Is my baby Sulcata starting to pyramid ?

Timmy_2short

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Hi! I received my baby sulcata approximately 4 months ago. His brown lines where thinner and the shell was flat and a lot smoother when I initially received him. Here's a vid
of how he looks now ! any info would be appreciated.
 
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pguinpro

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Hi! I received my baby sulcata approximately 4 months ago. His brown lines where thinner and the shell was flat and a lot smoother when I initially received him. Here's a vid
of how he looks now ! any info would be appreciated.
Imo too early to tell. Correct any temp humidity issues and check back several months from now to compare. Also make sure your tort has access to calcium whether it be supplements or turtle bone/block.
 

Timmy_2short

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Imo too early to tell. Correct any temp humidity issues and check back several months from now to compare. Also make sure your tort has access to calcium whether it be supplements or turtle bone/block.

Should I mist down the enclosure once a day ?
 

TechnoCheese

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Should I mist down the enclosure once a day ?

You need an entirely enclosed enclosure with little to no ventilation, and a deep, damp substrate. You should be aiming for 80-100% humidity.

Be sure to give these a read-
How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0 https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...ealthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/

For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata... https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/For-Those-Who-Have-a-Young-Sulcata....76744/

Beginner Mistakes https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/
 

TechnoCheese

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Imo too early to tell. Correct any temp humidity issues and check back several months from now to compare. Also make sure your tort has access to calcium whether it be supplements or turtle bone/block.

Please keep in mind that calcium has little to nothing to do with pyramiding :)
 
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pguinpro

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Please keep in mind that calcium has little to nothing to do with pyramiding :)
Malnutrition

The underlying cause of pyramiding is not fully known, but excess protein in the diet, humidty , and temps seems to be the most likely factors. Other factors include poor calcium absorbtion (or lack of calcium in the diet) and little exercise.
 

TechnoCheese

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Malnutrition

The underlying cause of pyramiding is not fully known, but excess protein in the diet, humidty , and temps seems to be the most likely factors. Other factors include poor calcium absorbtion (or lack of calcium in the diet) and little exercise.

A few experiments/studies have actually found evidence that anything but humidity, especially protein, really has extremely little to do with it. This one, for example-
http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Turtles-Tortoises/Turtle-Care/Pyramiding-in-Tortoises/
Some people have fed their tortoises cat food and still had smooth shells, just because they were kept in a humid environment.
 
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pguinpro

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A few experiments/studies have actually found evidence that anything but humidity, especially protein, really has extremely little to do with it. This one, for example-
http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Turtles-Tortoises/Turtle-Care/Pyramiding-in-Tortoises/
Some people have fed their tortoises cat food and still had smooth shells, just because they were kept in a humid environment.
I think it's important for there to be calcium available. Before my tortoise I had aquatic turtles and calcium promotes good bone/shell growth. Calcium in general is good for bone growth which is common knowledge.

I think it's a complex issue and to rule out stuff like excersise and calcium would be a bad idea. As for protein, plants don't have a lot of proteins anyways, cat food on the other hand should be avoided in my opinion.
 

JoesMum

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Malnutrition

The underlying cause of pyramiding is not fully known, but excess protein in the diet, humidty , and temps seems to be the most likely factors. Other factors include poor calcium absorbtion (or lack of calcium in the diet) and little exercise.
@Tom in particular has done a lot of research into pyramidding and his theories have been tested and proved by many TFO members.

Calcium and UVB are important in avoiding Metabolic Bone Disease. Providing a tiny sprinkle of calcium poeder on food 2-3 times a week and UVB will stop MBD; sprinkle it very sparsely or it is likely the tort will refuse to eat. Leave a cuttlebone in the enclosure and your tort will hopefully chomp on it too helping it with both calcium and beak maintenance.

The biggest factor in pyramidding appears to be raising the tortoise in too dry an environment. Sulcatas in the wild, hatch in the rainy season and spend a lot of time in burrows. The humidity in these burrows is much higher than it is on the surface. Using a closed chamber, with an earthy substrate that is mixed with water so that all of it is evenly damp creates similar high humidity conditions.

@Timmy_2short Tom's care sheets have been linked to earlier by @TechnoCheese and Iwould advise you to read those and compare them with your setup.

I also suggest that you post photos of your tort's enclosure and lighting so that we can see if there's anything we recommend to help you.
 

Cheryl Hills

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Malnutrition

The underlying cause of pyramiding is not fully known, but excess protein in the diet, humidty , and temps seems to be the most likely factors. Other factors include poor calcium absorbtion (or lack of calcium in the diet) and little exercise.
Pyramiding is not caused from diet, it is caused from lack of humidity.
 
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pguinpro

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Hi! I received my baby sulcata approximately 4 months ago. His brown lines where thinner and the shell was flat and a lot smoother when I initially received him. Here's a vid
of how he looks now ! any info would be appreciated.
Didn't mean to derail your thread but hopefully you have the resources you need now and a general idea of what you need to do.
 

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