New tortoise parents

[Cosmothetortoise]

We recently adopted a 7 year old sulcata tortoise. He seems to be adjusting well, but I have some concerns with his shell. Pieces of his shell are cracked. The rescue said he was surrendered with his brother and they may have scuffled. I’m not sure if these are scuff marks or shell rot. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[SinLA]

Greetings from LA. Where in CA are you (don't need an address but advice you'll get will be vey different for Newport Beach vs Sacramento climates).

Highly recommend this thread: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181504/. you can skip all the parts for babies since yours is, clearly not, a baby...

Looks like he has pyramiding, but its hard to tell from this photo how much. Can you try a side angle? many/most are not raised well so that's not too surprising.

Others like @Yvonne G and @Tom (also both in CA) can give better guidance. Glad you have him solo, one or the other was likely bullying the other.

 

[wellington]

Shell rot happens on the plastron, bottom shell and not usually on a sulcata. They are likely because he was improperly housed with another male that probably tried to mount him and things like the shell happens. Or he constantly rubbed it on a door way that was not big enough.
They are aren't anything to worry about as long as they don't get worse, which they shouldn't.

 

[Cosmothetortoise]

Greetings from LA. Where in CA are you (don't need an address but advice you'll get will be vey different for Newport Beach vs Sacramento climates).

Highly recommend this thread: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181504/. you can skip all the parts for babies since yours is, clearly not, a baby...

Looks like he has pyramiding, but its hard to tell from this photo how much. Can you try a side angle? many/most are not raised well so that's not too surprising.

Others like @Yvonne G and @Tom (also both in CA) can give better guidance. Glad you have him solo, one or the other was likely bullying the other.

Thank you I am located in the Central Valley between Bakersfield and Fresno. I did notice slight pyramiding. He’s eating and active. I was concerned with the big chips the white between the crevices.

 

[TammyJ]

I think he looks pretty good. Also the white lines mean he is growing, so I understand from experts here!

 

[Tom]

Those cracked areas in the centers of the scutes are likely caused by a heat lamp or CHE. Most people house and heat them incorrectly and this is the damage it does.

The white areas between the scutes is normal dry growth from our dry climate. You can run sprinklers and misters in hot weather and humidify the heated shelter for night time to help with that.

How are you housing him at night? They need a heated shelter like one of these:

Single Tortoise Night Box

I like my larger tortoises to live outside full time. My climate permits this year round with a little help. For people who live where it snows all winter, this type of box is still good for warmer weather, getting them out earlier in Spring, and keeping them out a bit later into fall. You'll...

tortoiseforum.org

Or these:

Double Door Night Box

As the years have gone by and I build more of these boxes, I learn more and more each time. This one is the latest and I incorporated everything I've learned over the years. I also tried to take lots of pics so I can explain in more detail some of what is going on. It will take multiple posts to...

tortoiseforum.org

Its great to let them burrow in summer in your area too, but you have to catch them above ground in the fall before the nights start getting too cold, and make them spend the winter in their heated night box.