Pyramiding

Celiagg

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Hello!
I have been reading on some FB groups about pyramiding and now I’m worried about my Sheldon. Can someone tell me if it looks like first stages of pyramiding?.
 

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Maggie3fan

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well...kinda. It's starting to ripple and flare out. How long have you had him? Do you keep him in a closed chamber type enclosure?
 

Celiagg

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well...kinda. It's starting to ripple and flare out. How long have you had him? Do you keep him in a closed chamber type enclosure?
When you say ripple and flare out what do you mean? I’m trying to understand what exactly is classified as prymiding. He has a tortoise box with a heat lamp at night and uvb light during the day. He gets daily soaks for 30 min. He gets his vitamin and calcium every other day alternating each. His humidity is what I somewhat struggle with. I can’t get it higher than 65. I feed mazuri pellets, rose petals, green lettuce, Timothy hay cubes and st Augustine grass from the yard. I have a seedling tray at the moment growing of mixed weeds.
 

wellington

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I agree, slightly. He needs 80,% humidity. 80 temps day and night not lower and 95-100 Basking and do not use a mercury vapor bulb but do use a closed chamber.
Also be careful with the FB group, most of them don't know what they are talking about and have mostly outdated info
 

Celiagg

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I agree, slightly. He needs 80,% humidity. 80 temps day and night not lower and 95-100 Basking and do not use a mercury vapor bulb but do use a closed chamber.
Also be careful with the FB group, most of them don't know what they are talking about and have mostly outdated info
Yes I’ve noticed this that there are way too many opinions about the care. Yes my day temp in his closed box is 95-110 and night about 80-85. Can you explain what is classified as prymiding?
 

wellington

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Yes I’ve noticed this that there are way too many opinions about the care. Yes my day temp in his closed box is 95-110 and night about 80-85. Can you explain what is classified as prymiding?
Day temp needs to be 80-85 not 95-110. Only the basking spot should be 95-100.
The enclosure needs to be big enough so these temps can be reached. For now a 2 or 3 foot by a 4 or 6 foot.
 

Maggie3fan

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Each seperate scute has ridges instead of being smooth...The edges where the top shell and bottom shell meet are flared out. You need 85% humidity. You get this with a closed chamber...read this and the photo is my female Sulcata about 9 or 10 years she's a rescue and she came to me pyramided...DSCN0875.JPG

 

Celiagg

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Day temp needs to be 80-85 not 95-110. Only the basking spot should be 95-100.
The enclosure needs to be big enough so these temps can be reached. For now a 2 or 3 foot by a 4 or 6 foot.
I should if
Each seperate scute has ridges instead of being smooth...The edges where the top shell and bottom shell meet are flared out. You need 85% humidity. You get this with a closed chamber...read this and the photo is my female Sulcata about 9 or 10 years she's a rescue and she came to me pyramided...View attachment 352315

Day temp needs to be 80-85 not 95-110. Only the basking spot should be 95-100.
The enclosure needs to be big enough so these temps can be reached. For now a 2 or 3 foot by a 4 or
Day temp needs to be 80-85 not 95-110. Only the basking spot should be 95-100.
The enclosure needs to be big enough so these temps can be reached. For now a 2 or 3 foot by a 4
Day temp needs to be 80-85 not 95-110. Only the basking spot should be 95-100.
The enclosure needs to be big enough so these temps can be reached. For now a 2 or 3 foot by a 4 or 6 foot.
Sorry I should clarify. His basking area is between the 95-110. The rest of his house is around 75-80’s. His home is about 3x2 and he’s around 3.5 grams and I think he’s about 3-4 months.
 

Celiagg

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Each seperate scute has ridges instead of being smooth...The edges where the top shell and bottom shell meet are flared out. You need 85% humidity. You get this with a closed chamber...read this and the photo is my female Sulcata about 9 or 10 years she's a rescue and she came to me pyramided...View attachment 352315

Thanks for the link now I understand I’m a visual learner. I think my issue might be the humidity. Would you recommend a reptile humidifier? If so which one do you recommend or should I just use a humidifier I have
 

Tom

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Thanks for the link now I understand I’m a visual learner. I think my issue might be the humidity. Would you recommend a reptile humidifier? If so which one do you recommend or should I just use a humidifier I have
Reading FB tortoise info is going to lead to terrible frustration and confusion. They have no clue what they are talking about and ban the people who do.

The type of enclosure you are using is not suitable for tortoises of any size or species. They are too open for babies and too small for adults. You need to get a closed chamber of one sort or another.

110 is too high for the basking area and 75 is too cool for the far side and night.

Your baby need a heat lamp and UV during the day, and darkness at night, but still warm. Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:
  1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
  2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
  3. Ambient light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in LED bulb types are both fine.
  4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.
Your tortoise is showing some mild pyramiding now, but it isn't bad yet. If you don't make the necessary changes, it will get worse, and the damage is permanent.
 
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yaycolin

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@Celiagg Hello, if you are in need of a closed chamber enclosure, I have one for sale right now. It was built by @Markw84 here on the forum, advertised as his Smart Enclosure. It is an amazing enclosure and would 100% solve any problems you are having regarding humidity and temperature. Send me a message if you are interested, and I can send you some pictures. I am located in Southern California as well.
 
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