anyone else ever owned this turtle?

[phaedraeos]

Ornate South American Wood Turtle.

here's a website about them

http://www.chelonia.org/articles/rpulcherrimacare.htm

I'm having shell problems with mine and I'm not sure what to do (I adopted her with them). Her shell is peeling/cracked, although it's just the top layer and the malformations don't compromise the shell integrity at all. I'll get some pics if anyone's interested.

 

[Ophiuchus]

As a matter of fact I have, but it was a gift, and I don't know a super-great deal about them.

What's the lighting situation? Also, try rubbing some of that Vita-shell stuff on her regularly; I've found it helps fairly well (if the turtle is set-up properly to begin with). Definitely needs UV and a basking area.

 

[phaedraeos]

I have a light designed to provide the necessary wavelengths for reptiles (forget the brand) that's about 4 months old. Replaced it after I got her. She has a "pond" that she can cover herself about 1/2 way in , and an open area in the middle of her habitat so that she can bask in the light. I always spray her enough to cover her entire shell with water when I spray the tank. The substrate is a mix of bark with some moss to suck up moisture and give her the appropriate humidity. Temp is about 84 degrees. She gets a mix of land turtle pellets, fresh lettuce, gut loaded crickets, veggies (i.e. zucchini and carrots), superworms and the available fruit, all sprayed with a reptile vitamin spray. Even the vets at Cornell weren't exactly sure what was wrong!

 

[lovespunaround]

I've had a couple of turtles that shed the outer layer of the scutes on the shell; I don't know if that's what you're seeing or not. Pictures would help.