Healthy Tortoise? Pics

[Phill]

Hi im new on the forum ive had my tortoise since he was 3 hes now 6-7 i feed him on a normal diet of spring greens,cabbage ECT...and in the summer he loves it in the garden eating Pansies,Violas,Dandylions in his pen.And i was wondering if that is a bit of shell pyrimiding?

Thanks for looking

 

[Yvonne G]

If you got him when he was 3 years old, then my guess is that most of the pyramiding happened between hatching and 3 years of age. He started to smooth out after that, but is still growing a bit pyramided. What kind of moisture do you provide in his habitat?

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And I forgot to say:

to the forum!!

 

[Phill]

When hes in his viv in winter he's given the opportunity to drink 3 time a week and is bathed weekly. Otherwise if i leave his water dish in, the viv gets very hot and humid and condensation appears on the glass. Would it be a good idea to remove a third on the top of the viv to allow more ventilation?

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Oh and is this serious shell pyrimiding or just minor?

 

[Yvonne G]

What kind of substrate is he on when he is in his viv? Most tortoises need a bit of humidity in order to grow smoothly. I'm not familiar with the Greek tortoises, so I really can't speak to their care or how badly he's pyramided, but to my untrained eye, it looks like quite a bit. Its not life threatening though. Just cosmetic.

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Here's a picture of an older Greek tortoise. I don't know if its the same sub species as yours, but there's quite a difference in their looks:

 

[Phill]

Hes on a mixture of aspen and wood shavings.I know you not familiar with the greek tortoises but would you say this could fade as he grows?

 

[Yvonne G]

No, the pyramiding never goes away. But if the new growth is smooth, then the pyramiding doesn't look so extreme. At only 7 years old, I think he's got a lot of growing to do.

You can't moisten the aspen bedding, so you'll need to provide humidity for him in a different way. Some people glue a sponge to the ceiling of the hide and keep the sponge wet. Some people have two wood half logs and keep one soaking in water while the other already soaked one is in the habitat. Then trade them off when the used one dries out. Its dry conditions during growth that causes the scutes to stack like that.

 

[egyptiandan]

I've seen worse pyramiding wise. I would say on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being smooth and 10 being big ben) that he is a 5. But as well as the pyramiding he has had metabolic bone disease (MBD). Thats why he's flat as well as pyramided.
Are you giving a calcium supplement? If you are does it have vitamin D in it? What kind of lighting do you have when he is in his viv?

Danny

 

[Phill]

He has a UV light and is also supplemented with Nutrobal witch contains Calcium,150IU,D3,A,E,KB1,B2,B6,B12,C,Folic,Nicotinic and Pantothenic acids, Biotin,Choline,Niacin,and minerals Na,Fe,Co,Mn,Zn,Se,Cu.

Phill

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I think the reason hes flat is because he i just woke him up from his warm viv and he was still a bit sleepy. Because if i would of done it when he was awake he wouldnt stay still. Hes as strong as a ox and he fast too.

Phill

 

[egyptiandan]

No I was talking about his carapace being flat and not domed as it should be. I'll post a picture of what a Greek should look like.
Here are pictures of what a Greek tortoise should look like (grown by Kelly (stells) )

Danny