It is a mistake to think that turtles are unpretentious creatures that have lived without problems for hundreds of years. By no means! Like all other animals, turtles have their own diseases . Therefore, bearing responsibility for your pet, you should have at least a minimum knowledge about the diseases of turtles and their symptoms. For example, a tortoise soft shell - what to do? If this disease, then how to help your pet?
Soft shell of a tortoise
First of all, do not panic if your pet does not have another year - the turtles-children of the abdominal and dorsal shells completely keratinize only by the year. In all other cases, softening of the shell is a symptom of the disease. Of the most common reasons why turtles, red-eared, including, the shell became soft, it should be noted the following:
- Violation of living conditions and non-balanced diet. What is meant? First of all, the lack of ultraviolet light. In the summer, it would be good to take the turtle out into the open air, but protect it from direct sunlight. In winter, arrange artificial ultraviolet irradiation under a special lamp (Warning: Protect the eyes of the turtle! For the duration of the procedure, they must be covered, for example, with a band-aid). Introduce in the diet of multivitamins, focusing on vitamin D, and to increase the amount of calcium in the body, increase the amount of minced fish in the diet with bones, shrimps or shellfish along with the shell. Do not forget about the medicinal preparations of calcium.
- With a sufficient amount of calcium in the diet, its deficiency in the turtle's body, and as a result - the turtle becomes soft shell, can be observed if the thyroid gland, kidneys or intestines are broken. Often, in such cases, the turtle raises its temperature, reddening of the mucous membrane of the eyes is observed, the edges of the shell can be bent or on it swellings and tubercles develop. With such symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor.