I have a baby red eared slider a friend bought from Chinatown then couldn’t keep. I believe it’s about 1-2 months old as it wasn’t even old enough to eat when I recieved it. I have him set up in a filtered tank with a dry rock area and some caves in the water that he likes to sit on. He’s developed a couple small white spots on his shell and I’m worried that it’s some kind of infection but I also don’t know if he’s maybe starting to shed his shell.

Red-Eared Slider White Shell Spots: Infection or Shedding?

Our red eared slider Turtle has developed some white patches on his upper shell. He seems fine otherwise but the spots are slowly spreading. He gets natural sunlight outside 5 days a week but we are worried this may not be enough. A few pieces of his

You can use a UVB bulb indoors to supplement lighting. Be sure it is no more than 14-16 inches away from the surface of the basking spot and not blocked by glass or plexiglass. A multivitamin and a calcium/D3 supplement should also be used. Float a cuttlebone in the tank. Bongo will munch on it when needed. You can use a soft bristled brush and diluted betadine to gently scrub the affected areas. Dry dock (keep out of the water) him for about 1-2 hours after cleaning daily. If the spots do not resolve, have him examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating turtles. Read more about slider care here: http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

Updated on September 24th, 2025

Health & Wellbeing

My red eared slider turtle has black spots all over its shell and it doesn't seem to be because of being in water for too long. What could the possible reason for the black spots that are developing on its shell. P.S. Im not able to provide UV light

UVB lighting is critical to shell and overall health. If you don't yet have a UVB light source, you can take Jazzy outside in full sun for at least 60 minutes daily. Use caution to prevent overheating though. Perform a partial water change (30% total volume) and scrub and tank furniture. Confirm the filter is rated for at least twice the volume of the tank. You will likely need to perform partial water changes weekly or every 2 weeks to maintain water quality. Turtles eat and defecate in the water, so it can get dirty very quickly without regular maintenance. Scrub Jazzy using a soft bristled toothbrush and a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution. Allow for a 1-2 hour dry dock (out of the water) after each scrubbing. Monitor for lethargy, loss of appetite, soft spots on the shell or pitting. These are symptoms that should be addressed by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. You can review slider care at the link below. http://www.anapsid.org/r

Updated on September 24th, 2025

Health & Wellbeing

Four days ago, I noticed some white spots on my Yellow Belied Slider's shell. These spots were not there before. I got worried so I searched about it. According to various sites on Internet, these white spots can be caused by bacteria if I have not c

This may be normal shedding of scutes. It may also be infection, rot or due to poor water conditions. Continue to maintain water quality via water changes and/or a filter. You'll also need to heat the water and provide a heat amp and UVB lighting to promote shell health. A balanced diet and vitamin/mineral supplementation are also important. To treat minor infection, continue to maintain clean water and use a diluted betadine or chlorhexidine solution and a soft bristled toothbrush to gently scrub the area daily. Allow for a 1-2 hour dry dock after each cleaning. Monitor for worsening or spread, redness, pitting or softness of the shell. See your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles if necessary. If they are juveniles, a 10 gallon tank will be fine for now. As they grow though, you will need to provide a much larger tank. The general recommendation is 10 gallons per inch of turtle. You can review slider care below. Red eared sliders and yellow bellied sliders shar

Updated on September 24th, 2025

Health & Wellbeing

My baby turtle has developed some white patches on his shell. On Google search I found that it might be fungus and some suggested applying betadine on the affected area. I would like to add this baby of mine is a voracious eater, avid swimmer but doe

Confirm proper environmental conditions. The basking spot should be around 31C. Make sure water quality is maintained via filtration and regular cleaning. Provide adequate amounts of UVB lighting, a multivitamin and a calcium supplement to promote shell health. You can use diluted betadine or chlorhexidine and a soft bristled brush to gently cleanse the shell. Keep him out of the water for an hour or two after each cleaning. The link below will provide additional information. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

Updated on September 24th, 2025

Health & Wellbeing

i am having Baby turtle (red eared) , he has a small white spots on his shell , yes something like that shell rots , so what should i do first , plz reply me fast

A picture of it would help to give you specific advices. Shell rot is a fungal or bacterial infection, usually primarily triggered by husbandry problems. Usually poor water condition or excessive humidity in the terrarium are common problems. A check up at your local veterinarian would be required to confirm this clinical suspicion and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Updated on September 24th, 2025

Health & Wellbeing

My turtle has white spots on her shell but they are not soft?

Shell rot can be present on a hard shell. It may be early infection or something else entirely. Scrub the spots with a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine solution and a soft bristled toothbrush. Do this daily followed by 1-2 hours in dry dock (away from water). Confirm proper UVB lighting and adequate water quality. Lack of either can predispose your turtle to infection.

Updated on September 24th, 2025

Health & Wellbeing

My turtles shell has some pale spots and a soft area on the shell near the tail. As well as I noticed her scutes didnt shed properly. She is a yellow belly. 55 Gallon heated filtered tank. She outgrew her basking area which I have now fixed but this

These could be spots of infection or injury. Maintain pristine water quality via filtration and regular partial water changes. Also, maintain proper environmental parameters. Replace the UVB bulb if it is older than 6 months. Supplement regularly with multivitamin and calcium powders. This will promote shell health. You can even float a cuttlebone in the tank for her to munch on as needed. Use a soft bristled toothbrush and a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution to gently scrub the affected areas. Allow for a 1 hour dry dock (out of the water) after each cleaning. If you see know improvement in a week or so then have her physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. You can review slider care at the links below. (Yes, they say red eared slider, but care is the same for YBS). http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Red-Eared-Slider-Care-Sheet/ http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

Updated on September 24th, 2025

Health & Wellbeing

My red eared slider turtle has began to develop white chalky spots on his shell. Can you please help?

Thanks for reaching out about Squirt and including a photo. The two most common causes of this are mineral accumulations with hard water and exposed bone. Mineral accumulations you should be able to scratch off with a fingernail. Water source might need to be changed to filtered water or commercially available spring water. Exposed bone is usually due to poor water quality (high bacterial or algal loads) that erode the keratin layer. Water changes need to be made more often, but a veterinary visit is recommended as systemic antibiotics might be required. Good luck.

Updated on September 24th, 2025

Health & Wellbeing

My baby red eared slider turtle has some white spots on its shell. What should I do?

Thanks for reaching out about Kelby and including photos. Can you gently scratch the white areas with your fingernail? Is so, probably mineral accumulations from the water and not a problem. If not, this could be keratin erosion from sub-standard water quality, infections, too cold of an environment. A veterinary visit would be recommended. Good luck.

Updated on September 24th, 2025

Health & Wellbeing

Hi, my tortoise (small one) has black dots since I bought it and today, I noticed the black dots are expanding. He didn't eat anything himself except when I fed him with a stick. He also didn't move and sleep for 23 hours a day. What should i do?

You have a slider, which is a semi aquatic species of turtle. Tortoises live on land exclusively. The black spots may be some algae growing or it could be early rot (infection). Maintain pristine water quality via filtration and regular partial water changes. Use a soft bristled toothbrush to gently clean the shell. If the spots persist, use a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution along with the brush. Scrub once daily and allow for a 1 hour dry dock (out of the water) after each cleaning. Promote shell and overall health by providing UVB lighting, vitamin and mineral supplementation, a balanced diet and appropriate heat support. You can review slider care at the link below. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Red-Eared-Slider-Care-Sheet/

Updated on September 24th, 2025

My baby red-eared slider has white spots on its shell. What is it?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Answers from Veterinarians

My baby red-eared slider has white spots on its shell. What is it?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Related Questions

Our red eared slider Turtle has developed some white patches on his upper shell. He seems fine otherwise but the spots are slowly spreading. He gets natural sunlight outside 5 days a week but we are worried this may not be enough. A few pieces of his

My red eared slider turtle has black spots all over its shell and it doesn't seem to be because of being in water for too long. What could the possible reason for the black spots that are developing on its shell. P.S. Im not able to provide UV light

Four days ago, I noticed some white spots on my Yellow Belied Slider's shell. These spots were not there before. I got worried so I searched about it. According to various sites on Internet, these white spots can be caused by bacteria if I have not c

My baby turtle has developed some white patches on his shell. On Google search I found that it might be fungus and some suggested applying betadine on the affected area. I would like to add this baby of mine is a voracious eater, avid swimmer but doe

i am having Baby turtle (red eared) , he has a small white spots on his shell , yes something like that shell rots , so what should i do first , plz reply me fast

My turtle has white spots on her shell but they are not soft?

My turtles shell has some pale spots and a soft area on the shell near the tail. As well as I noticed her scutes didnt shed properly. She is a yellow belly. 55 Gallon heated filtered tank. She outgrew her basking area which I have now fixed but this

My red eared slider turtle has began to develop white chalky spots on his shell. Can you please help?

My baby red eared slider turtle has some white spots on its shell. What should I do?

Hi, my tortoise (small one) has black dots since I bought it and today, I noticed the black dots are expanding. He didn't eat anything himself except when I fed him with a stick. He also didn't move and sleep for 23 hours a day. What should i do?

Share