I am adopting 3 russian torts today. The gal who is to deliver them told me "we just had their shells waxed about a month ago"!
What?! does anyone have experience with this practice? I have never heard of such a thing! The torts are robust and good sized, she had them almost 8 yrs. so apparently it hasn't harmed them but surely this can't be a good thing, and I don't ever intend to wax their shells. Does anyone know anything about this?
Reptile & Amphibian Forums
Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.
Waxed shells?!
tourmalinequeen
Aug 26, 2004 08:17 AM
Replies (4)
SHIVELEY
Aug 26, 2004 11:17 AM
While I'm admittedly not an expert on the physiology of tortoise shells; I would think that applying wax to a tortoises shell would be detrimental in the long run. The shell is living tissue. As such, I would think that it would need direct exposure to air in order to "breathe". By waxing the shell you are in effect, sealing it. Anyway, I would suggest that this is probably not a healthy, or even necessary, practice. It is probably done more for the aesthetic appearance than for any practical purpose.
EJ
Aug 26, 2004 12:37 PM
While I don't agree with the practice, there is nothing wrong with it.
The shell does not 'breath'. The outer layer of the shell/carapace is made up of dead tissue/keratin similar to your fingernails. Polishing/painting probably does absolutely nothing to the animal physiologically speaking. When new shell is laid down it is deposited at the margin where the bone meets the scute and at the margin of the individual scutes looking at it in 2 dimensions.
-----
Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care
hlogic
Aug 29, 2004 10:03 AM
Hopefully the 'waxing' to which they were referring was using something like VitaShell (http://www.tetra-fish.com/catalog/product.aspx?id=427). BTW, that stuff works well as a hand creme (according to my g/f)
VitaShell
tortoisehead
Sep 03, 2004 06:23 PM
A tortoise's shell and human fingernails are both porous and will asborb anything that you put on them. Many tortoises have died from having their shell painted.
Women should take note that fingernail polish will also absorb into the bloodstream, and over years can cause problems. The same goes for nail polish remover. Very toxic stuff.
