Starting to pyramid?

[alfie_the_tortoise]

This is my little sulcata, Alfie. Can anyone tell me if she is starting to pyramid?

 

[Markw84]

Looks pretty good, but the photos are not good. The amount of possible pyramiding is best judged by looking at the seams surrounding the 2nd, and 3rd vertebrals. When I start nit-picking trying to determine any progression of pyramiding, I set the tortoise on a plastic cup, or with a baby, on a PVC pipe coupling, and take a picture of a side view. The view of your second photo is what is needed, but it is totally obscured through the plastic and water drops.

 

[wellington]

I agree side pic and better quality needed to tell

 

[alfie_the_tortoise]

Looks pretty good, but the photos are not good. The amount of possible pyramiding is best judged by looking at the seams surrounding the 2nd, and 3rd vertebrals. When I start nit-picking trying to determine any progression of pyramiding, I set the tortoise on a plastic cup, or with a baby, on a PVC pipe coupling, and take a picture of a side view. The view of your second photo is what is needed, but it is totally obscured through the plastic and water drops.

Thanks, I will take another pic tomorrow, I’m a little busy tonight.

 

[alfie_the_tortoise]

 

[Markw84]

Yes, it is pyramiding moderately. In fact the most recent growth looks like it is shrinking in and desiccating too much. Read through this I wrote for stars, leopards and sulcatas to raise a smooth tortoise:

https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-star-tortoise.159167/

Compare that to how your setup is now and see what you can improve to get the humidity up. I also feel it is important to give a tortoise some plants to both feel secure beneath, but to crawl beneath and have contact with the carapace. In a properly humid enclosure, that will keep the carapace much more hydrated.

 

[alfie_the_tortoise]

Yes, it is pyramiding moderately. In fact the most recent growth looks like it is shrinking in and desiccating too much. Read through this I wrote for stars, leopards and sulcatas to raise a smooth tortoise:

https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-star-tortoise.159167/

Compare that to how your setup is now and see what you can improve to get the humidity up. I also feel it is important to give a tortoise some plants to both feel secure beneath, but to crawl beneath and have contact with the carapace. In a properly humid enclosure, that will keep the carapace much more hydrated.

Thanks, for the first few months we used the enclosure our breeder had until we realized that wasn’t gonna work. It had hardly and heat or humidity. We bought her a new bigger enclosure and some new heat lamps. We are pouring water in there everyday. We are going to try to use something to cover up the sides where the humidity leaks out.