Shell Is Dented

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Feb 1, 2020
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This is my 3 year old Sulcata. She has developed this indention over the last 2 years. She eats a healthy diet of alfalfa and orchard hay, occasional strawberry and carrots, and she nibbles a cuttlefish bone thing. This dent worries me and there are not any reptile vets close by that will look at her. She doesn't act like the indention bothers her but I was curious if anyone knew what may have happened or what I could do to help.
 

TOOTSIESMOM

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Looks like it might be metabolic bone disease, but can't say for sure. Hopefully someone with more experience will respond now that I have commented. Does this tortoise have access to natural sunshine or a proper job light?
 
Joined
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Location (City and/or State)
Central Texas
Looks like it might be metabolic bone disease, but can't say for sure. Hopefully someone with more experience will respond now that I have commented. Does this tortoise have access to natural sunshine or a proper job light?

Yes. I have a UVB bulb set up for him. He basks in it a lot. Since it's winter he is inside but when its warm he stays outside. So I dont know where I went wrong.
 

TOOTSIESMOM

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Sorry I can't help you further. Hopefully one of the others will be along shortly that might be able to help you more.
 

TheKB

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Have you replaced your UVB bulb recently? The ultra violet spectrum, that the tortoise needs to metabolize calcium, that the light emits will deteriorate over time. The UVB light should be replaced every 6-12 months to ensure that your UVB light is emitting UVB instead of being just your regular visible spectrum light. If that is the case there hasn't been sufficent UVB for the tortoise to make vitamin D3 which it needs to metabolize calcium. Without D3 all the calcium you feed will just end up in the urine and the turtle will start to cannibalize the density of their bones to create more bone which will result in lumpy shells and spaghetti legs.
A way to test if this is the case (with small tortoises, hard to say what size your sulcata is), is that you hold them like a hamburger with your thumbs under the tortoise and rest of your fingers on top of their shell and pinch your thumb and fingers together (carefully, like an egg you don't want to break). Is the shell soft/gives in? That's a dead give-away for the MBD as healthy shell is solid and has no give.

I would advice replacing the UVB light asap, supplementing with cuttlefish and tortoise vitamin supplements. It will not however cure the lump, that is there to stay.
 

Tony the Tort42

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Looks like your tortoise has pyramiding. This is caused by lack of humidity. Also, strawberries are bad for sullies. You cannot revers this, but you can stop it. Keep him at very high humidity, and bathe him multiple times a day. What is his humidity and how much do you soak him?
 
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Feb 1, 2020
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He is 3 years old, does he still have to have humidity?

He has eaten cuttlebone since I bought him. He gets strawberries very few and far between. It's not like it's a major staple in his diet.

The UVB is brand new.
 
Joined
Feb 1, 2020
Messages
39
Location (City and/or State)
Central Texas
Have you replaced your UVB bulb recently? The ultra violet spectrum, that the tortoise needs to metabolize calcium, that the light emits will deteriorate over time. The UVB light should be replaced every 6-12 months to ensure that your UVB light is emitting UVB instead of being just your regular visible spectrum light. If that is the case there hasn't been sufficent UVB for the tortoise to make vitamin D3 which it needs to metabolize calcium. Without D3 all the calcium you feed will just end up in the urine and the turtle will start to cannibalize the density of their bones to create more bone which will result in lumpy shells and spaghetti legs.
A way to test if this is the case (with small tortoises, hard to say what size your sulcata is), is that you hold them like a hamburger with your thumbs under the tortoise and rest of your fingers on top of their shell and pinch your thumb and fingers together (carefully, like an egg you don't want to break). Is the shell soft/gives in? That's a dead give-away for the MBD as healthy shell is solid and has no give.

I would advice replacing the UVB light asap, supplementing with cuttlefish and tortoise vitamin supplements. It will not however cure the lump, that is there to stay.

I tried the light squeeze and his shell is very hard.
 
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See the very bumpy shell? That is a sign of pyramiding. Here is what a healthy shell looks like https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/donalds-thread.178778/ and this https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-sulcata-tortoise-littlefoot.173256/page-6
I don't know how he could have pyramiding when I have been very careful to give him all the grasses and calcium supplements. He goes outside in the summer and inside under a UVB bulb every winter. I soak him on weekends for 10 minutes or so.
 

Tony the Tort42

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I don't know how he could have pyramiding when I have been very careful to give him all the grasses and calcium supplements. He goes outside in the summer and inside under a UVB bulb every winter. I soak him on weekends for 10 minutes or so.
Pyramiding is caused by dry conditions. Supplements don't help. He should be soaked at least once a day, for 10-30 min. He also need 80% humidity in his habitat.
 
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