Question about shell care in CDT

[blackbird]

I have a rescued CDT named Bogey- we found her late last summer and I've made a few posts around here to chat or ask questions. Here's a pic of the very moment we found her- it's super blurry because it's from my cellphone camera but you can see the pyramiding as well as her shell issues:

Her diet consists of 6-8 Mazuri pellets daily and a big handful of mixed greens (minus spinach.) and she gets daily soaks and water to drink as well as Repti-Cal minus D3 since she's out in the sunshine almost every day.

My question is about the top of her shell- the center of it goes down instead of being nice and round and dome-like. Here's a picture I took a little while ago, just after her lunch. The white stuff on her face is from the calcium, btw, not a runny nose. xD

Is there anything else I can do to help her? Admittedly, she looks better now than when we got her- her shell doesn't seem quite as flat and she's grown quite a bit, but will this damage to her shell be permanent the same way pyramiding is?

 

[ascott]

What a kind face....and yes the flatness will not plump back up....however with a better diet and care from you it can be stopped from going on the flat path....it may round a bit on new growth but she will carry this shape.

If you can find some chemical free dandelions....filaree...and other wild grown weeds in your area that would be great....also if you encourage a grazing routine on grass and weeds...grape leaves...mulberry tree leaves...rose bush leaves and roses...hibiscus leaves and flowers...hollyhock flowers she will gain a great deal of nutrition she has missed out on...and the soaking is good to help maintain a healthy moving digestive track and will give her a skip in her step...

It is good that you stumbled across paths...she looks like she needed a helping hand and you will have years of pleasure from her as well....

 

[Tom]

That dip is from Metabolic Bone Disease. It will likely always be there. It happens when there is either a lack of dietary calcium in the right balance with other elements and minerals OR a lack of the right spectrum of UV light. UV is best provided naturally by the sun, but can also be provided by special artificial lights indoors.

It is likely that this tortoise was raised indoors with no UV and a poor diet. The pyramiding is likely due to hot dry conditqions, like under a hot bulb, but with not enough humidity or hydration.

The best thing you could do is what you are already doing. Feed her a good diet now, get her real sunshine every day and keep her hydrated.

 

[blackbird]

@ascott: Thanks! She's a cutie, with a big personality for being so tiny. xD She's my first tortoise and I never realized they were such characters. Our yard is pretty much just dirt and weeds at the moment (she's been helping us with those, lol- she takes weed duty very seriously) and completely un-treated, but I'm getting ready to start planting- I'm hoping I can find get some hibiscus back there, and we've got quite a few dandelions going already ^^ I'll make some notes on those other plants you mentioned and see what I can come up with.. I haven't got much of a green thumb so this'll be interesting.

@Tom: Thank you so much for the info, it helps a lot- I'll keep working on her. One question- will this cause her any pain? She's always bright eyed and active, but I know torts can be good at hiding stuff.

 

[Tom]

I don't know the answer to that, but it does not SEEM to cause them any discomfort once they are healthy.

 

[Laura]

she walks ok?
good diet and SUNSHINE! excercise is a must as well

 

[blackbird]

@Tom: Alright, I'll just keep an eye out for anything strange then. Thanks.

@Laura: Yeah, she walks well and doesn't seem to have any difficulty. She's not as fast as some of the turtles and tortoises I've seen (like that youtube video with the running tortoise, lol), but she keeps a pretty speedy pace when she's not browsing for snacks and she loves wandering all over our yard to see what she can find.