I think it's becoming common knowledge that to grow a tortoise in dry conditions promotes pyramiding.
I'm still getting some minor pyramiding in some tortoises. Ive soaked every tortoise every day for first 3 months.
Regarding soaking my worst case was with my last clutch of 10 babies. They were soaked every day for first 3 months then every 3rd day from then on.
My best case was a clutch of 9 that were soaked every day for first 6 months then every other day from then on.
In every case I've had some smooth and some not so smooth. I've got a few that I would consider super smooth, I have 2 that I'm just disgusted with. Anyway my point is I've got every combination of smoothness for every pattern of soaking.
So then comes in the question of humidity levels. My babies are in an open table within a hot humid building. Humidity is 80%+. In the depths of moss and leaf litter it's higher, more like 99%. Some tortoises hide in the ground litter and some just lay on top of it, I think because there are no predatory dangers they are sleeping in the open without fear. This is an unnatural behaviour within a captive situation. They've basically tamed up to some degree and all at different degrees. Throw in the combination of some may dig in sometimes and not on other occasions then you start to understand why I'm seeing variations within a group that at first hand looks to be all equal. I've even fed only one food type per day up until about a month ago, so diet is just simply nothing to do with the variation I'm seeing. I've now gone back to feeding anything and everything all at once.
There are some photos below of some babies this morning before I sprayed. Bare in mind I soak and the humidity is at minimum 80% constantly.
I've noticed even in this environment after I soak them that within 30 to 60 minutes the carapace are dry again.
Soaking has health benefits beyond pyramiding, I get that and would never suggest to never soak. What I want to know is do you think that anything below 99% humidity is not constant enough for an entire bunch of babies to grow smooth.
Look at the white lines on those that didn't dig in last night.
Are white lines a visual that the carapace is not being kept moist enough?
My tort house climate is basically a copy of the South American climate ou
I'm still getting some minor pyramiding in some tortoises. Ive soaked every tortoise every day for first 3 months.
Regarding soaking my worst case was with my last clutch of 10 babies. They were soaked every day for first 3 months then every 3rd day from then on.
My best case was a clutch of 9 that were soaked every day for first 6 months then every other day from then on.
In every case I've had some smooth and some not so smooth. I've got a few that I would consider super smooth, I have 2 that I'm just disgusted with. Anyway my point is I've got every combination of smoothness for every pattern of soaking.
So then comes in the question of humidity levels. My babies are in an open table within a hot humid building. Humidity is 80%+. In the depths of moss and leaf litter it's higher, more like 99%. Some tortoises hide in the ground litter and some just lay on top of it, I think because there are no predatory dangers they are sleeping in the open without fear. This is an unnatural behaviour within a captive situation. They've basically tamed up to some degree and all at different degrees. Throw in the combination of some may dig in sometimes and not on other occasions then you start to understand why I'm seeing variations within a group that at first hand looks to be all equal. I've even fed only one food type per day up until about a month ago, so diet is just simply nothing to do with the variation I'm seeing. I've now gone back to feeding anything and everything all at once.
There are some photos below of some babies this morning before I sprayed. Bare in mind I soak and the humidity is at minimum 80% constantly.
I've noticed even in this environment after I soak them that within 30 to 60 minutes the carapace are dry again.
Soaking has health benefits beyond pyramiding, I get that and would never suggest to never soak. What I want to know is do you think that anything below 99% humidity is not constant enough for an entire bunch of babies to grow smooth.
Look at the white lines on those that didn't dig in last night.
Are white lines a visual that the carapace is not being kept moist enough?
My tort house climate is basically a copy of the South American climate ou