Pyramiding

[irishtrol]

My sully isn't pyramiding at all right now (he is just a baby) but in the future how will I be able to tell the difference between shell growth and pyramiding?

 

[DeanS]

Keep him HOT and HUMID and you'll be on the right track! For everything you could possibly wanna know on the subject save these three links to your favorites...

http://tortoiseforum.org/Thread-The-End-Of-Pyramiding

http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-16006.html

http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-14125.html

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Irishtrol:

Welcome to the forum!!

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome to the forum. We occasionally talk about sulcatas and pyramiding here... haha.

Dean gave you the latest info on this subject. Most of what's "out there" from breeders, hobbyists, vets and the internet is old, out-dated info that just won't die. For several years it has been known (by a few people) that to raise a smooth sulcata you just need to keep it well hydrated. This is accomplished through daily warm water soaks, using a humidity generating substrate, using humid hide boxes and spraying the carapace several times a day with plain water. With all this moisture, just don't let the temps drop below 75-80 and you will end up with a smooth, healthy baby. All this is not necessary for older, bigger ones, just hatchlings. Also, it is very dry where I live, so you might not even need this much.

Two things I know for sure: 1. If you raise them too dry, they WILL pyramid. 2. If you raise hatchlings all wet all the time and keep them warm, they will grow super smooth and healthy. In the next few years, I'll be trying to determine just how much moisture is enough. In other words, I know what happens at the two extremes, but I want to know just how much humidity, moisture and hydration are needed to prevent pyramiding.

 

[froghaven5]

Keep him HOT and HUMID and you'll be on the right track! For everything you could possibly wanna know on the subject save these three links to your favorites...

http://tortoiseforum.org/Thread-The-End-Of-Pyramiding

http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-16006.html

http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-14125.html

Being a newbie as well and learning lots I've added all these threads to my favorites so I can go back and read them all thoroughly. Thanks for posting them.

 

[chadk]

Don't let them get dehydrated either. Just about every young tort i've seen with bad pyramiding has been told to raise it like a desert animal in a small glass tank on dry sand or shavings with strong heat bulbs. Then they think they will get all their water and nutrition from iceburg lettuce and pellets from the store. That is a good way to kill them, or at least have them cronically dehydrated and pyramided and just plain sickly...

Some good reading:
http://www.sulcata-station.org/pdf/hatchfail.pdf