She looks healthy but has big ridges

[Tom]

I know a few people that have very big dogs and the tortoise is the one that chases the dogs around so I'm not worried about that.

You are making a bunch of mistakes and we are trying to help you.

Dogs kill tortoises. Period. End of story. Don't let the dogs have access to the tortoise. Fence them off securely. Because other people make this mistake and disaster hasn't struck yet, doesn't make it okay. In time, they will also learn the hard way as their tortoises suffer or die.

Your tortoise is much too big for that enclosure and your climate is MUCH too hot for the tortoise to be in an above ground box like that. Go online and read about the best ways to get rid of the ants in your area. You can also ask a local garden center. Make a large pen on the ground in an area with heavy shade and lots of bushes and cover. Plant bushes, grasses and for plants there and irrigate the area .

Build a secure night house for your tortoise. Like this:

Single Tortoise Night Box

I like my larger tortoises to live outside full time. My climate permits this year round with a little help. For people who live where it snows all winter, this type of box is still good for warmer weather, getting them out earlier in Spring, and keeping them out a bit later into fall. You'll...

tortoiseforum.org

No sand. None.

The pyramiding that is there will always be there. That is done and over with. It happened long ago. The most recent growth all looks good.

 

[Maggie3fan]

I know a few people that have very big dogs and the tortoise is the one that chases the dogs around so I'm not worried about that.

I know a few people that have very big dogs and the tortoise is the one that chases the dogs around so I'm not worried about that.

Yes, so do I. As a matter of fact my 120 lb male Sulcata cornered a full grown maybe 5 pound Jack Russel terrier visitor here and broke his (the dogs) leg, but those are rare, generally the dog tries to play with the turtle and the turtle/tortoise gets injured or dead. And donot tell me that your dog would not harm the tort. BS! In over 20 years of my experience, the nice friendly dog who would never harm a tortoise tried to 'play' with him and killed him.

 

[Boiddude]

Thank you all for your sound advice. I did remove the sand from the enclosure and put in some moss type substrate with the coconut substrate. Both are for reptiles and were from a very knowledgeable herp shop. I am still looking for a rubbermaid big enough to make into a hide for her but so far everyone is out of them around by me.