My poorly turtle - Black Growth

[down_grunger]

Hi there everyone,
I have a problem with one of my map turtles, I really hope someone can help me. I have 5 turtles in total; 3 map and 2 sliders.
Since I bought the 3 map turtles, one of them (every other month) produces a huge lumpy black growth from his bottom/tail. It appears below him for a few minutes then goes back into him and he just carries on with his day.
I'm slightly concerned but not sure if this is common or not as the other 4 turtles dont do this.
Has anybody else experienced anything like this?

Thank you in advance for any info.

All the best.

Kev

[kazzy]

from other posts ive read it sounds like his little boy bits i think your turt is flashing you

[AnythingWithAShell]

Congrats, you have a boy!

Maybe your others are female? Or younger than this one, so not sexually mature yet? If you post some good clear pics, people will be able to tell you, if they are indeed old enough to sex.

You need clear pics of the plastron including tail, and the front claws if poss

[down_grunger]

thank you for the feedback, do you think that its just puberty essentially then?

[AnythingWithAShell]

Essentially when they reach sexual maturity, they start to flash. He might keep doing it every so often for the rest of his life. Out of my tortoises and turtles, I only have 1 confirmed girl, don't know what the rest are, so I've not yet been flashed!

[down_grunger]

your amazing, thank you soo much. do you have any idea why they flash?

[Stephen P]

I think its just called being a boy!

[AnythingWithAShell]

Yep, just cos they feel like it! Since they don't do it until they're a bit older, I guess they maybe start flashing when they start to get interested in mating?

[down_grunger]

thanks again, another issue that i have with the maps is that they are very nervious, ive read many books that tell me that this is thier natural way but is this something that they grow out of? my sliders are fine and arent nervious at all, but my maps move very fast whenever anyone goes near the tank.
does anyone else have this problem at all? can i do anything to stop them from being so jumpy and nervious?

kind regards,

kev

[AnythingWithAShell]

My Ouachita map is quite skittish. He got used to me before, and stopped jumping back in the water when I went near, but I moved his tank recently and it's now slightly lower, and he's reverted back to being really nervous again! I'm going to move it again (god knows where!) or put it on a higher unit. I must look huge to him now he's lower down! I think that might be making him more nervous.

But yep, maps are quite known for being a bit nervous, so I wouldn't worry too much. They may grow out of it, but they may not. Turtles of all species can be like this, and some stop while others don't.