size difference and interesting findings on pyramiding

[moswen]

so these are my two little baby girls, they were both almost exactly the same size when i got them with ayana being just like 1/8 an inch smaller or something miniscule like that. but ayana is my little pig and she eats everything in sight and she'll even fight moswen for his food but she's... the tiny one! she hasn't grown hardly at all, and i'm almost positive that small little separation between her scutes was there when i got her, and safina, i hardly ever see her eat she's so shy, she'll just watch me watching her till i leave lol. but she's nearly as big as moswen. but here's a comparison of the two girls:

now i'm confused as to this. does anyone have any ideas? i can tell you, ayana is NOT being bullied out of food or anything else by any of the other torts, i saw her bite moswen's forearm just less than a month ago when they were both going at the same chunk of pumpkin, and i'm pretty sure it was deliberate. she was watching him eat and just snaked her head out there an BAM! got him good. i separated them. she also is parasite free, i was thinking that so i took her poopies in at the beginning of summer and she was completely at a zero.

so here's the tidbit on pyramiding: safina and moswen. moswen was much bigger than the girls when i got him bc he was much older, he also came to me pyramided, and all three of my babies get the same amount of soakings and mistings and everything, but moswen is still growing slightly pyramided, much less than when i got him, but still pyramided. and my safina is growing almost completely smooth, but her growth rings are pronounced, so she's not 100% smooth. here is their picture:

and i know this is a terrible picture of the three of them together but i just fed them and moswen always runs around like he has no idea what to eat first and he's in heaven, ayana gobbles up the first thing she comes to, and safina's always just interested in getting to a hiding spot so she can watch me from a safe place.

 

[hali]

owww so cute xxx

 

[Missy]

very interesting, I guess just like kids they all grow differently. Very beautiful torts

 

[Tom]

Here's what I have figured out so far:
The pattern for pyramiding, or not, is established in the first few weeks after hatching. It is mostly up to the breeder to keep them humid and hydrated. Moswen's current pyramiding AND his previous pyramiding is entirely the fault of the breeder. BTW, in comparison to what I've seen over the last 20 years of keeping Sulcatas, Moswen is just barely pyramided at all. I couldn't call him perfect, but he's not too far from it. This is not to say that you couldn't get a perfect 6 month old, put him in a beef jerky maker, and make him pyramid, but it would be a lot harder to do and the pyramiding still wouldn't be as bad as one that was to dry from day one.

The girls: They all grow at different rates. I'll soon show pics of Daisy's sibling, Peanut, who is now twice her size. My Brother in law and I got them at the same time from the same guy. They were both around 2.5-3 inches and three months old. Now, Daisy is just over 6" at three years old (a very slow grower) and Peanut is nearly a foot (a very fast grower). They were both terribly pyramided the day we picked them up and they still are.

The "pronounced growth rings" happen with rapid growth. I still consider that little tortoise completely smooth. By the time she is a foot long, "pronounced growth rings" will only be visible with a magnifying glass or a zoom lens. And with that gorgeous, smooth carapace, who would look anyway? Also, if I've got it straight, the hider sits around a lot, while the smaller one runs around all day, right? The little one is burning more calories running around like a banshee while Big Bertha sits in a hide and devotes all her calories to growth.

BTW, if I haven't mentioned it lately, I love your torts. Don't get me wrong, I like nearly all torts, but some I just like the look of more than others. And I really like your herd. Have you seen the pics of Teri's RV (Sharkstar)? She's my favorite female of all time!

 

[DeanS]

Have you seen the pics of Teri's RV (Sharkstar)? She's my favorite female of all time!

ABSOLUTELY! How can she not be...with that perfect vampire dentition!

---

They were both around 2.5-3 inches and three months old. Now, Daisy is just over 6" at three years old (a very slow grower) and Peanut is nearly a foot (a very fast grower).

Tom...I've got the same thing going over here...all the 'yearlings' are less than 3 inches...I know the two normal phase babies came from wild caught parents (and we all know that WCs grow slower...probably due to opportunistic feeding).

...I was told that the ivory babies came from (1) WC and (1) CB...I'm almost tired of trying to figure out what causes what anymore...

but I'm curious as hell to know what you think!

 

[moswen]

oh thanks tom haley and missy! the guy i got them from took a picture of 5 and let me choose my two girls, so i like them too! probably i think they're perfect anyways just bc they're my babies . that's interesting information about pyramiding in the beginning, i don't believe i've ever read that! and yes, yana is very active, and safina is very shy, so you might just be right there! i hadn't thought about that!!

 

[Laura]

do you know for usre they are girls? Or just hoping ;-)

 

[Tom]

Have you seen the pics of Teri's RV (Sharkstar)? She's my favorite female of all time!

ABSOLUTELY! How can she not be...with that perfect vampire dentition!

---

They were both around 2.5-3 inches and three months old. Now, Daisy is just over 6" at three years old (a very slow grower) and Peanut is nearly a foot (a very fast grower).

Tom...I've got the same thing going over here...all the 'yearlings' are less than 3 inches...I know the two normal phase babies came from wild caught parents (and we all know that WCs grow slower...probably due to opportunistic feeding).

...I was told that the ivory babies came from (1) WC and (1) CB...I'm almost tired of trying to figure out what causes what anymore...

but I'm curious as hell to know what you think!

---

I don't think the origin of the parents has anything to do with whether or not the babies pyramid or their growth rates.

 

[moswen]

do you know for usre they are girls? Or just hoping ;-)

Lol well, no, I don't know for sure, I haven't gone endo or anything but they were temp sexed for girls, so I guess I'm hoping they are!

 

[Tim/Robin]

They look great! It has been our experience, hatchlings do grow at different rates, even living in the exact same conditions. The smaller one will eventually catch up with the others.

 

[Tom]

They look great! It has been our experience, hatchlings do grow at different rates, even living in the exact same conditions. The smaller one will eventually catch up with the others.

Interesting that you said that, because Daisy is having a big appetite surge and growth spurt right now.