Is my baby healthy?

[karmeen_]

Hi.

It's been aprox 3 months since we got her (we don't know sex at this point, still too small, so we just use she for now). Baby is around 1 year old, we got her from certified breeder. Today, after her daily soak, i saw something, don't even know what. Deformation or something? Maybe it's normal and i'm just overthinking it. Did attach few photos, and in one of them i draw a circle to see it better. Otherwise is eating, sleeping, runing around, pooping and peeing normaly from the very first day. Have her UVA + UVB lightning on for aprox 12 hours per day, eats lots of different kind of wild and homegrown greens on daily basis, 2 or 3 times per week i gave her few soaked tortoise pallets. We soak her almost every day (5 times per week minimum).

She has cuttlebone in her enclosure but i never saw her chomping on it. Should i still add some calcium powder now and then? Otherwise her shield is hard and strong to touch, no soft spots.

Is my baby's shell healthy?

 

[PollyAda]

Lovely little tortoise! I don't see anything concerning with the carapace. The slight ridge you might be referring to is normal. Do you have separate bulbs for the UVA (heat) and UVB? The UVB does not need to be on for 12 hours. We are aiming to replicate the sun, therefore peak UVB would be around midday. I have my UVB lights on for around 4 hrs per day (10:30am - 2:30pm). The UVA/heat bulb should be a floodlight bulb, and that does need to be on for the 12 hrs usually. If you're unsure of the heating and lighting elements then feel free to post photos of your set up and people will advise.

 

[zovick]

Hi.

It's been aprox 3 months since we got her (we don't know sex at this point, still too small, so we just use she for now). Baby is around 1 year old, we got her from certified breeder. Today, after her daily soak, i saw something, don't even know what. Deformation or something? Maybe it's normal and i'm just overthinking it. Did attach few photos, and in one of them i draw a circle to see it better. Otherwise is eating, sleeping, runing around, pooping and peeing normaly from the very first day. Have her UVA + UVB lightning on for aprox 12 hours per day, eats lots of different kind of wild and homegrown greens on daily basis, 2 or 3 times per week i gave her few soaked tortoise pallets. We soak her almost every day (5 times per week minimum).

She has cuttlebone in her enclosure but i never saw her chomping on it. Should i still add some calcium powder now and then? Otherwise her shield is hard and strong to touch, no soft spots.

Is my baby's shell healthy?

I believe what you are seeing is the new growth coming in at the edges of the scutes. That is normal.

The scutes do appear to be starting to get pyramiding, though. I would make sure that you soak the tortoise daily for at least 15-20 minutes in lukewarm water and keep the humidity at about 80% in its enclosure to minimize pyramiding.

I would also recommend using calcium powder fairly liberally on its food DAILY, not just every once in a while. Some tortoises NEVER take a bite of their cuttlebones. I recommend Ultrafine Rep-Cal if you can get it. I also recommend dusting the food DAILY with Herptivite Vitamins if you can get that.

You should get a Solarmeter 6.5 model and check the UV output of your lights as well. You want to have a reading of about 3.0 under the center of the light when you stand the meter upright on the substrate.

 

[Tom]

Hi.

It's been aprox 3 months since we got her (we don't know sex at this point, still too small, so we just use she for now). Baby is around 1 year old, we got her from certified breeder. Today, after her daily soak, i saw something, don't even know what. Deformation or something? Maybe it's normal and i'm just overthinking it. Did attach few photos, and in one of them i draw a circle to see it better. Otherwise is eating, sleeping, runing around, pooping and peeing normaly from the very first day. Have her UVA + UVB lightning on for aprox 12 hours per day, eats lots of different kind of wild and homegrown greens on daily basis, 2 or 3 times per week i gave her few soaked tortoise pallets. We soak her almost every day (5 times per week minimum).

She has cuttlebone in her enclosure but i never saw her chomping on it. Should i still add some calcium powder now and then? Otherwise her shield is hard and strong to touch, no soft spots.

Is my baby's shell healthy?

Hello and welcome. I don't see any problem with the circled area, but I do agree that the tortoise is pyramiding. Pyramiding is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry. Almost all of the advice for housing tortoises you find on the web, from vets, breeders, pet stores, etc... will be all wrong. Read this for the correct care and lighting info, and look for the temperate species care sheet near the bottom:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[karmeen_]

Thank you everyone for help. Since we are getting pretty confused about everything, we would ask for help.

I am attaching pic of enclosure.

At first, we purchased this bulb: https://www.mrpet.si/repti-planet-grelna-zarnica-solar-uvauvb-80-w-p-20536.aspx.
But there were 45 celsius under the bulb and 35 celsius in "colder" spot in other side. Little baby was sleeping all the time, so we asked that breeder, if this is ok. It wasn't. He said, little baby needs aprox 20 celsius in colder spot and little over 25 under bulb. So we purchased those: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B09MZZP2PV/?tag=
Inside terarrium we had two termometers, always kepping track on temperature.

Terarrium is 60 x 31.5 x 39.5, this one: http://www.pakwoaquarium.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=25_29_144&product_id=118

I understand it's not ideal having tortoise in glass aquarium, bc of it loosing humidity very fast, but we have a cat, we are not trusting 100%, even though they don't care about eachother.

Pic of calcium power also attached, we got it in specialised store for pets. She have two beddings, coco choir for deep digging, that she does not care about, like, at all, and those: https://www.mrpet.si/chipsi-extra-medium-sekanci-10-l-p-16712.aspx

So, questions:
1. Are any of mentioned bulbs OK to use?
2. What is the recommended temperature? Breder's info is different than info on this forum.
3. How to keep the moisture up? Currently it's 57% humidity in there. We spray the tortoise with water and bath her.

 

[Tom]

Thank you everyone for help. Since we are getting pretty confused about everything, we would ask for help.

I am attaching pic of enclosure.

At first, we purchased this bulb: https://www.mrpet.si/repti-planet-grelna-zarnica-solar-uvauvb-80-w-p-20536.aspx.
But there were 45 celsius under the bulb and 35 celsius in "colder" spot in other side. Little baby was sleeping all the time, so we asked that breeder, if this is ok. It wasn't. He said, little baby needs aprox 20 celsius in colder spot and little over 25 under bulb. So we purchased those: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B09MZZP2PV/?tag=
Inside terarrium we had two termometers, always kepping track on temperature.

Terarrium is 60 x 31.5 x 39.5, this one: http://www.pakwoaquarium.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=25_29_144&product_id=118

I understand it's not ideal having tortoise in glass aquarium, bc of it loosing humidity very fast, but we have a cat, we are not trusting 100%, even though they don't care about eachother.

Pic of calcium power also attached, we got it in specialised store for pets. She have two beddings, coco choir for deep digging, that she does not care about, like, at all, and those: https://www.mrpet.si/chipsi-extra-medium-sekanci-10-l-p-16712.aspx

So, questions:
1. Are any of mentioned bulbs OK to use?
2. What is the recommended temperature? Breder's info is different than info on this forum.
3. How to keep the moisture up? Currently it's 57% humidity in there. We spray the tortoise with water and bath her.

Those are both the wrong type of bulb.

45C is way too hot. Read the care sheet for the correct temps. 36C under the heat lamp. 25-30C all over during the day is good. As low as 22C at night.

Glass tanks are fine but that one is way too small.

The breeder does not understand correct tortoise care. This is common all over the world.

Coco coir is fine, but keep it damp and hand packed firmly. The other substrate is not suitable. Too dry.

We need to know the ingredients to know if the calcium is okay.

Your questions:
1. None of those bulbs are suitable.
2. Temps are on the care sheet.
3. Keep humidity up by reducing ventilation. Close up the top. This is explained in the care sheet too. You need a closed camber.

 

[karmeen_]

I am trying my best to make everything perfect for little baby, but i'm getting really confused. We read Sticky post Hermann's tortoise care sheet Updated, so many times, that's why we have our lightning on for 12 hours, smaller enclosure (for now, since it's so small and sometimes still gets lost in it, around half of my hand - 30-year old woman). It's also saying that you have to soak tortoise few times a week, same with adding calcium powder. It's hard to know what it's the best, so thanks for all the help.



We already changed all of her bedding and closed the top. Right now it's aprox 70-75% of humidity and 32 celsius in warm part. We are looking for new lightning, can i post it here, when we find some, so we can be sure, to get the most suitable ones?

It's her pyramiding bad? I feel so awful, never wanted to hurt her in any way. I know it can't be reversed, but does ever get to that point, that we don't need to be scared of it? I mean, as it gets older and bigger, are the chances of pyramiding geting smaller, or are always the same?

Calcium powder: calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, echinacea, nettle, chickweed, plantain, milk thistle, dandelion, cactus flower, rose petals, marigold flowers, prickly pear, hibiscus flower, mulberry leaf, bee polen

Thanks again!

 

[TammyJ]

Hi. Don't worry, because now you are in the exact right place to get the very best help and advice! The folks here who have been advising you are truly experienced and caring. Follow their advice all the way. Especially about the enclosure being covered to keep the humidity correct to prevent pyramiding. Very important.

 

[karmeen_]

So, we are in the hunt for new lightning, both basking and UVB. Please help

Basking
Which of these are OK?

1. https://www.mrpet.si/repti-planet-grelna-zarnica-daylight-basking-spot-25-w-p-20515.aspx
2. https://www.mrpet.si/repti-planet-grelna-zarnica-daylight-basking-spot-50-w-p-20516.aspx
3. https://www.mrpet.si/repti-planet-grelna-zarnica-halogen-sun-35-w-p-20535.aspx
4. https://www.mrpet.si/repti-planet-grelna-zarnica-daylight-frosted-25-w-p-20523.aspx

UVB
This is a bit trickier. It is impossible to get T5 HO uvb bulbs from Slovenia but only T8 and classic E27. So I would ask you to go through the list and let me know which of these are OK? I listed also couple of T5 HO options from amazon.

So, what are the acceptable options? (Please mark me all viable options, because it would help us planning the set up)

1. https://abc-zoo.si/22915-sijalka-repti-planet-repti-uvb-100-desert-t8-45-cm-15-w.html
2. https://abc-zoo.si/22914-sijalka-repti-planet-repti-uvb-100-desert-t8-38-cm-14w.html
3. https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00A8RHTYU/?tag=
4. https://www.mrpet.si/repti-planet-zarnica-repti-compact-uvb100-13-w-p-20542.aspx
5. https://www.mrpet.si/repti-planet-zarnica-repti-compact-uvb-100-26-w-p-20543.aspx
6. https://www.amazon.de/dp/B003YO3TWK/?tag=
7. https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0BP15P6B9/?tag=
8. https://www.amazon.de/dp/B004CSAKV0/?tag=
9. https://www.mrpet.si/exo-terra-zarnica-uva-in-uvb-100-15-w-t8-45-cm-p-20147.aspx
10. https://www.mrpet.si/exo-terra-zarnica-uva-in-uvb-150-15-w-t8-45-cm-p-20148.aspx
11. https://www.mrpet.si/repti-planet-zarnica-fluorescent-uvb-50-45-cm-t815w-p-20545.aspx
12. https://www.mimovrste.com/teraristika/repti-planet-zarnica-repti-uvb-15-0-26-w-100097889433
13. https://www.mimovrste.com/teraristika/repti-planet-zarnica-repti-uvb-10-0-38-cm-14-w
14. https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0BNTSYJLY/?tag=
15. https://ds-reptiles.com/shop/oprema/razsvetljava/okovja/arcadia-prot5-uvb-kit/

Other (power strip)
What's your experience with smart power strips? The idea is to use it to program timing, so that basking and uvb lightnings would automatically turn on & off every day.

 

[karmeen_]

Ok I am shortening the list of UVB lights down to 5 options. I can see brands like Arcadia and Zoo Med being mentioned in other threads.

Can anyone review take a look at the shortlist, please?

1. Zoo Med - https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00A8RHTYU/?tag=
2. Arcadia - https://www.amazon.de/dp/B004CSFWPE/?tag=
3. AIICIOO - https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0BNTSYJLY/?tag=
4. Repti Planet - https://www.mrpet.si/repti-planet-zarnica-repti-compact-uvb-50-26-w-p-20541.aspx

I am leaning towards getting Arcadia 6,0 or Repti 5,0, because of the lowest height of the enclosure and don't want to burn her eyes.