect that the lamp he gave me was not UV. I've ordered one and it should be here tomorrow. That fear has certainly just made more nervous.
Here are the symptoms. He's been eating fine, and I don't think he has any repository problems. My concern is his shell. I'm afraid he has shell rot, which is possible considering he had a dirty tank and possibly no UV. He has black bits on his shell. It's on three of his separate geometric bits. I'm not exactly sure what they are called. Where he has the dark spots the rest of that area is much paler than the rest of his shell. There is no oozing or bad smell. It doesn't come off when rubbed and it isn't soft. I tried cleaning him a bit with a toothbrush earlier, and he freaked out much more than he usually does. When I did that a bit of his shell shed. It was clear and seemed to be what is acceptable for them to shed, but under that bit it was paler and there were more black spots. There are not white spots.
I'm asking this here before I go to a vet because they are expensive. So is he just growing and that is the new color of his shell, or is this an early stage of shell rot. I know you are not vets, but I would like an opinion.
