Pyrimiding

[Zabbi0]

I know I've posted about Sammy already but I am still concerned. Everyone on here seems to keep their torts in great condition. Shells perfectly smooth. Is major hydration just a big part of it? I think his diet is ok but I've only been letting him soak about 1ins once a week. Looks like that was really bad advise I got from someplace.

 

[wellington]

Hatchling to a year, at least every day for 20-30 minutes, at one year, I do every other day. Humidity, hydration and diet.

 

[tyrs4u]

Hatchling to a year, at least every day for 20-30 minutes, at one year, I do every other day. Humidity, hydration and diet.

Amen!

 

[Zabbi0]

Hm yep that's what I did wrong. I didn't at all do that his first year. Well. He was 6mo-1yr when I got him. So I guess that would mean yr 2. The guy told me 15mins once weekly. Will definitely get on the hydration thing. Thanks guys.

 

[jtrux]

Things have changed. At one point it was common to not allow access to any water at all so once a week isn't all that terrible. Just get back on track and you will be fine.

 

[Zabbi0]

Right. I'm soaking 30min nightly now. He's loving it.

 

[Tom]

The pattern for pyramiding, or not, is established in the first few weeks of life. If he was 6-12 months when you got him, those deeds were already done. Soaking him everyday now won't hurt anything, but it's not necessary. Offer a humid hide. That will matter more than daily soaks at this point. Shell spraying will help too.

 

[RedfootsRule]

The pattern for pyramiding, or not, is established in the first few weeks of life. If he was 6-12 months when you got him, those deeds were already done. Soaking him everyday now won't hurt anything, but it's not necessary. Offer a humid hide. That will matter more than daily soaks at this point. Shell spraying will help too.

What do you mean by that, Tom? Are you saying that if pyramiding is developed by 6-12 months its impossible to reverse? Just curious because that would be contrary to what I've found with all of my redfoots; several of them had pyramiding when I acquired them, and as new growth came in they turned into completely smooth-shelled tortoises....

 

[dmarcus]

The pattern for pyramiding, or not, is established in the first few weeks of life. If he was 6-12 months when you got him, those deeds were already done. Soaking him everyday now won't hurt anything, but it's not necessary. Offer a humid hide. That will matter more than daily soaks at this point. Shell spraying will help too.

What do you mean by that, Tom? Are you saying that if pyramiding is developed by 6-12 months its impossible to reverse? Just curious because that would be contrary to what I've found with all of my redfoots; several of them had pyramiding when I acquired them, and as new growth came in they turned into completely smooth-shelled tortoises....

What did the pyramiding on your tortoises look like?

 

[Tom]

Pyramiding will not reverse. All of the uplifted growth rings will stay where they are. If conditions are corrected NEW growth will come in smoother, and that, over time, will make the shell look much better. I have a 4 year old sulcata like this. She has a nice smooth shell with "nipples" in the middle of each scute. So, in the case of the OP, the damage that is done is done.

For the OP daily soaks at this point won't have much of an effect. A two year old tortoise is not going to dehydrate as fast as a young hatchling. Keeping the keratin of the scutes in a more humid environment will keep them softer and more supple and encourage the new growth to come in smoother, hence the humide hide/shell spraying recommendation.

 

[Zabbi0]

I'm getting mixed reviews about having a humid hide and not having a humid hide. I guess I'll get one just to be safe but first of all I hve to know what in the world that is...?
Thanks.

---

I'm getting mixed reviews about having a humid hide and not having a humid hide. I guess I'll get one just to be safe but first of all I hve to know what in the world that is...?
Thanks.

Oh & pictures would be great. I only understand things so far with explanations.

 

[RedfootsRule]

Pyramiding will not reverse. All of the uplifted growth rings will stay where they are. If conditions are corrected NEW growth will come in smoother, and that, over time, will make the shell look much better. I have a 4 year old sulcata like this. She has a nice smooth shell with "nipples" in the middle of each scute. So, in the case of the OP, the damage that is done is done.

For the OP daily soaks at this point won't have much of an effect. A two year old tortoise is not going to dehydrate as fast as a young hatchling. Keeping the keratin of the scutes in a more humid environment will keep them softer and more supple and encourage the new growth to come in smoother, hence the humide hide/shell spraying recommendation.

Yes, the pyramiding obviously never "sinks back in" but the new growth in my tortoises has made it very smooth.

 

[Tom]

I'm getting mixed reviews about having a humid hide and not having a humid hide. I guess I'll get one just to be safe but first of all I hve to know what in the world that is...?
Thanks.

---

I'm getting mixed reviews about having a humid hide and not having a humid hide. I guess I'll get one just to be safe but first of all I hve to know what in the world that is...?
Thanks.

Oh & pictures would be great. I only understand things so far with explanations.

---

Mixed reviews? From who? The people who have told you not to use a humid hide are the people who you can thank for causing you tortoise to be heavily pyramided and way undersized for its age. There is a lot of outdated misinformation out there. If you click some of the links in my signature you will see examples of humid hide boxes and the results they help to produce.

Here is another link:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-18736.html

 

[Zabbi0]

Thanks Tom.....

People have also told me Sammy is only slightly pyramided and looks primarily okay.... You think she is heavily pyramided and undersized? Or are you saying in the future ?

 

[dmarcus]

Your tortoise has pyramiding that will always be there, It's not the worse I have seen. With proper care all the new growth will be smooth, but the pyramiding that's already there will not vanish over time.

 

[Zabbi0]

Here is another link:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-18736.html

Tutorial is great. Thank you. What kind of boxes are those? & where did you get the coco fiber? Could I use that in conjunction with the Repti-Bark do you think?