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Is my baby turtle's shell rot? How do I treat white shell spots?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Hey, I have a baby Sri Lanka Black Turtle (Melanochelys trijuga thermalis). I rescued the little guy from a pond that was in really bad condition, it had a lot of algae growing on it's shell. I noticed that it has some white spots on it's shell so I brush the shell with a soft toothbrush and apply betadine solution with a Q tip for the past 2 days and let it dry overnight. So I just wanted to know if this is shell rot and if I'm treating it correctly since there are no vets that know how to.

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Todd Cecil

Veterinarian

Published on December 22nd, 2018

Thanks for reaching out about Muddy and including photos. By the photos, the lesions do not appear serious. White lesions can appear from other traumas, of which algae can invade. Scrubbing the shell, and keeping water quality good, should work well. If lesions grow, seeking an appointment with a reptile veterinarian is recommended.
Good luck.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Todd Cecil
Veterinarian
Published on October 4th, 2018
Thanks for providing the pictures. I would see if you can gently scratch off the white material with your fingernail. It appears if it could be the accumulation of minerals on the scales, from the water. Check and see if you have hard water. It so, try filtered water or bottled water. Secondly, monitor to see if the white areas disappears with the next shed. I don't think this appears to be a problem, but if your turtle stops eating or appears sick, seek a reptile veterinarian.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Allison Newth, VMD
Veterinarian
Published on July 20th, 2017
You didn't include a photo so I'm not sure. Certainly this whitish film could be due to dysecdysis, though it would be unusual, given appropriate heat, diet, UVB light exposure, and a clean environment, for multiple turtles to develop shedding issues at once. If you're sure your husbandry is ok I would worry about "shell rot", or an infection over the scute. Treating this type of infection involves thorough cleaning of your enclosure(s), it will also involve treating each of the turtles. Depending on the cause of the infection (fungal, bacterial, or algal), your veterinarian will be able to determine the infectious agent (if this is in fact shell rot) and provide you with the proper shell cleaning agent. Good luck with your turtles, I hope this was helpful!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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