Creamy color between scuts

Question
We have had our Russian Totroise for almost one year.  We follow all guidlines and keep his container clean, warm, dry, and with proper UVB lighting.  WE soak our tutrle in an water twice a week, ten minutes each time.  We live in NE where it gets warm in the summers and place him outside as well.  He is a picky eater, but loves leaf lettuce and weeds from the yard, along with my petunias. But will not eat dandelion, and other varieties of lettuces from the grocery store.  All of sudden, he grew alot.  The new growth, between the scuts, is a creamy yellow color, but is still hard.  Everytime I look at him, he has more new growth.  He does not have any discharge from his nose, or eyes, and is very active and is a fast little thing.  Is this growth normal?

Answer
I'm in Omaha. Where are you in NE that it only gets 'warm' in summer?

Lettuce is not a great food option- other than endive, or the other dark, leafy stuff, and even then it should only be a part of the diet. Try some things like Timothy hay as well. Otherwise the diet sounds OK.

The growth rings are normal and healthy. At one year old, you tend to see quite a bit of it. If it has a nice, big habitat that is well-planted, you might skip other foods a few times a week and let it just graze on the plants.

My favorite sites for these are:
- http://www.russiantortoise.org
- http://www.tortoisetrust.org