How to prevent pyramiding?
- Thread starter kira
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Although some tortoise species exhibit some slight pyramiding in nature, more pyramiding than that is not good. And of course, Russians and other Testudo species do not naturally pyramid at all. If you see a little bit, it's not a big deal, but you do want to nip it in the bud and keep it from continuing. Existing pyramiding cannot be reversed (except perhaps through some wear and tear from burrowing), but you can prevent further pyramiding from taking place.
There are three main factors that contribute to pyramiding:
1) Age - Young tortoises are much more susceptible to pyramiding than adults.
2) Humidity - Dry conditions can lead to pyramiding, while humid conditions can prevent it.
3) Nutrition - Tortoises that get a lot of calories and not enough nutrients can grow too fast and develop pyramiding (basically rickets for reptiles), while those that grow more slowly on a good diet usually won't.
If your Russian is a baby, then his shell is being laid down, and must be shaped by a good environment and a healthy diet. Russians are native to arid and semi-arid parts of Central Asia, so they are one of the tortoise species most adapted to dry conditions, and probably the least likely to develop pyramiding. Nevertheless, it can happen. The ambient humidity does not have to be particularly humid. For adults, 20-60% is fine; babies should be in the higher end of that range (50-60%). However, the substrate does need to be moist (but not damp) to provide a humid microclimate. Use a substrate like coco coir (my favorite), cypress mulch, pure soil, or a mixture of these. This will allow the tortoise to burrow into the substrate and experience more humid conditions when he's partially or completely concealed.
As for diet, Russians (like all Mediterranean tortoises) need to eat mostly leafy greens and weeds. These plants offer them the right amount of fiber, energy, and nutrients to keep their digestive tract, growth rate, and skeleton in good shape. Your Russian tortoise should be eating plants like romaine lettuce, endive, escarole, chicory, radicchio, arugula, collard, kale, and mustard greens. You can also offer him weeds like prickly lettuce, dandelion, buttercup, and poppy. Feed him about as much as he can eat in about 20 minutes once per day, or else two helpings each day half that size at different times. Fruit like cucumbers, tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or grapes should not be a regular part of the diet. You can offer them as an occasional treat, but no more than once a month.
Sprinkle some powdered supplement on the greens. This should consist of calcium and for indoor tortoises, vitamin D3, too. You can also mix in a multivitamin powder, if you wish. Make sure your tortoise has a sunlight-mimicking overhead light that produces UVA and UVB radiation, both to stimulate his appetite, and to allow his body to produce its own vitamin D3 for his bones. Your tortoise should also have a basking spot that is about 95-100*F. Daytime ambient temperatures should be in the 70s to low 80s. Nighttime temps should be in the 60s, but 70s is fine.
Basically, what you're trying to achieve is nice, slow growth with enough nutrients to keep his skeleton strong, and enough humidity to keep the scutes atop the shell supple enough so that they don't warp and deform the developing bone underneath. That's important throughout life, but it's the juvenile stage when these factors are the most critical. Good luck, and let us know how he's doing!
There are three main factors that contribute to pyramiding:
1) Age - Young tortoises are much more susceptible to pyramiding than adults.
2) Humidity - Dry conditions can lead to pyramiding, while humid conditions can prevent it.
3) Nutrition - Tortoises that get a lot of calories and not enough nutrients can grow too fast and develop pyramiding (basically rickets for reptiles), while those that grow more slowly on a good diet usually won't.
If your Russian is a baby, then his shell is being laid down, and must be shaped by a good environment and a healthy diet. Russians are native to arid and semi-arid parts of Central Asia, so they are one of the tortoise species most adapted to dry conditions, and probably the least likely to develop pyramiding. Nevertheless, it can happen. The ambient humidity does not have to be particularly humid. For adults, 20-60% is fine; babies should be in the higher end of that range (50-60%). However, the substrate does need to be moist (but not damp) to provide a humid microclimate. Use a substrate like coco coir (my favorite), cypress mulch, pure soil, or a mixture of these. This will allow the tortoise to burrow into the substrate and experience more humid conditions when he's partially or completely concealed.
As for diet, Russians (like all Mediterranean tortoises) need to eat mostly leafy greens and weeds. These plants offer them the right amount of fiber, energy, and nutrients to keep their digestive tract, growth rate, and skeleton in good shape. Your Russian tortoise should be eating plants like romaine lettuce, endive, escarole, chicory, radicchio, arugula, collard, kale, and mustard greens. You can also offer him weeds like prickly lettuce, dandelion, buttercup, and poppy. Feed him about as much as he can eat in about 20 minutes once per day, or else two helpings each day half that size at different times. Fruit like cucumbers, tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or grapes should not be a regular part of the diet. You can offer them as an occasional treat, but no more than once a month.
Sprinkle some powdered supplement on the greens. This should consist of calcium and for indoor tortoises, vitamin D3, too. You can also mix in a multivitamin powder, if you wish. Make sure your tortoise has a sunlight-mimicking overhead light that produces UVA and UVB radiation, both to stimulate his appetite, and to allow his body to produce its own vitamin D3 for his bones. Your tortoise should also have a basking spot that is about 95-100*F. Daytime ambient temperatures should be in the 70s to low 80s. Nighttime temps should be in the 60s, but 70s is fine.
Basically, what you're trying to achieve is nice, slow growth with enough nutrients to keep his skeleton strong, and enough humidity to keep the scutes atop the shell supple enough so that they don't warp and deform the developing bone underneath. That's important throughout life, but it's the juvenile stage when these factors are the most critical. Good luck, and let us know how he's doing!
Wow, that was the most informative passage I've read about how to prevent it & keep them healthy. Thank you so much, I greatly appreciate this! I'm relived to know I do basically everything you wrote about, I'm so worried about this little guy. The Petsmart woman was not keeping his habitat well-maintained, his substrate was just... & what he was being fed was by all means not good for him. He was with them for a few months, & he definitely showing signs of pyramiding, but I'm going to make sure to get it under control. Again, thank you so much, & I will definitely keep you posted!
Okay, sounds like his pyramiding comes from how he was kept before you got him. Again, it's not severe, so I wouldn't worry about it. Just start giving him the right care now, and his growth will be normal from here on in.
Looks like you've already gotten some WONDERFUL advice. I will just second the importance of hydration - the pic looks like the shell is a little dry. It can't hurt to get the shell wet ever so often, to make sure water is available in the enclosure (a mistake I made for about 2 years, because I was told by a misinformed person not to), and soaking at least 1x per week.
I will just second the importance of hydration - the pic looks like the shell is a little dry. It can't hurt to get the shell wet ever so often, to make sure water is available in the enclosure (a mistake I made for about 2 years, because I was told by a misinformed person not to), and soaking at least 1x per week. kira said:Wow, that was the most informative passage I've read about how to prevent it & keep them healthy. Thank you so much, I greatly appreciate this! I'm relived to know I do basically everything you wrote about, I'm so worried about this little guy. The Petsmart woman was not keeping his habitat well-maintained, his substrate was just... & what he was being fed was by all means not good for him. He was with them for a few months, & he definitely showing signs of pyramiding, but I'm going to make sure to get it under control. Again, thank you so much, & I will definitely keep you posted!
Your tortoise is not pyramided. This happens when they are small. Yours is already mostly grown and near adulthood.
The best thing you can do is build a great big safe enclosure outside, with lots of plants and weed seeds, and put your tortoise out there during fair weather. He can eat all he wants, get lots of exercise, and you won't have to worry about artificial UV on the indoor days.
The best thing you can do is build a great big safe enclosure outside, with lots of plants and weed seeds, and put your tortoise out there during fair weather. He can eat all he wants, get lots of exercise, and you won't have to worry about artificial UV on the indoor days.
I would also add (and my Russian had this when when we rescued her) that the beak looks long to do me. I had a hard time believing my little angel wasn't perfect so I hope you aren't offended. I filed on my tortoise, gave her access to rocks and cuttlebones.
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