Turles are very unique pets to choose to raise, and these pets will also come with their own sets of unique illnesses and ailments.
If your pet’s shell is turning brown you’d likely worry. This article looks into why your turtle’s shell is turning brown
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Why is my turtle shell turning brown?
Understanding your pet turtle’s problems will make you a better turtle owner, and it will help as you know when to take your pet to the vet
Here are reasons why your turtle’s shell may be turning brown:
Your baby turtle is growing:
If the turtle in question has a lighter-colored shell, green or a yellow shell, and the shell has started turning brown then this simply happened because the little animal is growing up.
Your pet’s body will go through a lot of changes as it grows, changes including changes to the shell. One of the changes that you’ll see is a darkening of the shell, other changes include a hardening of the shell and the shell increasing in size.
What to do:
This shell color change is quite normal for turtles and isn’t something that you’d need to worry about, this shell change is inevitable.
As long as the shell colour change is normal to the species then your pet is fine.
If your pet starts to act distressed along with the shell color change, if it starts acting sick, or if it starts acting out of the ordinary then you may have to worry.
Shell rot:
Another reason why your turtle’s shell may be turning brown is because the animal has shell rot. Shell rot causes a discoloration of your turtle’s shell.
The shell of a turtle with shell rot will develop a white, yellowish, or green mould-like material on it and this will discolor the shell.
If your turtle naturally has a darker shell, if the shell is black or dark brown, almost black, then the white material on the shell may make the shell look light brown.
Other signs of this condition in your pet include small pits or divots in the shell, bloody discharge from the shell, lifting of the shell plates, softening of the shell plates, a foul-smelling odor coming from the shell, a slimy layer on the shell and shell plates falling off.
What to do:
Shell rot is treatable and it is treatable at home if you catch it early enough. Treating this condition at home involves cleaning and applying medication to the shell.
Start off by giving your pet a warm saltwater soak and then drying it off well. Then brush the animal’s shell using a soft bristled brush removing all the dirt. Rinse and dry the shell off after this
Once the shell is dry, give the shell a betadine soak, soak the entire shell. Once done use an antibiotic cream on the infected parts of the shell.
Repeat this process for several weeks but only do the betadine soak once.
Dry dock your pet more often as a way of keeping it away from water but still allow the turtle to get in the water to eat and poop. Give your pet 1 hour of time in the water per day.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other turtle/tortoise related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Red-Eared Slider Breathing Heavily, Turtle Blowing Bubbles Out Of His Mouth, Red Eared Slider Biting At Air, Tortoise Keeps Opening And Closing Its Mouth, Why Does My Turtle Open Its Mouth When I Pick It Up?, Turtle Opening Mouth While Basking, Why Does My Turtle Open Its Mouth Underwater?,