HELP?? (reverse pyramiding)

[Kelly71]

Hi All,
I just had someone tell me they asked another tort breeder about Sunny and
he is REALLY worried about how his scales look? He said that he has reverse
pyramiding? The out line of his scales is to high and the flat part is to low? Tell
me what you guys think? I have looked at other Yellowfoot pics and lots have
the lines around their scales raised? Worried again?? Thanks

 

[Yvonne G]

It just means he should be kept in a little more humid environment. Once you wet the substrate (I don't mean lightly spray it, but WET it) and cover the habitat to keep the warm, moist air inside, the shell will plump back up. Stop worrying so much. This is not a life threatening situation, and easily correctable.

 

[Kelly71]

Hi,
Well he said it was from bad nutrition? And I bath him every other day. And his cage is pretty wet already.
And someone said those swirly,bubble marks could be good hydration so am confused? lol His shell has
always looked like that. I do feed him the best food that Mazuri stuff and a mutli vit every other day? And his normal greens,veggs, friut etc? Thanks

 

[Yvonne G]

He doesn't know what he's talking about. Reverse pyramiding happens frequently in rain forest-type tortoises, of which I have several species. Believe me, I know from personal experience. Keep the tortoise in a closed enclosure with warm, humid air and the shell will plump up. Has absolutely nothing to do with diet or nutrition (and neither do the marks in the keratin).

A wet substrate is only part of the solution. You need warm, moist air too.

 

[Kelly71]

Hi Yvonne,
I dont understand it that is what he is in? Could it be just the way his shell is? I mist warm water in
his cage and have the sphagnum moss lots, the top of his cage is closed up? Thanks
I have never seen him in his bath dish? They gave me a uvb Reptisun high output 5.0
does he need more then that? This is weird no one has ever said anything to me about the
way his shell looks. Like I said lots of the pics I look up of Yellowfoots that is the way most look,
with the raised outside of the scale parts? Thanks

 

[JoesMum]

To help us help you can you tell us the 4 key temperatures in the enclosure (Warm side, cool side, directly under the basking lamp and overnight minimum )
Tell us exactly what your tort is eating and how often and how long you soak your tort... and finally some pics of the enclosure.

With all that information, the species experts can tell you if there are any tweaks you need to make. If the shell is gard all over, including the plastron (under shell), your tort is probably getting sufficient UVB.

 

[Kelly71]

Hi,
I have already showed pics of Sunny cage and what his temps are etc and everyone on here said it
was fine? I dont know what you mean by, if the shell is gard all over including the plastron? Sorry

 

[JoesMum]

If everyone is happy with your setup, that's good

Press into the shell of your tort of your tort both on top and on the belly. There should be no softness anywhere. It should feel hard everywhere you push. The plastron (under belly shell) does flex a little near the tail, but that is different to softness.

 

[Kelly71]

Hi,
I have did that? lol I do dry him off after his bath? And as hardness go I would say hard when I push, not shell
rot Thank God! I dont push to hard dont want to hurt him. Both vets also pushed on it also and said fine? Thanks

 

[Yvonne G]

With YF tortoises you don't need a hot side/cool side. You can get by with the whole environment being about 80F degrees. Do you have a way to measure the % humidity in the enclosure?

I think what JoesMum meant to say was "hard" not "gard".

 

[Anyfoot]

Hi,
I have already showed pics of Sunny cage and what his temps are etc and everyone on here said it
was fine? I dont know what you mean by, if the shell is gard all over including the plastron? Sorry

Hi Kelly. Can you post some photos of your enclosure please.

 

[Kelly71]

Hi Guys,
Here is an old pic I already showed you of Sunnys set up. Now keep in mind the whole top is covered now
and I also took away that bath and put in a plant dish. He is in a 20 gallon long so it is some times is hard
to have 3 temps but under the light is 95-100 where his hide is 85-90 and on the cooler side 75-80. I try and keep
the humidity 70-80. The night time 80-85 where his hide is that is where he spends most of his time. I also try not
to spray before night time let it dry out a bit so it is a little lower at night the humidity bc as you know the humidity
goes up at night. Thanks And I also forgot to say all the stuff on the bottom I put more in so it is deeper. There
is co co fibre on the very bottom and reptibark and sphagnum moss mix. More moss in the hide and flower pot.
Sorry it is not a better pic I will have to get one. You get the idea though. lol

 

[Kelly71]

Hi All,
Maybe that was just a bad pic of Sunnys scales? See if you look and blow this pic up
you can see some of the middle parts are the same height as the edges? Thanks

 

[Anyfoot]

Hi All,
Maybe that was just a bad pic of Sunnys scales? See if you look and blow this pic up
you can see some of the middle parts are the same height as the edges? ThanksView attachment 137336

At what height in your enclosure are you checking the temps and humidity.

 

[Kelly71]

Hi,
I put above what his temps and humidity are. I dont know how high what ever a
20g long is? Thanks

 

[Anyfoot]

Hi,
I put above what his temps and humidity are. I dont know how high what ever a
20g long is? Thanks

Sorry I should have explained better. Is your temperature and humidity gauge right down at Tortoise level or stuck on the glass of your enclosure, for example 3" off of the substrate level. Also are your gauges digital read outs.

 

[Kelly71]

Hi,
My gauge is a digital read out and not a cheap one either. lol And it is right down on
say tort level. Thanks

 

[Anyfoot]

Hi,
My gauge is a digital read out and not a cheap one either. lol And it is right down on
say tort level. Thanks

I have my hot end at 90f and cool end at 80f. Humidity is always above 90%. And I only have a che(ceramic heat emitter) for the heat not a light bulb. My uvb strip bulb only covers half the length of the enclosure and is a the same end as the heat source. Also I have 3 water holes to keep humidity up. It works because the water evaporates every day. Substrate is same as yours. I'm not expert but sunkdn scutes can point to humidity. 70% is too low. And most humidity gauges are only accurate to -+5%. This means you could in reality be as low as 65%.

 

[Anyfoot]

Hi,
My gauge is a digital read out and not a cheap one either. lol And it is right down on
say tort level. Thanks

Also your tort could fall off that large waterhole and flip, and because you have s/he in a glass tank I would put something around the ends and the back to give the effect of landscape. You can buy rolls of scenery to stick on the outside of your tank.
This may make your tort feel less vulnerable. Just my thoughts. Hope it helps.

 

[Anyfoot]

Hi,
My gauge is a digital read out and not a cheap one either. lol And it is right down on
say tort level. Thanks

Hi again. Do you give your tort any cuttlefish bone to chew on for calcium. And do you feed anything for protein. I'm on my phone so your photos are only small. But I have to say your torts skin does not look dehydrated. Love the colour of your tort.