Bixi is growing fast

[Bixi]

1yr old sulcata. I still can't get the pyramiding under control with humidity, a mix of grass and zoomed grassland diet and romaine lettuce, zoomed calcium D3 supplement, a cuttlefish bone, out-of-cage soaking, a walk-in water bowl, proper UVB, 2 heat sources, and plenty of living space. I have read that sulcatas "just pyramid in captivity", but I have also seen smooth sulcatas in captivity on this website. It is frustrating that I can't help my tort to grow smoothly. The tort appears very healthy in movement and eating, but there is still pyramiding... I want Bixi to be healthy... let me know if anyone has ideas outside of the details that I have listed.

The only thing I can think of is: Bixi spends a lot of time in her cage and does not have regular access to a lawn. Once the weather warms back up, she will have time to go out and graze and get natural sunlight. Given that I acquired her as a hatchling last January, it has been difficult to offer her lots of outside time here in Tennessee.

 

[Jay Bagley]

1yr old sulcata. I still can't get the pyramiding under control with humidity, a mix of grass and zoomed grassland diet and romaine lettuce, zoomed calcium D3 supplement, a cuttlefish bone, out-of-cage soaking, a walk-in water bowl, proper UVB, 2 heat sources, and plenty of living space. I have read that sulcatas "just pyramid in captivity", but I have also seen smooth sulcatas in captivity on this website. It is frustrating that I can't help my tort to grow smoothly. The tort appears very healthy in movement and eating, but there is still pyramiding... I want Bixi to be healthy... let me know if anyone has ideas outside of the details that I have listed.

The only thing I can think of is: Bixi spends a lot of time in her cage and does not have regular access to a lawn. Once the weather warms back up, she will have time to go out and graze and get natural sunlight. Given that I acquired her as a hatchling last January, it has been difficult to offer her lots of outside time here in Tennessee.

What is your humidity level at?

 

[Hutsie B]

She doesn't look too pyramiding to me, mine have pyramiding,but I know it is from early lack of information on my part. I am just hoping to stop it from here and let it even out as I have added more moisture and humidity and soaks. Yours really doesn't look too bad to me.

 

[Gwen Loves Tortoises]

Your tort is so cute pyramid and all.

 

[Bixi]

What is your humidity level at?

Hey, I don't know if I trust the humidity monitor I have. It is a cheap-ish pet store monitor. It says humidity stays around 40-45%, and it goes up quite a bit when I mist her cage. It has been cold here, so I have been misting less. I still soak her once a week. I may need to just up the frequency of her soaks.

 

[Jay Bagley]

Hey, I don't know if I trust the humidity monitor I have. It is a cheap-ish pet store monitor. It says humidity stays around 40-45%, and it goes up quite a bit when I mist her cage. It has been cold here, so I have been misting less. I still soak her once a week. I may need to just up the frequency of her soaks.

You can get a digital one at lowes or other chain hardware store. I just picked up three of them under 10 bucks a piece. They have a large digital readout, and they show the temperature, humidity, and they track your high and low.

 

[Bixi]

You can get a digital one at lowes or other chain hardware store. I just picked up three of them under 10 bucks a piece. They have a large digital readout, and they show the temperature, humidity, and they track your high and low.

oh wow thats cheap... well I know what I am doing this weekend... thank you!

 

[Jay Bagley]

oh wow thats cheap... well I know what I am doing this weekend... thank you!

You are very welcome, I'm out and about right now but when I get back I'll take a picture of one so you kind of have an idea. I don't have my enclosure done yet, but I've been running two of them side-by-side in my home and they seem pretty accurate within a degree of each other.

 

[Jay Bagley]

You are very welcome, I'm out and about right now but when I get back I'll take a picture of one so you kind of have an idea. I don't have my enclosure done yet, but I've been running two of them side-by-side in my home and they seem pretty accurate within a degree of each other.

Here is a pic of the ones I got, there are a few different models. I didn't come up with the idea myself or anything, I had seen some other posters are using something similar.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Yep, I use AcuRite as well!