Advance Apologies for this Thread - I Have Searched and Read HERE Extensively, Still Confused and Stressed

[OliveW]

I REALLY need to understand about growth and pyramiding. I know this topic has been done to death on this forum. I have been reading all morning.

LOTS of the posts I've read, even from users I have unwavering trust for, are close to, or more than, a decade old. I know information has changed as learning continues.

My post yesterday about my Sully's rapid weight gain (1 lb in 6 weeks) brought up some concern by another member. She also noted some new growth, but I'm not sure if it was on his pyramids or other parts of his shell because I don't know what new growth looks like.

I follow @Tom care guide to the letter. My boy gets EVERYTHING that Tom says he needs. I concentrate heavily on humidity and hydration. I'd love to know what other Floridians do to keep their outdoor torts humid in the winter. @ZEROPILOT

I know everyone is busy here, but I would be forever grateful if someone would explain a couple of things to be about growth. I really NEED pictures. And I need areas of the pictures circled. I have seen plenty of pictures posted on this forum where the expert says something like, "See that line? that's ...." Well, I can see the picture but have no clue what line they are referring to!

My boy already has bad pyramiding. I completely understand this will never go away. What I don't know is if new growth will appear on top his humps, or on other places on his shell? I desperately need to know what this looks like so I can make sure my baby's growth is good and not bad! Due to his outgoing and friendly nature, I honestly believe his previous owners loved him and thought they were doing the right thing, he just got too big for a fish tank, as all Sulcatas will. I did have a chat with the local pet store owner yesterday, nicely. As depressing as it is, I will going back to talk to him again in the future.

Pictures, pictures, pictures, PRETTY PLEASE! With arrows or circles to point what where you are making reference to. I will post some good pictures of my baby later today, after his soak, and would appreciate anyone who can show me anything specific on HIM as well. I will measure him on wood and post those measurements with his pics later today. I know his shell is growing as well, because he didn't fit on the scale I was using for him before. he covered the numbers, so I had to lift him off fast enough before they disappeared. I've ordered a "wall scale." It has a big platform with the readout on a cable that can be mounted on the wall, like you see at vets offices.

 

[OliveW]

I just gave him a quick rinse so his shell would be clear enough for photos. I apologize if some of these are duplicates. I was having a hard time putting them up from my phone.

Also, his shell measures only 10" when I used the butting him up to wood and making a mark method. I forgot to measure width.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Here's pictures, but I have never know how to circle on the photos. On my extreme right is a rescue I kept. Not the tort I'm holding, but the farthest one...see her pyramids?
four years later...see those white lines on her carapace? Those are growth lines and they are smooth....
This is Dudley Gomez...he is about 120 pounds...see how his pyramids look? That's good growth...
Any other info you can read...so I really hope this show and tell helps...oh, Dudley just got lettuce for the photo op...lol
keep asking questions...

 

[OliveW]

@maggie3fan thank you! Do you mean the white lines that are in between his pyramids? That's what new growth looks like? Is it always white?

I uploaded some pics of Tortimer from just now, can you see any new growth on him? I tried to upload a video of him running around to show how fast and cute he is, but it wouldn't let me.

Tortimer has gotten light colored lines between his pyramids just like that. I thought they were dirt, stuck in cracks, and have been trying to scrub them off. I even tried with a very soft brush, which he didn't like, so I won't do that again. He does like to be rubbed on his back with my hands, though.

 

[Yvonne G]

Olive: your tortoise's new growth is dark brown. Once you see that dark brown that is between the tan color starting to lay more flat rather than uphill the pyramiding has stopped.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

What Yvonne said about pyramiding is true.
It looks like your new growth is a lot less pyramided than it was previously.
And to answer your question about how I raise humidity in the less humid months, I use a sprinkler system to soak the enclosures in the morning maybe every 2 to 3 days and let evaporation do its thing.
You also need to provide a few shallow pools for tortoises to climb into. Some of them will spend hours just soaking

 

[zovick]

I REALLY need to understand about growth and pyramiding. I know this topic has been done to death on this forum. I have been reading all morning.

LOTS of the posts I've read, even from users I have unwavering trust for, are close to, or more than, a decade old. I know information has changed as learning continues.

My post yesterday about my Sully's rapid weight gain (1 lb in 6 weeks) brought up some concern by another member. She also noted some new growth, but I'm not sure if it was on his pyramids or other parts of his shell because I don't know what new growth looks like.

I follow @Tom care guide to the letter. My boy gets EVERYTHING that Tom says he needs. I concentrate heavily on humidity and hydration. I'd love to know what other Floridians do to keep their outdoor torts humid in the winter. @ZEROPILOT

I know everyone is busy here, but I would be forever grateful if someone would explain a couple of things to be about growth. I really NEED pictures. And I need areas of the pictures circled. I have seen plenty of pictures posted on this forum where the expert says something like, "See that line? that's ...." Well, I can see the picture but have no clue what line they are referring to!

My boy already has bad pyramiding. I completely understand this will never go away. What I don't know is if new growth will appear on top his humps, or on other places on his shell? I desperately need to know what this looks like so I can make sure my baby's growth is good and not bad! Due to his outgoing and friendly nature, I honestly believe his previous owners loved him and thought they were doing the right thing, he just got too big for a fish tank, as all Sulcatas will. I did have a chat with the local pet store owner yesterday, nicely. As depressing as it is, I will going back to talk to him again in the future.

Pictures, pictures, pictures, PRETTY PLEASE! With arrows or circles to point what where you are making reference to. I will post some good pictures of my baby later today, after his soak, and would appreciate anyone who can show me anything specific on HIM as well. I will measure him on wood and post those measurements with his pics later today. I know his shell is growing as well, because he didn't fit on the scale I was using for him before. he covered the numbers, so I had to lift him off fast enough before they disappeared. I've ordered a "wall scale." It has a big platform with the readout on a cable that can be mounted on the wall, like you see at vets offices.

The simplest way to explain where new growth happens is to say that new growth occurs in the seams between the scutes. It is whitish at first, then takes on the color of the surrounding shell. In the case of your tortoise, the new growth will turn brown as it ages. The areas which are brown now are areas where new growth has taken place. Over time, those areas will fade and take on the lighter beige color of the older part of the shell.

 

[Markw84]

Here's a quick picture I had available of a young sulcata just starting to pyramid with arrows and designations of where the growth occurs and pyramiding starts. As Zovick said above - it is only between the scutes that new growth occurs.

 

[OliveW]

Thank you so much for your time, everyone! I feel much more confident in monitoring my boy's growth patterns now.

 

[Tom]

I REALLY need to understand about growth and pyramiding. I know this topic has been done to death on this forum. I have been reading all morning.

LOTS of the posts I've read, even from users I have unwavering trust for, are close to, or more than, a decade old. I know information has changed as learning continues.

My post yesterday about my Sully's rapid weight gain (1 lb in 6 weeks) brought up some concern by another member. She also noted some new growth, but I'm not sure if it was on his pyramids or other parts of his shell because I don't know what new growth looks like.

I follow @Tom care guide to the letter. My boy gets EVERYTHING that Tom says he needs. I concentrate heavily on humidity and hydration. I'd love to know what other Floridians do to keep their outdoor torts humid in the winter. @ZEROPILOT

I know everyone is busy here, but I would be forever grateful if someone would explain a couple of things to be about growth. I really NEED pictures. And I need areas of the pictures circled. I have seen plenty of pictures posted on this forum where the expert says something like, "See that line? that's ...." Well, I can see the picture but have no clue what line they are referring to!

My boy already has bad pyramiding. I completely understand this will never go away. What I don't know is if new growth will appear on top his humps, or on other places on his shell? I desperately need to know what this looks like so I can make sure my baby's growth is good and not bad! Due to his outgoing and friendly nature, I honestly believe his previous owners loved him and thought they were doing the right thing, he just got too big for a fish tank, as all Sulcatas will. I did have a chat with the local pet store owner yesterday, nicely. As depressing as it is, I will going back to talk to him again in the future.

Pictures, pictures, pictures, PRETTY PLEASE! With arrows or circles to point what where you are making reference to. I will post some good pictures of my baby later today, after his soak, and would appreciate anyone who can show me anything specific on HIM as well. I will measure him on wood and post those measurements with his pics later today. I know his shell is growing as well, because he didn't fit on the scale I was using for him before. he covered the numbers, so I had to lift him off fast enough before they disappeared. I've ordered a "wall scale." It has a big platform with the readout on a cable that can be mounted on the wall, like you see at vets offices.

Please do not apologize. No one is born knowing this stuff. We all had to learn it, as you are learning it now. Every single person on this forum is here to talk tortoises, and your questions fuel the conversation. I can also guarantee there are other members and guest silently reading and learning that are very happy you have asked a question like this. Many people learn when anyone asks a question.

We haven't covered this subject for a long time, so you go right ahead and ask as many questions as you want. Its a good learning experience for all, me included.

 

[BernieL]

Nicely said, Tom.