Health and welfare information about your reptile from Vetlexicon Exotis/Reptile

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Skin conditions in tortoises

The skin is the largest organ of the body. Reptile skin is unique and has many
functions which include protecting the body, providing camouflage and making
vitamin D3.

Do tortoises shed their skin?

When mammals grow their skin stretches and grows too. Reptiles are different;
their skin is not as elasticated as mammal skin and does not stretch with
growth. Therefore, the ability to shed skin is very important to your tortoise.

When it is time to shed, your tortoise will produce a lymph fluid which separates
the old and the new skin. When the legs start to shed, the skin will begin to
flake and come away in pieces. The shell sheds scutes, which are areas of hard
skin that grows over the bones of the shell. As the tortoise grows the scutes
become bigger.

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Make sure that the temperature in your tortoise’s house is correct. If it is too
cold he will struggle to shed and grow. Warm regular baths help. Feeding a
balanced diet is essential for the skin to remain healthy. Any problems relating
to shedding should be closely monitored and may require a visit to the vet.

What skin conditions to tortoises suffer from?

Tumours and abscesses

If you find a lump or swelling on your tortoise you should take him to the vet. To
find out exactly what the growth is your vet may want to take some samples to
determine what the tumour is. A lump or swelling could be a tumour; some
tumours are types of cancer that can spread, however the lump may be an
abscess or a cyst. It is likely to need to be removed surgically under general
anaesthesia.

Abscesses are lumps on the skin which are infected with bacteria or fungi;
damaged skin is a common cause of infection. Check for sharp objects in the
house and make sure all the furniture has smooth edges. Correct temperature
in your tortoise’s house will help him fight off infection. It is also vital to ensure
your tortoises vivarium is kept as clean as possible with good ventilation. A good
balanced diet will also keep the immune system healthy.

If your tortoise develops an abscess he will need to have an operation to

remove it. Abscesses of the ears are very common in terrapins and tortoises.

Fly strike

Fly strike is a condition seen mainly in tortoises that are kept outside. Any
scratches or diarrhoea that goes unnoticed attracts flies like the blue and the
green bottle. These flies lay their eggs in the damaged tissue and the larvae eat
the flesh of the tortoise. This is even more common if you allow your tortoise to
go outside in the summer.

If your tortoise is suffering from fly strike you should take him to the vet
immediately. The larvae will need to be removed and the wounds cleaned and
treated with antibiotics.

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Nutritional skin disease

Poor diet can affect the skin. Tortoise skin needs vitamin A; too little of it causes
the skin of the eyes and the mouth to become swollen. Poor sight will make it
very difficult to see and therefore feeding becomes a challenge. Too much
vitamin A in the diet causes the skin to become thickened and flaky. You may
need to assist feed your tortoise if its sight becomes poor.

A diet with low calcium and low vitamin D3 can result in the body growing too
quickly. This leads to weak bones and skin that will shed over and over again. To
help your tortoise make vitamin D3, his UV bulb needs to have the correct
strength and be in the right position (30-45 cm away from the tortoise’s main
basking spot). During the summer months an outside enclosure gives excellent
exposure to UV light.

Make sure you feed a balanced diet to your tortoise to ensure he gets the
correct amount of nutrients, vitamins and minerals to keep his skin healthy; if in
doubt you can dust your tortoise’s salad leaves with a calcium powder.

Most nutritional diseases require veterinary assistance, and your tortoise may
need injections of multivitamins.

Growths

If you find any lump or swelling on your terrapin take him to the vet.

To find out exactly what the growth is your vet may need to do some tests. Tests
can either be done in house or sent away to an external laboratory.

A growth might be a tumour and some tumours are types of cancer that can
spread. However, the lumps may be abscesses or cysts.

Some growths may need to be surgically removed.

What else do I need to know?

Tortoises are commonly bitten by dogs. These injuries can be very serious, so it

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 is important to keep tortoises and their housing away from dogs, especially
when outside in the garden.

Tortoises that live in cool temperatures without sufficient UV light, or tortoises

receiving a poor diet, often develop a weak shell which makes the shell soft and
spongy. If bitten by a dog, the dog’s teeth are then able to damage the shell and
underlying soft tissue more easily. A good source of UV and calcium is vital to
ensure the shell does not become soft.

If your tortoise has suffered any trauma or injury he must be taken to the vet to
be checked and given necessary treatment. Damage to the shell could involve
months of treatment which may include placement of a feeding tube and
hospitalisation at the vets.

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