Pyramiding??

[rachamelia]

Can anyone tell me if my little girl's shell is starting to pyramid...or is it just growing?

Also, if it IS pyramiding, what (if anything) can I do to stop and correct it?

She's about 9 months old.

Thank you!

 

[RonHays]

Looks like normal growth patterns to me. But I'm not an expert.

 

[Momof4]

Make sure she is kept warm and humid and she will be fine. What a cutie!

 

[Tom]

Yes it is. But its not "starting" to pyramid. It started a long time ago.

To stop pyramiding that is already in progress, I recommend you go warm and swampy. Instead of simulating an arid African desert, simulate a warm humid African marshland during the rainy season, which is when and where sulcata babies hatch. Soak every day, spray the shell and enclosure several times every day, cover the top of your enclosure as much as you can, offer a humid hide, and NEVER let the temp drop below 80 anywhere in the enclosure at any time. This WILL start to smooth out the growth, and make your tortoise healthy too.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Looks like there is some slight pyramiding, but the new growth looks smooth. Pyramiding cannot be corrected. All we can do is create an environment the promotes smooth new growth. As your tortoise gets older the pyramiding that is there will hardly be noticeable. There is a lot that has been written and discussed on the Forum about pyramiding. I suggest that you start here.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies

I had a situation similar to yours. What worked for me was to create a "closed chamber" for my tort inside and a pen outdoors where he could get a lot of natural light and exercise.

 

[lovelyrosepetal]

How is your tortoise doing now? I would love pictures and an update