Ho I have a short neck murray river turtle I noticed today when i got him out to clean tank he has some yellowish stuff on his belly side of its shell What could this be and how do i treat it

Updated On August 28th, 2017

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Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

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Looks like ulcerative shell disease which is often called SCUD or 'shell rot'. It comes in two primary forms. The dry form is often associated with a fungal infection and the wet form is often associated with gram negative bacteria (and usually develops after an injury to the shell). This looks to be the dry form. Treatment consists of cleaning the area with a diluted Betadine solution (1 part betadine to 10 parts water). Put it on the affected areas, let it sit for 5-10 minutes and then rinse thoroughly. I would do this twice a day. Also dry docking for 4-8 hours a day is strongly recommended. Go over all your husbandry carefully - ie: water quality/chemistry, lighting, diet, etc. as usually this is a husbandry issue. This article is very informative. https://www.amazingamazon.com.au/murray-river-turtle-care-short-neck-turtle-care Hope this helps. Best wishes!

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