My one month old Baby

alfredho1983

New Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Messages
27
Location (City and/or State)
Kuching
I am totally new in tortoise world. brought him home a month ago... I worry he has sign of pyramid.... Hope can receive advice frm the guru in this forum


IMG_20200821_090502_1.jpg
IMG_20200821_092020.jpg
IMG_20200821_092010.jpg
IMG_20200821_090918.jpg
IMG_20200821_090514.jpg
 

adriantan

New Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2020
Messages
21
Location (City and/or State)
Philippines
I'm not a pro when it comes to raising tortoises but I think that early on you can do some things to prevent pyramiding such as is the enclosure to dry? Or are you over feeding it? Pyramiding is just abnormal growth on the shell and tortoises in captivity will tend to have a bit of pyramiding which shouldn't be a problem.
 

alfredho1983

New Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Messages
27
Location (City and/or State)
Kuching
Maybe It has a way to see the sign.... But I can't find any information through youtube.

After a month of my observation..My tortoise need high basking temperature (35 to 40 celcius) in order to live active and healthy, In order to do that, I need to lower down my basking light, and it cause my humidity quite dry (45 to 55).

I tried to increase my basking light height in order to increase the humidity to the range of 60 to 70 but it cause my temperature drop to 30 degree celcius. My tortoise started to has watery poop since that.....
 

Golden Greek Tortoise 567

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2019
Messages
1,756
Location (City and/or State)
Colorado Springs,CO
Read this care sheet...
https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threa...se-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181497/


@adriantan
is right. That substrate is no good, you need high humidity levels to prevent pyramiding 80%-90% and even higher in the humid hides. I can already see the pyramiding starting. It is mild, but will get much worse if you continue to use that substrate and do not get a closed chamber. The substrate does not keep humidity well at all, I would get fine grade orchard bark. To keep humidity, pour water in the substrate, mist the enclosure, and get a closed chamber as advised in the care sheet. That care sheet is written by one of our most notable members, through over 30 yrs of experiments. He’s raised nothing but healthy babies through this method.
 
Last edited:

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,270
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Maybe It has a way to see the sign.... But I can't find any information through youtube.

After a month of my observation..My tortoise need high basking temperature (35 to 40 celcius) in order to live active and healthy, In order to do that, I need to lower down my basking light, and it cause my humidity quite dry (45 to 55).

I tried to increase my basking light height in order to increase the humidity to the range of 60 to 70 but it cause my temperature drop to 30 degree celcius. My tortoise started to has watery poop since that.....
YouTube is not a good place for tortoise info.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,270
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I'm not a pro when it comes to raising tortoises but I think that early on you can do some things to prevent pyramiding such as is the enclosure to dry? Or are you over feeding it? Pyramiding is just abnormal growth on the shell and tortoises in captivity will tend to have a bit of pyramiding which shouldn't be a problem.
Pyramiding is not caused by over feeding.
 

alfredho1983

New Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Messages
27
Location (City and/or State)
Kuching
Read this care sheet...
https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threa...se-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181497/


@adriantan
is right. That substrate is no good, you need high humidity levels to prevent pyramiding 80%-90% and even higher in the humid hides. I can already see the pyramiding starting. It is mild, but will get much worse if you continue to use that substrate and do not get a closed chamber. The substrate does not keep humidity well at all, I would get fine grade orchard bark. To keep humidity, pour water in the substrate, mist the enclosure, and get a closed chamber as advised in the care sheet. That care sheet is written by one of our most notable members, through over 30 yrs of experiments. He’s raised nothing but healthy babies through this method.

Don't mine share about hygiene care when tortoise pass their urine on the substrate like coco coir or orchid bark...
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,270
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Don't mine share about hygiene care when tortoise pass their urine on the substrate like coco coir or orchid bark...
If you are soaking daily, minimal urine or feces will ever touch the substrate in the enclosure.
 

William Lee Kohler

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2015
Messages
879
Location (City and/or State)
Eugene, OR
Use more of the coco coir and then hand pack it down firmly. You don't want it loose like that.

Funny. I did that thing. THEN put my Spekes girls in there and it does NOT stay packed at all. They stir it up so the top part dries out too fast, get it in their food, in the track for the sliding glass, etc. Always plowing. They should be farmers?.
 

alfredho1983

New Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Messages
27
Location (City and/or State)
Kuching
Funny. I did that thing. THEN put my Spekes girls in there and it does NOT stay packed at all. They stir it up so the top part dries out too fast, get it in their food, in the track for the sliding glass, etc.

Yes.. can't fully compress firmly. But for sure can did better than the photo I posted above. ?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,270
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Yes.. can't fully compress firmly. But for sure can did better than the photo I posted above. ?
Agreed. I hand pack it down repeatedly and it settles in after about two weeks.

Larger tortoises unpack it faster, and that's why I switch to fine grade orchid bark after the get over 3-4 inches.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,270
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Funny. I did that thing. THEN put my Spekes girls in there and it does NOT stay packed at all. They stir it up so the top part dries out too fast, get it in their food, in the track for the sliding glass, etc. Always plowing. They should be farmers?.
If its drying out too quickly on top, then your enclosure has too much ventilation.
 

alfredho1983

New Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Messages
27
Location (City and/or State)
Kuching
You substrate looks too loose and dry.

I add water to the substrate during morning before i go to work until the humidity level is about 100. When I come back from work.. the substrate is dried out and humidity level usually stay at 60-70. At night once I turn off the basking light, the humidity will goes up to 100++ again.
 

New Posts

Top