Good Beginner Tort?

[Chinque]

RE: Pyramiding

Thanks for helping me, guys! Sorry I couldn't update, I was either asleep or at school for most of them. No apologies needed, mainey34! You guys helped me a LOT! I didn't expect to get a marginated tort yesterday--I expected to get a Russian or a Greek, so I did all of the research on those two. I wasn't aware of pyramiding at the time. Not quite sure if this matters now, but she is eating her first meal here (the guy said that they just fed here when i bought her). She loves it! I have her set up in a 30" by 16" terrarium with the night light and a reptisun 10.0 UVB bulb. The night light is a zilla 150 watt night black heat bulb, so it won't keep me up at night. The enclosure she was in when I got her was in good condition when I got her--but, and I'm NOT sure this matters, she was kept with a big lizard, a male Russian, and a bunch of male(?) Greeks. Also, I don't know how old she it or how much she weighs, but I got her from the Vivarium in Berkeley, CA.

 

[Kerryann]

Awwww, I was really hoping that she didn't have pyramiding... 😢. I looked it up and I'm still confused...McCain someone please help me? Also, I decided to name her Rosie! 😊🌹

What are your questions? What are you confused about? Marginateds are some of the prettiest in my opinion.. of course I am biased but still

 

[Chinque]

Sorry; I meant to say can, not McCain! My questions are:
What can I do To prevent the shell from pyramiding anymore?
How does shell pyramiding effect tortoises?
Will the pyramids on the shell wear off or decrease in any way if I treat it correctly?

 

[luvpetz27]

Sorry; I meant to say can, not McCain! My questions are:
What can I do To prevent the shell from pyramiding anymore?
How does shell pyramiding effect tortoises?
Will the pyramids on the shell wear off or decrease in any way if I treat it correctly?

Hi Chinque!
In your thread called pyramiding several
people explained to you what it was and what
you can do to help Rosie......I love her name

You have to have a uvb bulb for sun if she is not
getting natural sun. MOISTURE is important!!
Are you using something for humidity?

Please go back and read all your replies on your
pyramiding thread!! That will answer all your questions!!

---

Please answer our questions
so we can help you!!!!!!!!
What lighting are you using???
What are you using for humidity?
What are you feeding her?

Kerryann asked you these questions
and we have not seen an answer from you
yet. We want to help you so please let us
know Rosie's set up!!!!

 

[Kerryann]

The pyramiding won't hurt her health if you fix the conditions that cause it. Knowing your set up and diet will allow us to help you give proper care.
My Russian had a huge shell deformity and her new growth leveled out. There if a thread about it in the pictures forum and in there is a pic of my Margy too. I don't know if you can reverse the pryamiding that had occurred but you can make it better in the future.

 

[luvpetz27]

Sorry; I meant to say can, not McCain! My questions are:
What can I do To prevent the shell from pyramiding anymore?
How does shell pyramiding effect tortoises?
Will the pyramids on the shell wear off or decrease in any way if I treat it correctly?

Hi Chinque!
In your thread called pyramiding several
people explained to you what it was and what
you can do to help Rosie......I love her name

You have to have a uvb bulb for sun if she is not
getting natural sun. MOISTURE is important!!
Are you using something for humidity?

Please go back and read all your replies on your
pyramiding thread!! That will answer all your questions!!

---

Please answer our questions
so we can help you!!!!!!!!
What lighting are you using???
What are you using for humidity?
What are you feeding her?

Kerryann asked you these questions
and we have not seen an answer from you
yet. We want to help you so please let us
know Rosie's set up!!!!

---

I SAW YOU ANSWERED THEM ON ANOTHER THREAD!

---

I agree about the pyramiding!
Researching will help...so the shell
doesn't get worse. He is very pretty!
Enjoy your new guy!

I guess it's a she!! I love the name Rosie!!

 

[Chinque]

Okay, I've been feeding her kale and broccoli since today, because the guy at the Vivarium said that since she was feeding when I picked her out.

 

[Kerryann]

Okay, I've been feeding her kale and broccoli since today, because the guy at the Vivarium said that since she was feeding when I picked her out.

I wouldn't feed the broccoli and change it out for other greens. Try radicchio. Mine loves radicchio.

 

[Chinque]

Okay!

 

[Sulcata tortoise665]

She's really cute!

Here are some name suggestions.
Posie, lime, bitty, or cybil

 

[Torts forever]

Marginated tortoises are one of the best beginner tortoises that you can get

 

[jamiescorer]

I have one and he has a lovely personality, I make his table as interesting as I can with tunnels, plants and hides, and he seems happy enough. I researched what average temps and humidity levels are in Greece and used that as my guide, I've only had him for a few months so I'm hoping I'm on the right track, I have notes with average monthly temps and humidity for Greece, let me know if you want me to share.

 

[Minority1]

Okay, I've been feeding her kale and broccoli since today, because the guy at the Vivarium said that since she was feeding when I picked her out.

Vivarium? Did you pick this tort up at East Bay Vivarium? Ask them about the pyramiding. Did you get a discount on account of the pyramiding? It's not extreme but it does show signs of the owners/retailers not doing their best at housing these animals.

 

[Kerryann]

I have one and he has a lovely personality, I make his table as interesting as I can with tunnels, plants and hides, and he seems happy enough. I researched what average temps and humidity levels are in Greece and used that as my guide, I've only had him for a few months so I'm hoping I'm on the right track, I have notes with average monthly temps and humidity for Greece, let me know if you want me to share.

What are you feeding him? Mine loves to have a lot of water and to be able to bathe daily.

 

[jamiescorer]

I feed him mainly dandelions and lettuce mix from the supermarket, still waiting for my seedlings of tortoise mix to be ready

 

[GBtortoises]

Okay, I've been feeding her kale and broccoli since today, because the guy at the Vivarium said that since she was feeding when I picked her out.

Marginated tortoises make very good first tortoises, they do get larger than some other more common Testudo species such as Hermann's, Russians or most Greek subspecies. Marginateds as adults average anywhere from 10-12".
The tortoise in the photo is pyramided. Most likely from being kept much too dry along with some other husbandry mistakes.
Kale and broccoli alone is not a good diet. A better choice would be a good quality, varied diet consisting of several greens and weeds.

 

[Kerryann]

I feed him mainly dandelions and lettuce mix from the supermarket, still waiting for my seedlings of tortoise mix to be ready

Mine loves the organic red kale and organic radicchio too. He loves anything red. I also grow some lettuces and cacti at home because he loves those as well.