ladyengineer
Member
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2015
- Messages
- 55
It's almost exactly a year since I posted a thread on the forum looking for advice to improve the growth pattern on my Tunisian Tortoise, Pegasus.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/tunisian-testudo-graeca-im-worried-about-his-shell.111354/
At the time I was following my breeder's advice and keeping Pegasus on beech chip substrate, and he was starting to show Pyramiding shell growth.
The resounding advice? Increase humidity. So I went against all the stuff I'd read on Tunisians (who are supposed to be delicate little guys who do badly in damp conditions), and I changed his substrate to coco-coir, which can be kept moist. I have a 1 litre watering can which I use to keep it from drying out. He gets soaks more often and I even tried raw extra virgin coconut oil on his shell once a week to once every fortnight of so (basically when I remember) which is supposed to be a moisturiser which is safe.
I noticed a difference right away! He's got more energy than he did, he runs around his house more, and I noticed a change in his growth pattern almost immediately! I know it sounds crazy but he had a big growth spurt the second the humidity went up and I could tell within a week that things were getting better, as I immediately saw his front scutes changing shape.
He also developed RNS, and was blowing bubbles for a while. I was worried about him but I just kept him warm and fed him a lot. The vet decided that because he wasn't getting any worse and seemed very happy and active despite his runny nose and bubble blowing, he didn't need antibiotics, and he proved right. Peggy got better all by himself with just careful monitoring and lots of love.
A year on and I can definitely say, higher humidity WORKS. I'm not going to say it's got rid of the problem entirely, but he's grown twice as fast in the last year as he did before. His new growth is visibly flatter than the rest of his scutes. Take a look at the pictures and see for yourself!
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/tunisian-testudo-graeca-im-worried-about-his-shell.111354/
At the time I was following my breeder's advice and keeping Pegasus on beech chip substrate, and he was starting to show Pyramiding shell growth.
The resounding advice? Increase humidity. So I went against all the stuff I'd read on Tunisians (who are supposed to be delicate little guys who do badly in damp conditions), and I changed his substrate to coco-coir, which can be kept moist. I have a 1 litre watering can which I use to keep it from drying out. He gets soaks more often and I even tried raw extra virgin coconut oil on his shell once a week to once every fortnight of so (basically when I remember) which is supposed to be a moisturiser which is safe.
I noticed a difference right away! He's got more energy than he did, he runs around his house more, and I noticed a change in his growth pattern almost immediately! I know it sounds crazy but he had a big growth spurt the second the humidity went up and I could tell within a week that things were getting better, as I immediately saw his front scutes changing shape.
He also developed RNS, and was blowing bubbles for a while. I was worried about him but I just kept him warm and fed him a lot. The vet decided that because he wasn't getting any worse and seemed very happy and active despite his runny nose and bubble blowing, he didn't need antibiotics, and he proved right. Peggy got better all by himself with just careful monitoring and lots of love.
A year on and I can definitely say, higher humidity WORKS. I'm not going to say it's got rid of the problem entirely, but he's grown twice as fast in the last year as he did before. His new growth is visibly flatter than the rest of his scutes. Take a look at the pictures and see for yourself!