desert tortoise

Question
QUESTION: I inherited a desert tortoise and he fell over on his back,
when i found him he seems to have a cut from his shell as he
tried to turn him self back over. is there any type of home
remedies i can place on this wound to help it heel?

ANSWER: Hi Carla,

If the wound was deep enough to penetrate into the the softer, lighter coloured tissue below then I would suggest using an anti-bacterial wash like diluted Betadine (povidone-iodine) or chlorhexidine. Both have broad anti-bacterial properties and are used as surgical scrubs. There are several brand names so ask your pharmacist which products contain these active ingredients. It is more advisable to leave the wound uncovered as long as you can keep it clean.  Tortoise shells are a little like fingernails, with a  hard, outer "dead" surface overlaying the living, growing layer. If the scratch is only in the outer surface then it will likely become less noticeable with time but there is nothing that will really speed the process.

The more concerning consequence of flipping is the possibility of over-heating before they are found. When they are flipped there is also an abnormal amount of pressure on their lungs (which are near the top of their shells) from the rest of their internal organs.
If he is showing any other symptoms like lethargy or lack of appetite following the flip, you should have a vet take a look at him.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hi sorry if i did not clarify my original question.  Its not
his shell that is cut, its his leg part that he rubbed up
against his own shell to turn himself over, in other words
it is a self inflicted cut on the trunk side of his leg,
when he uses his legs the mussel rotates around the shell,
and he sliced his leg open.

Answer
Hi Carla,

Your question was quite clear but I mis-read it as "on" his shell instead of "from" his shell, sorry!

Lol, aside from my blathering on about shell wounds the adice to use betadine or chlorhexidine is the same. Both have anti-fungal properties as well and keeping infection away is the quickest road to wound recovery. If you can't find either of those products then you can use any of the antibiotic ointments marketed for human use. Avoid hydrogen peroxide though, it is rather harsh on new tissue and can slow the healing process