Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey, just got a pair of 8 month old redfoots and have a couple of questions. First: of the torts has an extra scute on its shell (6 scutes instead of 5 on the center line), will this be a problem in any way besides astetically. Is this a sign of bad genes or bad things to come or is it just a freak occurrence. Second: The other tort has what looks like a "scar" or slight indent on the plasteron, maybe where the egg sack was attached, I know they're young an am assuming this is not a problem (fading over time maybe). If both of these "problems" are simply astetic than I could care less because that are both eating well and look very healthy. Any thoughts?
-Ian

this. Each hatchling can have a different 'bellybutton'.
This is a Colombian hatchling.

this........a cherryhead hatchling that is just about to shed it's yolk sac membrane.

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They are usually associated with an incorrect incubation temperature. However, even wild caught individuals occasionally have an extra scute. Don't worry about it.

"Hey, just got a pair of 8 month old redfoots and have a couple of questions. First: of the torts has an extra scute on its shell (6 scutes instead of 5 on the center line), will this be a problem in any way besides astetically."

no problem at all. two of my four breeder male russians have extra scutes. i get hatchlings at a rate of about 1 per 10 hatches with extra scutes. for me it's more common at the lower, male-producing temps. i'm one of the freaks who doesn't buy into the temperature extra-scute relationship. the perpetual lore stems from a report of a batch of hathling desert tortoises that were temporarily exposed to an extremely high temperature. not only did they extra scutes, but other serious problems as well. so most people avoid extra scutes like the plague.

"Second: The other tort has what looks like a "scar" or slight indent on the plasteron, maybe where the egg sack was attached, I know they're young an am assuming this is not a problem (fading over time maybe). If both of these "problems" are simply astetic than I could care less because that are both eating well and look very healthy. Any thoughts?"

it will go away very shortly and you won't notice a thing.

matt

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