Is there anything you can give / add to food to stop flaky skin ?
One of mine repeatedly gets bad skin just on the head but hates water on his head or me trying to wash him
Thanks in advance
Carl

Reptiles, normally have some shedding of the skin - it becomes excessive at times if grown very fast. so it's important not to overfeed. Nothing should be put on the skin other than water as this interferes with the way they take in UVB. Is your soil very dry as this can cause too dry skin. I water my enclosures and then when the tortoise digs down overnight the moisture is naturally retained. Some substrates can draw moisture away from the skin and shell of tortoises.

What species are we talking about here?

Sue

www.tortsmad.com

Hi Sue
She's a hermanns
But she hates water and will not dig , she's fed every other day then not at the weekend , but I didn't want to hibernate this year because it looked so bad earlier on but although its improved again I just thought I'd ask
Thanks again

Why do you not feed at the weekend, torts in the wild don't do this? Wild tortoises walk many miles to find food and eat each day, even if just a little. It sounds as though you may be keeping the ambient temperatures too warm. What temperature is the room overnight. As tortoises tend to retire for the night around 4pm at this time of year, it's likely too warm when she goes to sleep - cooler temps will encourage her to dig down.

Hope this helps

Sue

www.tortsmad.com

Light stays on until 5pm then there's a small light on a stat which comes on at 55 so it doesn't get to cold , I didn't want to over feed because she would normally be hibernating so I'm just weighing her to keep her the same ? Il try and split it up a bit less more often if you think it's best !
Thanks

I never use stats with any of my torts, even at this time of year. My only stats are in incubators.  Static heat is not good for them, they need to be able to thermoregulate as in nature - she could be getting over dry from all the heat. I would just feed less per day, rather than leaving days without, but that has to be your choice obviously. I would water part of the substrate and let her choose which area she digs down in overnight. As the lights come on in the morning, she will come out to bask and warm up again.

Hope this helps

Sue

www.tortsmad.com

I don't normally use a stat but she's usually down now and the two leopards have the light on constantly but didn't want the heating fluctuating as she's in the conservatory , the lamps up the top end but the tables over 4 foot long so she won't be stuck in heat , I've been bathing her 2 x a day but I work different shifts so don't think she'd appreciate being woken up at gone 11 when I'm on noons !
Thanks again