Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have two hatchling painteds, one SP and one MP. Both of their shells are starting to curl in the back in the area over their hind legs. I read in a previous post that this was due to overeating, but I don't feed very much--only 15 or so of the reptomin baby pellets to share between the two of them; and when I feed them fish and insects (about twice weekly), I feed them only four fish between the two of them (small rosies) or 6 small crickets between the two of them. Long story short, I was wondering if
a.) I am still overfeeding
b.) whether I should switch to an every other day diet
c.) This will be permanent
d.) What else could cause this?

P.S. Before anyone asks, I have a proper haulout area with basking lamp, UVA/UVB lighting, and the water is in the high 70's and they are growing quick--just starting to become deformed

I think you may be overfeading. I don't know if overfeading is the cause of your problem, but if you're feeding 15 pellets between two hatchlings daily, that's way too much food in my opinion. I have a SP hatchling, and I feed him two regular-sized ReptoMin pellets a day. When I don't feed pellets, I feed two mealworms.

You may have answered your question. You stated they are
growing quickly. Shell curling is a result of that. Are
you feeding the sticks daily because I think that may be alot
for 2 little turtles. How big are yours right now? Shell
length? You also could lower their water temp to about
74-76 degrees. Too warm temps could cause rapid growth.
As long as you have a proper basking area they will be fine
with a little cooler temperatures. In the wild they regulate
their body temps and no where do they live in a constant high
70's degree water temp. Just try to duplicate how they live in the wild. The wider range of temps the better.

Linda

The SP is about 2"; the MP is about 1.4"; I purchased them in Hamburg on Dec. 2nd, & they were both approximately 1". I may just be overfeedeing; as the only hatchling turtles I've raised were snappers (very much the little piggies )

That is a little quick. My SP painted turned 1 year around
October and he is just about 3 inches now. He started out
around 1" Slow growth is better I think due to their long
life spans.

Linda

It may not be just how much you are feeding but what you are feeding.
I had a friend who got a hatchling western painted female,
I have a male when my male was 10 years old her female was 2 & was already much larger than mine. The shell was curling on the female. I said to her this turtle is getting too much protein, she said
"I feed her Reptmonin" as if to say to me what else would you expect?
Well I expect variety... mine eats a huge variety of different foods & always has. All my turtles are offered variety & actually very little commercial food.

You might think about trying live crickets, a variety of worms, minnows. I've always fed mine on a rotating basis, never the same meal two feedings in a row.
Try to vary the diet because that should put a stop to this. Once they grow incorrectly they'll never be 100 percent normal but if you catch it early like you are doing it could correct enough that it won't be very noticeable by the time the baby full grown.
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PHRatz

From all of the literature that I have read this "shell curling" is a calcium deficiency. Check your turtles diet or your water conditioner. Zoomed's reptisafe works really well as it adds calcium to your water.