Extra scutes.

[JennBell0725]

All three of my hatchlings have extra scutes and I think they are pyramiding. It seems worse were the extra scutes are. Any advice? They are 6m now.

 

[Pokeymeg]

Can you give more details on how you're raising them? Lights, temp, humidity?

 

[JennBell0725]

55g tank. Two humid hides temps are 82 low end 110 under basking 90s on warm end. I had to bump my che to a 150 and im having hell keeping my humidity up now. Its staying around 65. Spraying daily and adding to the substrate. I think I need to get a solid top made. Right now I have foil over the holes. Oh and I dont do artificial uv. They get outside as much as possible.

 

[Tom]

55 is too small for three hatchlings. Yours need a bigger enclosure and they need it now. As long as the top is open you will always be fighting the heat and humidity battle. You are evaporating too much water in an attempt to raise and maintain high humidity. All that evaporation cools things, so you've had to add more heat. More heat dries things sooner and increases the "chimney" effect that pulls the heat and humidity up and out of your enclosure. The extra electric heat also causes their carapaces to be more dry, which also contributes to pyramiding. I think a 110 basking spot in an open topped enclosure is going to dry out the carapace a bit. The tort in the first pic looks great. The other one looks to be pyramiding more, but not bad at all.

A humid hide might help, but a closed chamber will solve your problem and make your life easy. It will also substantially lower your daily electrical use.

Also, lots of outside time can contribute to pyramiding in little ones too. Where are you?

 

[JennBell0725]

Im in hot in humid Louisiana. They get about and hour a day outside as long as the weather is okay(which includes not being too hot) I'll get them something bigger asap. I also kept a mister on them outside during the summer. They get daily soaks as well.

 

[Moozillion]

I live in Louisiana as well (I'm in Covington- just across the Lake from New Orleans). My tort (a Hermann's) has an 8 x 12 ft outdoor enclosure for time spent out doors. I keep a digital thermo hygrometer in her outdoor hide so I can make sure of her temps and humidity. I bring her inside when the temps drop to the 50s or below. Her indoor enclosure has a covered top and a thermo hygrometer at each end. I keep her humidity above 50% and most often in the 60-70 range. I could never keep the humidity up without the cover. Just my current system. She is growing well and seems very healthy.

 

[JennBell0725]

I have a top on mine. Its just not sealed well bc of the style and the lamps. Im going to have to do something. I was supposed to be getting a huge closed chamber from acadian enclosures but the owner never got back to me about when I could get it. I might just end up setting them up in the big rubbermaid storage tubs and just get them each one.

 

[Tom]

They don't make a rubbermade tub big enough for sulcatas the size of yours and the open tops will not help your issues. They need something like 4x8' for indoor time, and even that is only going to last a year or two at most. Then you will need to build an insulated, heated box of rather to live outside in.

I forgot to mention in my earlier post that often split scuted animals tend to show more initial pyramiding, especially around the abnormal areas. In most cases though, if conditions are correct, the raised growth seems to even out and smooth out over time. Its just that those areas might appear to be more "stacked" than a "normal" tortoise during early growth. Once your babies are 10-12", the raised growth will be a memory and they will look good.

 

[TiyahLove]

Tom, I used to have Tiger in a sterralite tub finally finished building my closed chamber, and I keep some of my monster snakes in tubs. The biggest tub I have seen was 4ftx3ftx2ft (length, width, height)

 

[Tom]

Then you will need to build an insulated, heated box of rather to live outside in.

"...of rather..."???

Darn auto spell checker got me again. Should have read: "Then you will need to build an insulated, heated box FOR THEM to live outside in."

Sorry.

---

Tom, I used to have Tiger in a sterralite tub finally finished building my closed chamber, and I keep some of my monster snakes in tubs. The biggest tub I have seen was 4ftx3ftx2ft (length, width, height)

Who makes it, what does it cost, and where does one find that?

 

[JennBell0725]

I already have one for Littlefoot that you helped me with. Im planning on them being outside full time as soon as they are big enough. Probably by next winter. That is why ive been kind of iffy about building such a huge closed chamber. Especially bc we will be moving in 4 months. I might just have to go ahead and do it anyway. They are growing so fast.

 

[tortwalt]

Where at in Louisiana are you? I just put a towel over my tank I can keep the humidity at 80. I'm in lake Charles and will be building an indoor enclosure soon. I've got the tools if you need help or someone to build one for you

 

[JennBell0725]

Im about 45 miles north of you! Yay a TFO member nearby!

 

[TiyahLove]

It's made my sterralite I just found mine at walmart for about 10$. You can get tubs that size from lllreptile, just go to the vision rack section and then scroll down to the bottom they have replacement tubs that are huge.