Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My babies are now going on 4 & 5 yrs old (or is it 5 & 6?), and have had them since hatchlings. Have always tried to give them nutritional foods, mainly commercial boxie foods mixed with a variety of fruits & veggies, and supplemented with live foods (earthworms, grubs, mealworms, cricktets). They live outside so get plenty of natural sunlight. Newly enlarged habitat is planted with turtle-friendly foods. They have microclimates and plenty of hides, plus just GREATLY enlarged their habitat.

Anyway, some of them have a few raised scutes (is that pyramiding?), but no other obvious malformations (except one that has had a malformed shell from day 1). My vet didn't seem concerned as long as they were getting everything they needed.

Just wondering if once boxies start showing signs of nutrition-related disease (not that mine are...), can you stop the progress and/or reverse any problems (as I assume any problems are harmful to their organs, even though all we see is the shell)?

I doubt your turtles have any serious nutritional related disease. Some of the shell characteristics you refer to are normal in young growing turtles, there shells will smooth out with age and at some point will even smooth and slick with enough wear and age. They are simple captive raised and likely have grown at a little faster rate than they would in the wild. The only thing your turtles probably suffer from is average american spoiled, aka slightly overfed.
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Jeff Benfer
gartersnakemorph.com

LOL! Since I enlarged their enclosure this spring, they have TONS more roaming room, so I'm sure they get more exercise now! It's a regular turtle gym.

Thanks for the encouraging thoughts regarding their health. I think I posted about a year ago asking if anyone knew HOW much/how fast babies should grow -- like when you take your kids to the pediatrician -- box turtle growth rate tables. I guess that kind of info isn't readily available as there were no responses. Yours is the closest.