darn pet store!!

[NaturalK84]

I purchased Koopa here in Texas from a local pet store. They had two 8 month olds and about five 1 year old. She stated her family breeds them themselves. I was like okay!!! Great!! I had done little research but only on what to feed them. Then i found this forum and WOWZERS what i have learned. Koopa has pyramiding at 8 months old. They were kept on a little bit of SAND, a huge light in a 20 gallon tank. No water dish. Just tortoises.

As a result Koopa never gets on his water dish on his own (although) he loves water, he avoids it. I try placing him in it every couple of hours just to "train " him to do it. As a result i tend to leave him in water for about 20 minutes (warning every time it cools)
Is 20 minutes too long?? I spray him 4-5 times daily and mist the enclosure just as much (as Tom advised) i am really working on getting him right.

How long is too long to be in the water??

 

[Livingstone]

You are going to traumatize him/her if you keep putting him in the water randomly, stick to a routine so the animal gets to know the pattern. That will minimize stress on the tortoise.

 

[Laura]

Have you taken some educational info back to the pet Store? Hint hint...
20 min should be fine..

 

[ascott]

I believe that a good long soak is aok....I have a CDT that will sleep in his soaking dish out in his yard and have seen him fallen asleep with his head on the rim and his entire body sprawled out in the water...he does this usually during the warmer months...but have found him that way and he remains sometimes for a couple of hours...lol

Keep in mind though, he is a grown adult....so if your tort enjoys it and you have the time to keep an eye on him then let him soak....

Also, if everytime you remove him you set him in his water dish upon return to his enclosure that should be fine....

 

[Dizisdalife]

When I got my tortoise he was already 8 months old, weighed about 80 grams, and the pyramiding was evident. Like you I was thankful to find this Forum. Following the advice I found here I was able to stop the pyramiding and get his shell growing in smooth. I have tendonitis from squeezing the spray bottle. But now, 16 months later, he weighs almost 7 pounds, gaining around 100 grams a week, and seems real healthy and happy.

 

[Jacob]

This happens alot, luckily you are at the right place now!

 

[mike est]

WOW ! Now its for sure! I am getting my tortoise from a breeder, so glad i came to TFO !

 

[wellington]

Random soaks won't hurt or stress him. The best soaks are at least a half hour. The best info and correct info won't be found in most pet stores. Good luck

 

[Tom]

I'm sorry to hear about your pet store. Sadly, that is pretty common.

What sort of water dish do you have for him? When they avoid it all the time it makes me wonder if they are afraid of it or if its a suitable type. Most pet store water dishes are not suitable for tortoises.

When you do soak him, 20 minutes is usually enough, but 2 hours won't hurt anything.

Normally for an 8-12 month old, a person could start to relax a bit with the wet routine. However, if you are trying to stop pyramiding already in progress on a baby that has already had a very dry time of it, I would go swampy. Warm, wet and humid all the time. Instead of simulating an African desert, like what he had for the first 8 months, simulate and African marsh during the rainy season. Hot, humid, wet and lush. It took more than two years for me to turn Daisy around, but it finally started to work and the results today are pretty amazing to me. Be patient. You will not see results over night. You will not see results for several months likely. Just stick to it, and in the end you will be glad you did. And don't let your tort get cool at night. Shoot for an ambient of 80 all the time.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Tom is absolutely right about keeping it swampy for your tortoise. It can be a challenge, but the results will be worth it. If you don't have a temp gun, then now's the time to invest in one. A hygrometer would be nice too. I just made sure that the enclosure was hot and humid all the time. Just a little less so at night time.

Here is Chuck at about 10-11 months. Just after I started keeping him moist.

Here he is 4 months later. The growth has all been smooth.

At 18 months a smooth pattern has set in.

And even though he is 2 years old now, and stays outside every day, I bring him in at night so that he can sleep in a moist, humid, 80*+ chamber. I might be over doing it a bit. He will soon be outside 24/7.

 

[Tom]

Joe, our results are very similar. It makes me very happy to see another success story. Thanks for sharing these pics with us. Your tortoise looks fantastic and he'll be a great looking adult. When he's 100 pounds, you won't even be able to tell he had a rough, dry start.

3 cheers for simulating the African rainy season!!!

 

[Dizisdalife]

Joe, our results are very similar. It makes me very happy to see another success story. Thanks for sharing these pics with us. Your tortoise looks fantastic and he'll be a great looking adult. When he's 100 pounds, you won't even be able to tell he had a rough, dry start.

3 cheers for simulating the African rainy season!!!

Thanks Tom. It was your results with Daisy and sharing your experience of raising sulcatas with the dry method that convinced me to go this way.

 

[NaturalK84]

When I got my tortoise he was already 8 months old, weighed about 80 grams, and the pyramiding was evident. Like you I was thankful to find this Forum. Following the advice I found here I was able to stop the pyramiding and get his shell growing in smooth. I have tendonitis from squeezing the spray bottle. But now, 16 months later, he weighs almost 7 pounds, gaining around 100 grams a week, and seems real healthy and happy.

thank you very much!! you just gave me a lot of hope.!!!

---

Tom is absolutely right about keeping it swampy for your tortoise. It can be a challenge, but the results will be worth it. If you don't have a temp gun, then now's the time to invest in one. A hygrometer would be nice too. I just made sure that the enclosure was hot and humid all the time. Just a little less so at night time.

Here is Chuck at about 10-11 months. Just after I started keeping him moist.

Here he is 4 months later. The growth has all been smooth.

At 18 months a smooth pattern has set in.

And even though he is 2 years old now, and stays outside every day, I bring him in at night so that he can sleep in a moist, humid, 80*+ chamber. I might be over doing it a bit. He will soon be outside 24/7.

Beautiful!!

---

I'm sorry to hear about your pet store. Sadly, that is pretty common.

What sort of water dish do you have for him? When they avoid it all the time it makes me wonder if they are afraid of it or if its a suitable type. Most pet store water dishes are not suitable for tortoises.

When you do soak him, 20 minutes is usually enough, but 2 hours won't hurt anything.

Normally for an 8-12 month old, a person could start to relax a bit with the wet routine. However, if you are trying to stop pyramiding already in progress on a baby that has already had a very dry time of it, I would go swampy. Warm, wet and humid all the time. Instead of simulating an African desert, like what he had for the first 8 months, simulate and African marsh during the rainy season. Hot, humid, wet and lush. It took more than two years for me to turn Daisy around, but it finally started to work and the results today are pretty amazing to me. Be patient. You will not see results over night. You will not see results for several months likely. Just stick to it, and in the end you will be glad you did. And don't let your tort get cool at night. Shoot for an ambient of 80 all the time.

As always Tom I appreciate your help. Today was dump water in day. On sum days i mix water in with my hand and mush around. Everyday I mist and spray. I know it is going to be a journey, but hey, I'm not doing anything

---

Thanks everyone!!! I am very determined to get him into shape. Here is a pic of Koopa the day I purchased him.

 

[l0velesly]

Good luck on getting him on the right track!