Why is my turtle's shell soft, has pale spots, and scutes won't shed?

Question

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 led to these changes I believe. Pet's info: Reptile | Aquatic Turtle | Female | 5 years and 2 months old

Angel Alvarado, LVT · Accepted Answer

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

Why is my turtle's shell soft, has pale spots, and scutes won't shed?

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