Indented growth line russian tortoise

[Cayley]

Hello!

I have a fiesty 8 year old Russian, who is full of energy and is generally a happy, but hormonal, boy.

I'm a little worried about his indented growth line, is this due to overfeeding?

I am in the process of making an outdoor enclosure. He currently lives in an indoor enclosure which is lined pond liner, filled with top soil, which gets thoroughly misted daily. He has a combination uv and heat bulb which I know isn't a perfect setup but believed it is not harmful. He is fed a varied mix of weeds and leaves, which I dust with calcium or vitamins on alternate days. He has moss in his enclosure and a water bowl he can walk in for extra humidity. I don't regularly bathe him, and I have never hibernated him.

Any advice welcome

 

[wellington]

Pyramiding will make the scutes higher than the growth lines.
The combo uvb/basking, if it's a mercury vapor bulb, that will cause pyramiding in the best conditions.
You, using soil which isn't recommended and only spritzing, likely you are not getting the humidity needed, which is 50% for an adult. 30% is doable but the mvb is going to cause problems anyway.
A straight tube florescent for uvb should be used.
An incandescent flood bulb for basking should be used.

 

[Cayley]

Pyramiding will make the scutes higher than the growth lines.
The combo uvb/basking, if it's a mercury vapor bulb, that will cause pyramiding in the best conditions.
You, using soil which isn't recommended and only spritzing, likely you are not getting the humidity needed, which is 50% for an adult. 30% is doable but the mvb is going to cause problems anyway.
A straight tube florescent for uvb should be used.
An incandescent flood bulb for basking should be used.

 

[Cayley]

Are you saying top soil is not a recommended soil? I always thought it was the best, along with coco coir. What would you recommend instead?

 

[Mr. RussianTortoise]

Are you saying top soil is not a recommended soil? I always thought it was the best, along with coco coir. What would you recommend instead?

Coconut coir, orchid bark (reptibark) is what the forum recommends.

 

[zolasmum]

Coconut coir, orchid bark (reptibark) is what the forum recommends.

Also,moss of any kind is not recommended - and I think you are over-doing the calcium -a small pinch twice a week should be enough.
Angie

 

[Cayley]

Coconut coir, orchid bark (reptibark) is what the forum recommends.

Thank you for the advice, I will change to coconut coir ASAP and ensure I fully dampen the soil daily

 

[Cayley]

Also,moss of any kind is not recommended - and I think you are over-doing the calcium -a small pinch twice a week should be enough.
Angie

Thank you for your advice.
I feed him half a shells worth of food per day, so one shell size every other day, is this OK? Should I reduce this during winter? Just curious if I have been overfeeding and if this could have contributed

 

[wellington]

Are you saying top soil is not a recommended soil? I always thought it was the best, along with coco coir. What would you recommend instead?

I think a good substrate is coconut coir on the bottom with orchard or fir bark over it. Bought soils are too inaccurate as far as what could be in it and not recommended. If you take it from your yard, that you know is clean of junk and poisons, then that would be safe to use.
The calcium and vitamin is too much, small pinch twice a week is good. If fed a good proper natural diet, none is needed
The combo bulb is also needing to be switched out.

 

[Cayley]

I think a good substrate is coconut coir on the bottom with orchard or fir bark over it. Bought soils are too inaccurate as far as what could be in it and not recommended. If you take it from your yard, that you know is clean of junk and poisons, then that would be safe to use.
The calcium and vitamin is too much, small pinch twice a week is good. If fed a good proper natural diet, none is needed
The combo bulb is also needing to be switched out.

How urgent do I need to be switching these lights? Is this likely the main cause of his abnormal shell growth?
Just tight on money!

 

[wellington]

How urgent do I need to be switching these lights? Is this likely the main cause of his abnormal shell growth?
Just tight on money!

The light It is likely the shell growth problem. With spring very soon, if you can get the incandescent flood bulb which is much cheaper than the tube florescent and then get him outside a couple times a week for uvb, he'd be good. Not sure your temps right now and if it's warm enough for him to go out?

 

[wellington]

In the mean time, get the humidity up higher, around 70-80 and it will help the shell some while still using the old bulb.

 

[Cayley]

The light It is likely the shell growth problem. With spring very soon, if you can get the incandescent flood bulb which is much cheaper than the tube florescent and then get him outside a couple times a week for uvb, he'd be good. Not sure your temps right now and if it's warm enough for him to go out?

You couldn't reply with a link could you? It's a mind field! I really appreciate the help

 

[wellington]