Shell care - Page 2

Tamie Milne · 12-10-2007, 01:32 PM

Darren, thank you for posting the pictures showing the harm that is actually done by the use of oil on the shell.

Tamie

Pussygalore · 12-10-2007, 01:33 PM

my tootsies shell looks like the first picture theres a real build up of somekind of oil, I will try Taimies suggestion as I do worry that whatever was used could have been harmfull I used to know of people who used waste car oil on horses hooves which I do know is absorbed and posionous, I hope however that if I am successfull in removing it that the lack of it being there anymore doesn't damage her shell.

piglet · 12-10-2007, 01:41 PM

The whitei was a solitary animals so Keratin damage isn't as evident as it is in the Tgg who lived in a mixed group of males who all happily butted each other senseless thus causing the dry Keratin layer to flake off all the animals had the same or similar damage , this tiny little fellow was the worst as he was housed with Ibera twice his size , he also suffered RNS and had ulcerated shell disease and serious wounds to his forelimbs .
He lives alone now in retirement still suffers though from the odd bout of the sniffles.

Anne I clean there shells with clean warm water and have allowed the whiteis oiling to leach out on its own , its taken many months to start to look normal
D

Pussygalore · 12-10-2007, 02:26 PM

This is Tootsies shell who I beleive has been oiled and Sids who I don't think has

piglet · 12-10-2007, 03:16 PM

Good comparison Ann , It does look dry as if oil has been administrated

D

ME SHELL · 12-10-2007, 03:21 PM

Hi I'll stop using the oil. He doesn't seem to have any build up though, but as I said earlier I'll post some pics on the weekend and you can see. His shell to me looks in immaculate condition but maybe I'm wrong. I knew the shell was made up of Keratin the same as nails and as I use olive oil on my nails to keep them in good condition I thought it would be the same, but I wouldn't have used it if I hadn't been told to. I'm really glad I asked.
So that's another piece of information I was given on my care sheet that is wrong

Pussygalore · 12-10-2007, 03:58 PM

I'm sure it must take a long time to build up and I suppose it depends on how often you use it as well, Tootsie is in her 30's and her previous owner had her for 15 years so maybe if you've only been doing it for a short while it won't have built up, I think I can remember Sids owner saying that she used oil once a year after his bath in the spring so I suppose that would be washed or worn off in by the next year whereas Tootsie probably had it used a lot, Sid is 12yrs. I think wrong is perhaps the wrong word as it seems to provoke but outdated/oldfashioned is perhaps better as tortoise keepers are learning all the time and some are slow or reluctant to update their caresheets.

midi-mania · 12-10-2007, 06:34 PM

i didnt even know oil evaporated

Pussygalore · 12-10-2007, 06:45 PM

I'm not sure what leaching means as in piglets post so I assumed he meant either washed, worn or evaporated.

midi-mania · 12-10-2007, 06:49 PM

he must mean it coming out in the warm water?

12-10-2007, 01:32 PM	#11
Tamie Milne Member Hatched Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Buckinghamshire Posts: 392	Darren, thank you for posting the pictures showing the harm that is actually done by the use of oil on the shell. Tamie __________________ www.tortoisetrust.org

12-10-2007, 06:49 PM	#20
midi-mania Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: mersyside Posts: 1,058	he must mean it coming out in the warm water? __________________ Gav

12-10-2007, 01:33 PM	#12
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	my tootsies shell looks like the first picture theres a real build up of somekind of oil, I will try Taimies suggestion as I do worry that whatever was used could have been harmfull I used to know of people who used waste car oil on horses hooves which I do know is absorbed and posionous, I hope however that if I am successfull in removing it that the lack of it being there anymore doesn't damage her shell.

12-10-2007, 01:41 PM	#13
piglet Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,976	The whitei was a solitary animals so Keratin damage isn't as evident as it is in the Tgg who lived in a mixed group of males who all happily butted each other senseless thus causing the dry Keratin layer to flake off all the animals had the same or similar damage , this tiny little fellow was the worst as he was housed with Ibera twice his size , he also suffered RNS and had ulcerated shell disease and serious wounds to his forelimbs . He lives alone now in retirement still suffers though from the odd bout of the sniffles. Anne I clean there shells with clean warm water and have allowed the whiteis oiling to leach out on its own , its taken many months to start to look normal D

12-10-2007, 02:26 PM	#14
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	This is Tootsies shell who I beleive has been oiled and Sids who I don't think has

12-10-2007, 03:16 PM	#15
piglet Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,976	Good comparison Ann , It does look dry as if oil has been administrated D

12-10-2007, 03:21 PM	#16
ME SHELL Senior Member Adult Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 8,484	Hi I'll stop using the oil. He doesn't seem to have any build up though, but as I said earlier I'll post some pics on the weekend and you can see. His shell to me looks in immaculate condition but maybe I'm wrong. I knew the shell was made up of Keratin the same as nails and as I use olive oil on my nails to keep them in good condition I thought it would be the same, but I wouldn't have used it if I hadn't been told to. I'm really glad I asked. So that's another piece of information I was given on my care sheet that is wrong

12-10-2007, 03:58 PM	#17
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	I'm sure it must take a long time to build up and I suppose it depends on how often you use it as well, Tootsie is in her 30's and her previous owner had her for 15 years so maybe if you've only been doing it for a short while it won't have built up, I think I can remember Sids owner saying that she used oil once a year after his bath in the spring so I suppose that would be washed or worn off in by the next year whereas Tootsie probably had it used a lot, Sid is 12yrs. I think wrong is perhaps the wrong word as it seems to provoke but outdated/oldfashioned is perhaps better as tortoise keepers are learning all the time and some are slow or reluctant to update their caresheets.

12-10-2007, 06:34 PM	#18
midi-mania Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: mersyside Posts: 1,058	i didnt even know oil evaporated

12-10-2007, 06:45 PM	#19
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	I'm not sure what leaching means as in piglets post so I assumed he meant either washed, worn or evaporated.

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