Does Nelson look healthy? (Mainly on shell)

[SDaley97]

Just started posting here, and on a post someone suggested my tortoise could have 'pyramiding'. I just want some more opinions because i'm really worried :-(

Thanks all!
Sam

 

[Tom]

Doesn't look too bad. If the diet is good and he gets regular sunshine, you really shouldn't worry too much about it. Its really only cosmetic.

Here are some possibilities to consider for why he might be growing that way:
1. Rapid growth. Can be caused by constant warm conditions with no night time cooling period, or a diet that is too rich or too high in protein.
2. Too dry of conditions.

So tell us:
What do you feed?
Do you use night heat of some sort?
What is is UV source?
Does he get outside for sunshine, exercise and grazing?
What substrate do you use and is it damp?
Does he have a humid hide box?
How often do you soak?
Where are you?
Does he have a shallow water bowl that he uses?

 

[SDaley97]

I feed him mainly baby gem lettuce and from time to time carrot. I do not have any heat in the night because apparently it's good for them to have the heat drop. My UV source i'm not sure of but i intend to change it when i get him a tortoise table as it's due a change. I often let him out and roam around. He's soaked probably once a week. I live in England and yes he has a shallow bowl

 

[Tom]

What are you using for substrate?
Is the substrate damp?
What is the ambient humidity in the enclosure?
Does he have a humid hide?
Does he burrow into the substrate?

 

[SDaley97]

It's called 'tortoise life'. Pretty good stuff, some of my friends use it too and Nelson often burrows down into it

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I'm not sure about the humidity and i need to sort a hide out for him, i had a hide but he never used it so i took it out. I intend to get the tortoise table soon so he will have a hide built into that.

 

[Tom]

Did a google search for it. Its says its a 50/50 mix of soil and sand. I would never use that as sand is a big impaction risk and a possible skin and eye irritant. However it is good for maintaining some humidity. Do you keep it damp?

What is the ambient humidity?
Does he have a humid hide?

Would you overall describe his environment as "dry"?

I'm asking all of this because pyramiding is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry.

 

[SDaley97]

I would probably say it's dry, i'm not sure about the humidity levels. How would you recommend i keep it dry?