Are Turtles Supposed To Shed?

Turtles are known to shed. Shedding on a healthy turtle is nothing to be concerned with, however if it is thick or dark in color than you should consult a vet immediately. Another time that a veterinarian should be consulted is if the skin seems red or irritated. This may indicate that there is a problem.

As they grow, turtles will shed their skin in order to fit in their shell. The biggest problems that often occur in turtles shedding improperly often are caused from poor lighting or temperature within their tanks. In order to have healthy skin and shells, turtles need certain types of lighting and need to be warm. Air and water that are not warm enough can lead to fungal infections. Turtles must also have a basking area where they can get out of the water, dry off and bask in very warm light. The ambient air temperature in the tank should be around 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius) The basking area should be even warmer than that.

Over the turtle’s basking area there should be some sort of lamp that will take a 40-60 watt incandescent bulb. The basking area should be kept at 85-95 degrees Fahrenheit (29-32 degrees Celsius). Using a thermometer can help ensure the correct temperatures. You can also adjust the temperature by raising or lowering the light fixture. The basking area should be set up in one end of the tank so that the entire tank does not become too warm.

Equipping your turtle’s tank with an additional light that produces UVB rays is also important. UVB bulbs should also be replaced every six months as they begin to lose their effectiveness over time. Both the basking light and the UVB light should be left on 12 to 14 hours a day to ensure that your turtle is getting an adequate amount of lighting and warmth.

Most reptiles shed their skin all at once and then do not shed again for some time. However turtles are known to constantly shed their skin, but it should be noted that they do so in small bits at a time. If your turtle or tortoise does not have any water or enough water in its tank you may not notice it shedding at all. This is not good for your turtle. If you own an aquatic turtle it is quite common to find small bits of dead skin floating along the surface of the water every now and then.

As mentioned before, if turtles are not kept in a proper environment they can get fungal infections. This is actually one of the most common causes for prolonged or excessive shedding in turtles. While there are some treatment options available that you can perform such as soaking the turtle in an iodine solution twice a day, it is highly advisable that you do not just try to treat the problem yourself. A veterinarian should be consulted in this case and in the meantime the turtle should be removed from the water as much as possible to keep it dry. It is especially important to keep the turtle dry during the night when you cannot monitor its activities. One way to do this is to move your turtle to a second habitat during the night while you sleep.

A turtle’s shell is made of bone. This shell is not one big bone, rather it is many bones that are joined tightly together. The shell bones are covered by horny plates known as scutes. These scutes do not correspond to the individual bones. It is also the scutes that are replaced from underneath when a turtle sheds its outer layers of skin.

Shedding is a cleaning process most common to turtles that frequently bask. Basking in UVB lights is the turtle’s way of raising its temperature. Anything on the turtle’s shell such as algae etc. actually reduces the turtle’s ability to absorb heat and will also slow the turtle down in water. Peeling of the skin sheds the dirty layer and exposes a fresh, clean layer of scutes.

A turtle may shed at any time during the year, however many turtles typically begin shedding around the time they enter hibernation. Then in the spring when they emerge and bask they begin to shed a lot. Rapid growth is another major cause of shedding in turtles.

Shedding is less common among turtles that do not bask frequently such as the snapping turtle or the musk turtle. This is why they are often covered in algae. Turtles such as the box turtle do not normally shed. However, they may be found shedding as a part of a healing process. Scutes may also regenerate where they were lost by accident or injury. Scutes can be scratched or worn off by repeated scraping against rough rocks. If this happens a lot to your turtle, it may be a good idea to change the rocks.

There is no harm in peeling scutes off of a turtle as long as they come off easily. Scutes not peeling could be caused from tightly adhering algae. In this case, they can usually be eased off carefully with a knife blade.

Shedding skin can be caused by over soaking in water, getting obtaining too much Vitamin A, or from a fungal infection. It is a good idea to keep an eye on your turtle to make sure that his shedding is normal. Keep an eye out for any warning signs such as discolored or irritated skin, etc.

It is unknown whether turtles are aware of the peeling or shedding of their skin and whether or not they are bothered by it. However they do not usually appreciate when people pull their shedding scutes off. It is for this reason that it may be better to just let the scutes fall off on their own unless there is a problem preventing this from happening naturally. Some of the scutes, depending on the species of turtle can be quite thick.