Older Tortoises and Pyramiding

[Wewt]

Hey!

I've been able to find information on young Sulcatas and how to prevent pyramiding, which is super, but my tortoise is 7-8 years old. I've only had him for two years, and so his pyramid condition is no fault of my own. I'm pretty sure that most of his pyramiding was from his diet, as his previous caretaker suggested I feed him a lot of vegetables and boasted about how much he likes strawberries. I had to do a lot of work to get him to eat hay or grass at all.

Now his diet is perfect, and I've inspected pictures of him from when I got him and now. His pyramiding certainly hasn't gotten worse, but it hasn't gotten better, either.

My question is:

Is it possible that with patience and a perfect diet, his shell could grow up around the pyramids and reduce them? Or will he just always be super pyramidy?

Thanks!

 

[krh11b23]

He will always have it but with right care and diet u can prevent it from getting worse. Also as the new smooth growth comes in he will look better can u post pics we love to see them.

 

[Wewt]

Yeah, I was afraid of that. Not much I can do but hope he "grows into them". They don't look bad...

Here are pictures of him when I first got him:





And here are pictures of him now:

 

[Levi the Leopard]

My question is:
Is it possible that with patience and a perfect diet, his shell could grow up around the pyramids and reduce them?

No. What is there will always be there. New growth can come in smooth but the pyramiding tips will stay.

Good job on improving the diet though.

---

But just enjoy him, pyramids and all! He'll still be a fantastic "pet"

 

[Wewt]

Good job on improving the diet though.

Thanks!

Had to make him hay burritos with lettuce and hand feed him for the first week or so.

But just enjoy him, pyramids and all! He'll still be a fantastic "pet"

Yep! As long as he is healthy and happy that's all I'm concerned about. There's just a lot of passion on here about getting the perfect shell, haha.

 

[wellington]

Ditto a on what Heather said. Males not bad looking though. In fact very nice looking.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

The "passion" is about starting them the right way as hatchlings to mimic the same shell growth they would experience in the wild...smooth
I, too have that passion for leopards!

But if a sulcata (or leopard) is raised dry and pyramids before becoming your new family member, it's no big deal. Can't change the past but you can give him an awesome future.

He looks beautiful by the way


Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app

 

[Tom]

Just FYI, pyramiding is not caused by diet. It is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry in a small tortoise. My adults that I raised from 1998 hatchlings look very similar to your guy, and they had an excellent diet of weeds, grass, and cactus from day one. Back then everyone told me to raise them dry, so I did. I now know better.

 

[Wewt]

Thanks for all of the advice and compliments, everyone!

Just FYI, pyramiding is not caused by diet. It is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry in a small tortoise. My adults that I raised from 1998 hatchlings look very similar to your guy, and they had an excellent diet of weeds, grass, and cactus from day one. Back then everyone told me to raise them dry, so I did. I now know better.

Yeah, I've been reading that a lot on here. I don't think I'll ever raise a tortoise from a hatchling (sounds like a lot of work!), but it's interesting that diet doesn't play as big of a part as I thought it would.

I've read about wild tortoises getting into soybean fields and having HUGE problems with pyramiding because of it.

 

[Tom]

This could still be the case. If they are finding an excess of high protein food during a season that is normally dry and food is usually lacking, they would experience a lot of growth during a time when conditions are too dry. Normally food is in abundance during the warm humid rainy season and that is where most of the growth occurs.

 

[Wewt]

This could still be the case. If they are finding an excess of high protein food during a season that is normally dry and food is usually lacking, they would experience a lot of growth during a time when conditions are too dry. Normally food is in abundance during the warm humid rainy season and that is where most of the growth occurs.

Okay, that makes a lot of sense. Thanks for clearing that up, Tom!