Not enough exposure to sunlight?

[Second Hand Tortoise]

Hello all, I have a bit of a problem and wanted to get your advice.

My 6 year old tortoise, Pippi, spends most of her time outdoors, only coming inside at night. She has a run that she is put in when she cannot be supervised that is half indoors (filled with hay), and half on the lawn so she can wander around. I have noticed that when she is done eating her breakfast she immediately goes back inside her sheltered area, where she either sleeps or stares out of the entrance. She is inside her run from 7:30am to 4:00pm, and gets to free roam the garden for about two hours a day. I would let her roam the garden more often, unsupervised, but I would hate for her to get caught by a predator or otherwise harmed.

During the time when she roams the garden, she gets sufficient sunlight, but for the majority of the day she does not appear to bask in her run. According to the internet, she needs 12 hours a day of UVB light, which I am afraid she is not receiving.

Pippi was given to me from a friend of a friend, and I have only had her for a few weeks. She shows signs of mild pyramiding, which can be prevented with more UVB light, which is why I am asking you for advice on the matter. Further info on her living conditions can be provided if needed.

 

[TammyJ]

I am sure she does not need 12 hours a day of uvb light! @Tom

 

[TammyJ]

Welcome to this site! The best so stay and learn!

 

[TammyJ]

Pyramiding is caused by growing in dry conditions. Period.

 

[MenagerieGrl]

Hi, @Second Hand Tortoise.
Welcome to TFO (Tortoise Forum).
As Tammy said above, I don't believe that your Tort needs 12 hrs a day of UVB.
In fact I believe a couple of hours a week of UVB outside is sufficient for good health.

 

[MenagerieGrl]

Pictures of Pippi and her enclosure will allow us to be able to help the two of you.
And I believe, that the humidity levels are what affect pyramiding.
What kind of tort is Pippi?

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

I am sure she does not need 12 hours a day of uvb light! @Tom

Alright, I guess the internet lied! How much do you recommend?

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

Pyramiding is caused by growing in dry conditions. Period.

Ok, I give her baths regularly and keep the enclosures humid, so that's ok.

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

Hi, @Second Hand Tortoise.
Welcome to TFO (Tortoise Forum).
As Tammy said above, I don't believe that your Tort needs 12 hrs a day of UVB.
In fact I believe a couple of hours a week of UVB outside is sufficient for good health.

Thank you so much! She definitely gets more than enough in that case.

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

Pictures of Pippi and her enclosure will allow us to be able to help the two of you.
And I believe, that the humidity levels are what affect pyramiding.
What kind of tort is Pippi?

Pippi is a Hermann tortoise. I'll attach pictures in a minute~

 

[TammyJ]

I called Tom for advice. We would love to see some pictures of the tortoise!

 

[Yvonne G]

It's good to note that "UVB" does not mean direct sunlight. Have you ever gone to the beach or somewhere out in the sun on an overcast day when there wasn't actually any sun shining on you but you went home with a sunburn anyway? The UVB rays are floating around in the air. If the tortoise is out in the shade on a sunny day he's getting UVB.

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

Here are some pictures of the tort and her enclosures:

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

It's good to note that "UVB" does not mean direct sunlight. Have you ever gone to the beach or somewhere out in the sun on an overcast day when there wasn't actually any sun shining on you but you went home with a sunburn anyway? The UVB rays are floating around in the air. If the tortoise is out in the shade on a sunny day he's getting UVB.

Thank you, that helps me a lot <3

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

Oh lord, I've killed the chat >.<

 

[wellington]

The inside enclosure should be at least a 4x8 foot.
The outside enclosure should also be much bigger.
I understand you sometimes supervise outdoor time but a larger enclosure that had bushes that provided shade and coverage would give her a safer feeling to roam around more which they need to keep strong muscles so they can walk properly.

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

The inside enclosure should be at least a 4x8 foot.
The outside enclosure should also be much bigger.
I understand you sometimes supervise outdoor time but a larger enclosure that had bushes that provided shade and coverage would give her a safer feeling to roam around more which they need to keep strong muscles so they can walk properly.

Thanks for the advice!

My garden is not the largest, and neither is my house, for that matter. I ordered the run off of Amazon and it was much smaller than it was advertised as. That is why I try to give Pippi as much time out of the run as possible to get some exercise.

She usually sleeps in the sheltered part of her tortoise table and does not use the full space, but I understand that it may be a bit small in the colder months when she cannot remain outside, so I may extend it or provide a pen that she can stay in during the day to give her more space to move around in. I also plan to add some enrichment such as toys and hides to both enclosures.

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

The inside enclosure should be at least a 4x8 foot.
The outside enclosure should also be much bigger.
I understand you sometimes supervise outdoor time but a larger enclosure that had bushes that provided shade and coverage would give her a safer feeling to roam around more which they need to keep strong muscles so they can walk properly.

Do you happen to know any good brands that do good quality tortoise enclosures? I browsed the web but could not find any within a feasible price range.

 

[zolasmum]

Thanks for the advice!

My garden is not the largest, and neither is my house, for that matter. I ordered the run off of Amazon and it was much smaller than it was advertised as. That is why I try to give Pippi as much time out of the run as possible to get some exercise.

She usually sleeps in the sheltered part of her tortoise table and does not use the full space, but I understand that it may be a bit small in the colder months when she cannot remain outside, so I may extend it or provide a pen that she can stay in during the day to give her more space to move around in. I also plan to add some enrichment such as toys and hides to both enclosures.

Hello and welcome from Devon. I have a Hermanns tortoise too - he celebrated his 22nd birthday yesterday. There are a couple of things I noticed in your photos - the strawberry - she shouldn't have any fruit, as her digestive system can't cope with them - and also, in the last photo, I would be worried she might get her claws stuck in the things she is climbing on - perhaps you could fill them up a bit. As for toys - different things she can climb on, with different textures, would probably be more fun for her - but if you wanted to give her a little ball or something, red is their favourite colour. I will leave technical things to the experts to help you - these are just comments from my own experience !
I am sure she will have a good life with you.
Best wishes from Angie

 

[Second Hand Tortoise]

Hello and welcome from Devon. I have a Hermanns tortoise too - he celebrated his 22nd birthday yesterday. There are a couple of things I noticed in your photos - the strawberry - she shouldn't have any fruit, as her digestive system can't cope with them - and also, in the last photo, I would be worried she might get her claws stuck in the things she is climbing on - perhaps you could fill them up a bit. As for toys - different things she can climb on, with different textures, would probably be more fun for her - but if you wanted to give her a little ball or something, red is their favourite colour. I will leave technical things to the experts to help you - these are just comments from my own experience !
I am sure she will have a good life with you.
Best wishes from Angie

Hello there! Happy late birthday to your tort!

I was told from Pippi's previous owner that strawberries are her favourite food, and I am aware that they provide little nutritional value so I only feed them as an occasional treat. I will now hold back on feeding them to her altogether, as after doing some research I found that you are right.

She was climbing up the patio steps in that image (I don't know why she does it, the lawn is much more appealing for a tortoise), and she likes using those cracks as a foothold. They usually fill up with moss and weeds in their own time, and I think that the angle the picture was taken from made them look smaller than they are. I always monitor her when she is climbing in case she takes a tumble, so if she gets her claws stuck I'll be there to help her.

I have not currently got any designated toys for her in case it was too overwhelming while she was settling in, but now I'll be sure to buy her a little red ball to stuff with food :')