Is this new growth on shell? Good or bad?

[Lolly_g]

Hi, I was after some advice on my tortoises shell growth.
I have had my 2 red foot tortoises for a few months now.
They seem to have some new growth but does it look good/smooth?
Is it just the shell growing?
it sort of looks a bit like the shutes are separating but I'm not sure what the growth is supposed to look like?

 

[G-stars]

Probably just new growth. Post pics.

 

[Lolly_g]

Ruby

 

[Lolly_g]

Sid

 

[Lolly_g]

Probably just new growth. Post pics.

Thanks, I just posted pictures of them

 

[Yvonne G]

Lolly and Sid were raised in a very dry environment before you got them. It's going to take a very long time before you see any difference in the angle of the growth. You do have them set up in humidity, right?

I hatched three YF babies before I knew about humidity/moisture/pyramiding, and they look worse than your RF. I learned about humidity and changed the way I have them set up about 3 years ago, and they still look like little pineapples. I don't know if they'll ever look any better. They don't even seem to be growing.

Of course you haven't had yours long enough to know for sure, but have you noticed any growth? Put them on a sheet of paper and trace around the edge of the tortoise with a pencil. Then in a few months sit them on the same tracing to see if there has been any noticeable growth.

 

[Lolly_g]

Lolly and Sid were raised in a very dry environment before you got them. It's going to take a very long time before you see any difference in the angle of the growth. You do have them set up in humidity, right?

Hi Yvonne, yes they were not kept well before I got them, they were given to me in a guinea pig cage! They have an enclosed home now the humidity is kept high, normally about 90% and they also have a good diet now.
I was just wondering if the new growth they seem to have is good? I don't know if you can tell if the growth will come in smooth? I was also concerned it looks a bit like the shell is separating around all the shutes but I was hoping this was normal and how the new growth should look?

 

[Lolly_g]

Lolly and Sid were raised in a very dry environment before you got them. It's going to take a very long time before you see any difference in the angle of the growth. You do have them set up in humidity, right?

I hatched three YF babies before I knew about humidity/moisture/pyramiding, and they look worse than your RF. I learned about humidity and changed the way I have them set up about 3 years ago, and they still look like little pineapples. I don't know if they'll ever look any better. They don't even seem to be growing.

Of course you haven't had yours long enough to know for sure, but have you noticed any growth? Put them on a sheet of paper and trace around the edge of the tortoise with a pencil. Then in a few months sit them on the same tracing to see if there has been any noticeable growth.

Only saw the first part of your message before I replied! They did not have any of what I think is the growth this has happened over the last couple of months, it started off sort of as white lines between the shutes.

What a great idea to trace them! I will do that now. Thank you so much

 

[Yvonne G]

Why don't you try the extra virgin coconut oil treatment that they're talking about on another thread? Only I wouldn't put it on the whole shell. Just put some on a Q-tip and paint the new growth lines. Your new growth does look a bit dry and hard.

 

[G-stars]

Time will tell. Meanwhile keep doing what you can to keep them hydrated.

 

[Lolly_g]

I have a picture of ruby from not long after i got her but it's not very close up so hard to see the difference

 

[Lolly_g]

Ah I didn't want to do that I'll try again with a picture of ruby!

 

[Yvonne G]

That's an awful cute pony. And the little girl's not bad too. (but I don't see Lolly)

 

[G-stars]

I thought the little girl was holding the tortoise in her hand at first sight.

 

[Lolly_g]

Lol I'm just not very good at pictures and done it wrong! No tortoise on the first pic just my daughter and pony!

 

[Lolly_g]

How do I delete that photo?

 

[Louise C]

The pony and your wee girl made me smile...leave it in there! My Hermans is a bit pyramided too - I got him at 3 years old and I don't expect him to smooth out much as he's already 14cm so probably won't grow too much more. I just hope I can prevent it from getting worse. Other than his bumpy shell he's happy and active so I'm not so bothered with his appearance if it doesn't effect his health or lifespan.