Tortoise shells are not just made of bone. The scutes, or scales, protecting the bones underneath are made of keratin, like our fingernails. Unlike turtles, which shed scutes as they grow, tortoises ...

Unlike crabs, a turtle cannot change or shed its shell. As the turtle grows, so does its shell. The scutes on its shell peel away to make room for bigger ones. 5 Keep your flippers inside the ...

Unlike turtles, which shed scutes as they grow, tortoises continue to grow new ones underneath the old ones. However, superficial keratin layers may peel occasionally during a growth spurt.

Tortoise shells are not just made of bone. The scutes, or scales, protecting the bones underneath are made of keratin, like our fingernails. Unlike turtles, which shed scutes as they grow ...