# Young Hermann's tortoise shell ridges



## Herman365 (May 8, 2014)

Since acquiring Herman (approx 1.5 yrs old) from my nephew, who moved to Australia and couldn't bring Herman with him, I've been doing my best to research proper tortoise care. I bath Herman every morning and let her walk around in the humid shower stall before drying her off and putting her in her coco coil soil substrate which varies from 50% to 20% humidity depending on the day. She has large rocks to hang out on and climb over and a UV lamp and heat lamp combo in a vivarium (tortoise table coming thus summer). I feed her lettuces such as endive, radicchio, escarole, dandelion, and occasionally kale and spring mix with spinach taken out. I liberally sprinkle Repachy super veggie powder onto her food every day, which she eats, and have a cuttlebone in there, which she plays with.

I thought I was doing well, her shell is hard and she's active, eats well, but I noticed these ridges developing on her carapace between the scutes. Since her pyramiding was pretty minimal with my nephew's fairly hands off approach to ownership, I wonder what I'm doing wrong. Am I over-feeding her? I've attached photos that hopefully show the ridges that I'm concerned about.


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## Tom (May 8, 2014)

Pyramiding comes from growth in conditions that are too dry. 20% is wayyyyy too low. 50% for this species is considered too low by some.

Your diet of grocery store greens is not the best, even though you are trying hard and feeding what some people say to feed, all that stuff is not the best. Here are some suggestions for better things:
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds: 
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food

I think you are supplementing way too much. A couple of times a week is more than enough with a good diet.

Some shell spraying and a good humid hide will help you too.


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## Herman365 (May 8, 2014)

I guess my question is why is this starting? She didn't get baths before I took over her care and the humidity in her vivarium was never monitored (she's still in the same city). She existed solely on mixed greens and carrots without any supplements. 

Is she growing too fast?


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