Scaly Turtle

Turtle Scutes and Shedding

Animals Unique | Scaly Turtle | Unlike a snail, a turtle is not Able to trade in the shell for another one if it's Damaged or just does not fit anymore. The turtle's shell never falls off and is never too large or too small Because It Grows with the turtle. It's made from the turtle's rib cage and spine and is attached to the internal bones of the turtle's body. Just as your vertebrae grow with you, the same is true for a turtle's shell.

For most species, as the turtle and its shell grow, the scutes on the shell shed or peel away to the make way for new, larger scutes. Shedding is a natural process, and scutes are cast off intermittently during daily activities as swimming and basking Such. Since turtles are cold-blooded Reptiles, They rely on external heating and cooling Airways of Themselves. Basking is nothing more than lying in the sun, and it Happens to be a favorite pastime turtle.

While basking turtles is one way raise Their body temperature, it helps them shed scutes by drying them up, leaving them ready to fall off. Some turtles, Such as the South American river turtle Lend each other a hand, well, specifically Their jaw, in the shedding process by pulling loose scutes (and algae) off each other's shells [source: San Diego Zoo]. This is done gently, though, since both pain and pressure can be felt through the shell.

When suitably Are not old scutes are shed or shed too Often, turtle shells can develop infection and disease. Dysecdysis, the which is a fancy term for abnormal scute shedding, can cause infection. In rare instances, scutes are shed too frequently, leaving the bones of the shell and soft Unprotected; abundant scute shedding has been linked to larger problems Such as renal failure.

Shell's health is also dependent on bone health. Metabolic bone disease, calcium intake Caused by inadequate, poor exposure to sunlight, as well as diseases of the liver, kidneys and thyroid, can result in soft or misshapen shell bones. Ulcers (also known as shell rot), can cause permanent shell and scute deformities [source: Discovery].

A hawksbill sea turtle swims above the seabed. Its flat shell helps it glide through the water.

Jeff Hunter / Photographer 's Choice RF / Getty Images

Shell disease does not occur as frequently as injury, however. Fractured shells are common and Happen when turtles are hit by cars or attacked by wildlife.Some veterinarians are Able to repair broken shells with bonding material, but one of the fantastic Things about a turtle shell is that? Since it's made of living materials, it can SLOWLY Itself repair and regrow.

For more information about turtles and other Reptiles, SLOWLY peruse our list of resources on the Following page.

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Turtles and Salmonella

Turtles Make Potentially deadly but popular pets. Yes, deadly. Like most Reptiles, turtles naturally have salmonella bacteria in their intestinal tract That are excreted in the feces. In Humans, salmonella commonly Causes fever, abdominal pain and severe diarrhea, and Sometimes leads to life-threatening infections. Salmonella bacteria can not be seen by the naked eye, and when people handle turtles, They Put Themselves at risk for disease.