Is my shell healthy?

[John Alford]

Just bought him a few days ago I just want to be sure the shell is healthy

 

[Cheryl Hills]

You have a beautiful tort. I even like the purple thread on your camera lens!

 

[John Alford]

You have a beautiful tort. I even like the purple thread on your camera lens!

Thanks means a lot [emoji217][emoji4].

 

[Moozillion]

I can't tell very well, but it looks like your tort may have a teeny bit of pyramiding started. Be sure and keep him well hydrated.
Is this a Greek tort?

 

[John Alford]

I can't tell very well, but it looks like your tort may have a teeny bit of pyramiding started. Be sure and keep him well hydrated.
Is this a Greek tort?

No it’s a hermann, is there anything else I can do to prevent pyramiding?

 

[John Alford]

I can't tell very well, but it looks like your tort may have a teeny bit of pyramiding started. Be sure and keep him well hydrated.
Is this a Greek tort?

He has a little bowl for water, he doesn’t really drink much though, we have correct temperature and lighting and a hide with 2 shallow bowl one for water and one for food, the ground is birch chips and his diet so far consists of romain lettuce

 

[ScStange891]

I'm a newcomer to the forum and tortoise husbandry, but I would definitely reccomend you visit this link, if you haven't already:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/

It's the Hermann's care sheet right on this forum. I say this because romaine lettuce, which you said is his diet, has very little nutritional value, and, in fact, the care sheet recommends staying away from all lettuces. You didn't mention whether you were supplementing with anything, either. The food section of this article should be helpful for providing balances nutrition, which would hopefully help with the pyramiding problem, if there is one.

 

[John Alford]

I'm a newcomer to the forum and tortoise husbandry, but I would definitely reccomend you visit this link, if you haven't already:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/

It's the Hermann's care sheet right on this forum. I say this because romaine lettuce, which you said is his diet, has very little nutritional value, and, in fact, the care sheet recommends staying away from all lettuces. You didn't mention whether you were supplementing with anything, either. The food section of this article should be helpful for providing balances nutrition, which would hopefully help with the pyramiding problem, if there is one.

Oh I forgot to say, we use a calcium supplement

 

[Tom]

The shell might be healthy, but we can't tell that from looking at a picture. It is pyramiding, which is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry.

This tortoise has been raised too dry, and your enclosure sounds too dry too. Beech chips cannot be dampened, and that is what your tortoise needs, along with a closed chamber (Viv) to help maintain some humidity.

I typed this up for russians, but care for both species is the same. There are some food recommendations too:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

This one should help too:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[tortoiseplanet]

He has a little bowl for water, he doesn’t really drink much though, we have correct temperature and lighting and a hide with 2 shallow bowl one for water and one for food, the ground is birch chips and his diet so far consists of romain lettuce

To make him drink more water of course soak him more often, but another way I found is to pour the water into his bowl slowly like a stream in front of him. Some of my tortoises run immediately and start drinking and some completely ignore it.

 

[JoesMum]

Your tort is lovely and I echo Tom's advice above. Follow that and you will ensure that you tort grows healthily despite perhaps not having the best possible start

 

[John Alford]

Do I turn the heat lamp down at night? So far I’ve been leaving it on overnight at normal heat

 

[Maro2Bear]

Might be time for a few pictures of your enclosure. Lighting, substrate, conditions.... Are you using a CHE on a thermostat?

 

[John Alford]