The African Spur Turtle

Question
Hello,
My friend just rescued a 12 yr old .  It was certain death for him had it not been for her.  I guess the othere one is being kept in a pig pen and in the cold..very sick.  But her little gal is a happy camper@!@  What she is wondering?  What sort of oils are safe to use on the outter shell if it appears dry??  We thought virgin olive oil, but want to CERTAIN to use the right stuff.  Could you possibly share the answer if you know??  If so GREATLY APPRECIATED@!@  and GoD BleSS

Answer
Congratulations on rescuing an African Spurred Tortoise, also often called the Sulcata Tortoise. You can learn more about this very large species at http://www.sulcata-station.org

As for something to use on the shell, the very best thing is nothing at all. You can use a little bit of plain white hand lotion, or plain olive or other natural plant oils- but they are cosmetic rather than a cure of any sort. Most of us only treat the shell for photos.

Instead, offer the right level of humidity and hydration. Soak the tortoise in warm water day or two for a week or two, then back off until it is getting soaks somewhere between weekly and monthly, depending on how dry the habitat is. Make sure there is some place in the habitat it can hide with some humidity, and has access to fresh water and fresh fiberous greens, grasses, and hays.

One of the myths of many tortoises is that they want things very dry- and most tortoises are happiest when they can choose humid or dry conditions. It is certainly easy to keep Sulcatas too wet, but it is also easy to keep them too dry- resulting in many things including the dry shell.