pictures of.... pyramiding?

[sillylovebug]

Hi, I am new to this website and a new tortoise owner. Evolet is a redfooted tortoise and I have concerns for her shell health. There seems to be inconsistencies- the newest growth ridge between the scutes is much taller than the rest, is this pyramiding? Also she has always had a dent on her back most scute and it is more prominent now with the new growth ring, do I need to change her diet or take her to a vet?

 

[cristal redfoot]

Welcome! I honestly am not sure but I will give you a bump so others can give you their opinions.

 

[Redstrike]

You have the beginnings of very minor pyramiding. I'm going to ask you some important questions that may help elucidate the cause(s):

What are your humidity levels at?

How often are you soaking the tortoise?

Do you mist her shell daily while she is eating or soaking?

Any outdoor time for natural UVB light and vitamin D synthesis?

Do you know how old the tortoise is?

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[LuckysGirl007]

I don't know...but I'm gonna give ya a bump AND I have a similar question. I can post pics tomorrow if it will help. My guys are about 5 weeks old. The new growth areas are raised slightly higher than the scutes. I'm not even sure if it will show up in a picture but I can feel it. I'm having a hard time keeping the humidity levels over 60/70% and their night time temp is between 90*-95*. They are outside from 8am until around 6pm where they have plenty of sun and shade areas. Temps range from around 77* in the cool zone and can reach 100* in the hot area...with spots for pretty much everything in between. I give their shell a spray at least 3 times a day and keep the substrate moist. They also get 1 hour daily soaks in direct sun during the hottest part of the day. I use a powder calcium supplement once a week on their food. I sprinkle it on there but really can't tell how much they actually get. I've been feeding spring mix and clovers mostly. I also have some kale, squash and zucchini I add on a rotation. I get some Mulberry leaves from my in-laws and they eat a few bites off them. I am going to get some grape leaves and maybe swipe a rose tomorrow . I bought some ZooMed tortoise food too but I haven't seen them eat any yet.

 

[Redstrike]

I don't know...but I'm gonna give ya a bump AND I have a similar question. I can post pics tomorrow if it will help. My guys are about 5 weeks old. The new growth areas are raised slightly higher than the scutes. I'm not even sure if it will show up in a picture but I can feel it. I'm having a hard time keeping the humidity levels over 60/70% and their night time temp is between 90*-95*. They are outside from 8am until around 6pm where they have plenty of sun and shade areas. Temps range from around 77* in the cool zone and can reach 100* in the hot area...with spots for pretty much everything in between. I give their shell a spray at least 3 times a day and keep the substrate moist. They also get 1 hour daily soaks in direct sun during the hottest part of the day. I use a powder calcium supplement once a week on their food. I sprinkle it on there but really can't tell how much they actually get. I've been feeding spring mix and clovers mostly. I also have some kale, squash and zucchini I add on a rotation. I get some Mulberry leaves from my in-laws and they eat a few bites off them. I am going to get some grape leaves and maybe swipe a rose tomorrow . I bought some ZooMed tortoise food too but I haven't seen them eat any yet.

Are you talking Sulcatas? We're talking redfoots, you may want to start a thread in the sulcata forum. If you are talking redfoots you're running things too hot.

 

[cristal redfoot]

You have the beginnings of very minor pyramiding. I'm going to ask you some important questions that may help elucidate the cause(s):

What are your humidity levels at?

How often are you soaking the tortoise?

Do you mist her shell daily while she is eating or soaking?

Any outdoor time for natural UVB light and vitamin D synthesis?

Do you know how old the tortoise is?

My timmy looks a little like that and im worried. The humidity gets around 83%. The pronlem is that when I leave to school it might go down to 55% or 65% in his hide. I soak him maybe one a week but he does a lot of soaking himself. I do mist her shell like 3 or 4 times. About the vitamin d, I dont take him out yet but I do have an mvb and I sprinkle his food with a calcium/vitamin d supplement daily.

 

[LuckysGirl007]

Are you talking Sulcatas? We're talking redfoots, you may want to start a thread in the sulcata forum. If you are talking redfoots you're running things too hot.

Ugh! Yea...sorry. Just got excited I found someone with the question I was needing an answer to I didn't even pay attention to that part! . Thanks for pointing it out to me though.

 

[Redstrike]

My timmy looks a little like that and im worried. The humidity gets around 83%. The pronlem is that when I leave to school it might go down to 55% or 65% in his hide. I soak him maybe one a week but he does a lot of soaking himself. I do mist her shell like 3 or 4 times. About the vitamin d, I dont take him out yet but I do have an mvb and I sprinkle his food with a calcium/vitamin d supplement daily.

Is the hide home-made? You may consider taking a kitty litter bucket (square one) and cutting a 6-inch section off. Then you can mount sponges on the inside with a drill and some wire. Anything like this would work. There is a humid hide thread somewhere on the forum. Try searching the forum with the keywords "humid hide".

Ugh! Yea...sorry. Just got excited I found someone with the question I was needing an answer to I didn't even pay attention to that part! . Thanks for pointing it out to me though.

In all fairness, this is the tortoise health forum, so it's not completely off, but it's best to just talk one species for environmental parameters in regards to pyramiding.


Also, I'd really like to get back to the original poster here. If folks could start their own threads with this it would be more courteous to the OP rather than continually hijacking the thread, though I think all of these posts have been helpful to sillylovebug. Where are you sillylovebug!?!? Any leads on the questions I posed in my first response?

Oh, and silly, this pyramiding is very minor so don't sweat it. Once you respond to the questions I posed previously, we can get a lead on what husbandry may need correcting and things might smooth right out. Your tortoise looks alert and healthy.

 

[cristal redfoot]

Is the hide home-made? You may consider taking a kitty litter bucket (square one) and cutting a 6-inch section off. Then you can mount sponges on the inside with a drill and some wire. Anything like this would work. There is a humid hide thread somewhere on the forum. Try searching the forum with the keywords "humid hide".

In all fairness, this is the tortoise health forum, so it's not completely off, but it's best to just talk one species for environmental parameters in regards to pyramiding.

Also, I'd really like to get back to the original poster here. If folks could start their own threads with this it would be more courteous to the OP rather than continually hijacking the thread, though I think all of these posts have been helpful to sillylovebug. Where are you sillylovebug!?!? Any leads on the questions I posed in my first response?

Oh, and silly, this pyramiding is very minor so don't sweat it. Once you respond to the questions I posed previously, we can get a lead on what husbandry may need correcting and things might smooth right out. Your tortoise looks alert and healthy.

ccv

Haha yeah I got excited too! Sorry sillylovebug

 

[mattgrizzlybear]

WELCOME!