Sulcata Pyramiding Help

mherrr

New Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
19
Location (City and/or State)
Lansdale
Hi all,

My sulcata is 8 years old. In the summer he spends all day outside eating mainly grass and kale. In the winter he eats Kale and fruit. I give him cucumber to make sure he gets water. I feel like he is small for his age. Is he pyramiding? How bad do you think it is?
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3532.jpg
    IMG_3532.jpg
    1.6 MB · Views: 79
  • IMG_3531.jpg
    IMG_3531.jpg
    1.6 MB · Views: 86

Melis

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2017
Messages
509
Location (City and/or State)
Maryland
Welcome!

Your diet needs to be changed immediately. Have you read the care sheets in the sulcata section? There is a lot of diet and care info there.
And yes he is pyramiding. What type of enclosure is he housed in? How often is he soaked? How much does he weigh?

Glad you have found the forum. Please read through the caresheets. There are lots of very experienced tort caregivers here to give you lots of info, so come back with any questions :)
 

mherrr

New Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
19
Location (City and/or State)
Lansdale
Indoors its an 8 foot by 4ft by 4 ft box with lightning and heat and a water dish. I feed him what the guy at the pet told me to. I spray him once a week. How bad is the pyramiding?
 

TechnoCheese

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
4,505
Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas
His pyramiding isn’t the worst I’ve seen, but it’s there.

Pyramiding is caused by lack of humidity, and only that. To get it to stop, you need to Raise the humidity in his enclosure to 80-100%, start soaking daily, and be sure to wet his shell multiple times a day.

Since your Sulcata is no longer a hatchling, this wont help as much, but it’s still good to read.
How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0 https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...ealthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/

For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata... https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/For-Those-Who-Have-a-Young-Sulcata....76744/

Your Sulcata should be eating no or almost no fruit. He needs to be eating mostly weeds and grasses, and very little grocery store foods. Kale is very high in oxalates that bing calcium, and shouldn’t be fed often.

You’re right, he is very small for his age. How long is his shell?

Beginner Mistakes https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/
 

mherrr

New Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
19
Location (City and/or State)
Lansdale
about 12 inches. what kind of grass should I feed? im seeing so many different posts, i dont know whats what.
 

Minority2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2018
Messages
1,052
Location (City and/or State)
Tortoise Hell
That's some pretty pronounced pyramiding. It's not as extreme as some cases but still quite serious.

Read and follow the guidelines set by the treads linked above. Dietary and hydration needs will be shown in those threads.

Your diet selection is very limited. Kale should be fed too often because it can cause kidney and liver issues in excess. Tortoises such as Sulcatas cannot fully process the sugars in fruit. It's bad for their digestive systems.

It's small and quite light for it's age. Can you show us pictures of your tortoise's enclosure in case there may be some items that need to be changed out?

New owners are often given outdated care information by retailers so most owners aren't aware that the practices they've previously used was causing their tortoises more harm than good. It's good that you found this site and now are able to make the changes needed to improve your tortoise's overall health and living conditions.
 

mherrr

New Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
19
Location (City and/or State)
Lansdale
I just put a humidifier. Im at 80% now. I have 1 UVA/UVB light and a ceramic heat lamp. I just soaked him. thats why the dish is in there, but i use a terracotta dish for water. I think I just have to only feed him grass and timothy hay and keep the humidity up and i should be fine. I think he might be able to grow into the pyrymiding. He always been really active and a healthy appetite.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3534.jpg
    IMG_3534.jpg
    2.1 MB · Views: 39

mherrr

New Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
19
Location (City and/or State)
Lansdale
In the summertime, he is outside all day grazing on grass and stuff. I spray him too. I live in Philly, so the winter is where i notice little growth. He doesnt eat hay when I gave it in the past, but I think if its the only option hell eat it.
 

Minority2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2018
Messages
1,052
Location (City and/or State)
Tortoise Hell
I just put a humidifier. Im at 80% now. I have 1 UVA/UVB light and a ceramic heat lamp. I just soaked him. thats why the dish is in there, but i use a terracotta dish for water. I think I just have to only feed him grass and timothy hay and keep the humidity up and i should be fine. I think he might be able to grow into the pyrymiding. He always been really active and a healthy appetite.

1. What lighting fixture is that closest to the height of your tortoise? It's way too close for any heating fixture.

2. Why are you not using any substrate?

3. Does your tortoise have access to hides?

4. How many hours does the mercury vapor bulb stay on each day?

Hay and grass are only provided because they require a high fiber diet. They require much more choices than that. You should also feed your tortoises succulents, flowers, broad-leaf weeds, and even some occasional store bought greens such as escarole, radicchio, and endive. Consider feeding your tortoise some mazuri 1-2x a week as well. I don't usually recommend pellet foods like mazuri because of how messy it can be but I believe your tortoise may require the needed nutrition it brings to a diet.
 

mherrr

New Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
19
Location (City and/or State)
Lansdale
The picture is a bit misleading but the ceramic is about 16 inches from the ground. He has a hiding spot, and IDK what substrate to use, why do I need it? the mercury light is on for 10-12 hours a day during the winter. its on a timer.
 

Minority2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2018
Messages
1,052
Location (City and/or State)
Tortoise Hell
The picture is a bit misleading but the ceramic is about 16 inches from the ground. He has a hiding spot, and IDK what substrate to use, why do I need it? the mercury light is on for 10-12 hours a day during the winter. its on a timer.

Can you take more pictures to show different angles of your enclosure? I wondering why you have an enclosure with such high walls.

I also don't think it's safe for you to hang your fixtures by the cord. It places too much wear and tear on the cords this way.

Tortoises such as Sulcata use substrate to aid in thermoregulating. They dig deep into the substrate to warm and cool themselves. Personally I also think substrate may also help alleviate pressure from their arms and legs having to support their large shells. Substrate is also needed to retain humidity in enclosures.
 

TechnoCheese

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
4,505
Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas
Tortoises Who Have walked on smooth flooring without any substrate usually also have problems with their legs/muscles, and a lot of times the legs end up kind of “sprawled out” to try and walk on the smooth surface. The substrate also allows them to exercise across hills or something other than a flat floor.

At this point your tortoise is big enough to be living outside full time with a heated nightbox. Give these a read-
ANOTHER Night Box Thread...
https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/ANOTHER-Night-Box-Thread....88966/
ANOTHER Night Box Thread...
https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/ANOTHER-Night-Box-Thread....88966/
 

mherrr

New Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
19
Location (City and/or State)
Lansdale
I live in PA. We get fall and winter. In the spring/summer he is outside all day and really active. He drinks water, and we have natural humidity out here. I always wondered why he grew more in the summer. The breeder I got him from, my vet, and other online sites have told me that Kale was a great thing to feed him. I always try taking the best care of him, just thought he was the runt of the litter. He's heavy and has a massive appetite to the point where I have to plant more grass. I ordered a bag of mazuri and put on the humidifier. That enclosure was for my old Tegu lizard that's why the walls are high. It's specifically designed for high humidity. The fixtures have been in place for 5 years, they don't budge.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3534.jpg
    IMG_3534.jpg
    2.1 MB · Views: 25
  • IMG_3533.jpg
    IMG_3533.jpg
    2.1 MB · Views: 22
  • IMG_3503.png
    IMG_3503.png
    5.4 MB · Views: 23

TechnoCheese

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
4,505
Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas
I live in PA. We get fall and winter. In the spring/summer he is outside all day and really active. He drinks water, and we have natural humidity out here. I always wondered why he grew more in the summer. The breeder I got him from, my vet, and other online sites have told me that Kale was a great thing to feed him. I always try taking the best care of him, just thought he was the runt of the litter. He's heavy and has a massive appetite to the point where I have to plant more grass. I ordered a bag of mazuri and put on the humidifier. That enclosure was for my old Tegu lizard that's why the walls are high. It's specifically designed for high humidity. The fixtures have been in place for 5 years, they don't budge.

Even with fall and winter, the nightbox ensures that he has a place to warm up and go outside when he wants to, even when it’s cold. That allows him to go outside and graze even in cold weather and return to warm up, and all you have to do is lock him in at night. Your tortoise can’t stay indoors forever.

You can also build a heated shed, and you’ll probably have to when he gets bigger.
 

mherrr

New Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
19
Location (City and/or State)
Lansdale
For the last 5 years, I have only been home in the winters due to all the traveling I do, my parents have been feeding him and everything. But I started seeing other sulcats online and I thought mine was too small. I'll measure him once he wakes
 

mherrr

New Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
19
Location (City and/or State)
Lansdale
Even with fall and winter, the nightbox ensures that he has a place to warm up and go outside when he wants to, even when it’s cold. That allows him to go outside and graze even in cold weather and return to warm up, and all you have to do is lock him in at night. Your tortoise can’t stay indoors forever.

You can also build a heated shed, and you’ll probably have to when he gets bigger.
We get snow. and it drops below 60 during the day.
 

TechnoCheese

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
4,505
Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas
We get snow. and it drops below 60 during the day.

So you’ll need a shed. Keeping sulcatas in your climate is hard and expensive, but it can be done. Your tortoise cannot spend winters inside much longer. I would look for people on here Who Have a similar climate, and see what they do.
 

mherrr

New Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
19
Location (City and/or State)
Lansdale
So you’ll need a shed. Keeping sulcatas in your climate is hard and expensive, but it can be done. Your tortoise cannot spend winters inside much longer. I would look for people on here Who Have a similar climate, and see what they do.
Right, thats going to be a project for next year. right now my main concern is that i get his health to where it needs to be.
 

mherrr

New Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
19
Location (City and/or State)
Lansdale
I just want everyone to know that I try to take the best care of my sulcata. I got him when he was a hatchling and I've been doing what I was told to do. The reasons I'm asking these questions is because I thought there was something wrong. Thank you all for the help.
 

TechnoCheese

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
4,505
Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas
I just want everyone to know that I try to take the best care of my sulcata. I got him when he was a hatchling and I've been doing what I was told to do. The reasons I'm asking these questions is because I thought there was something wrong. Thank you all for the help.

And you’re doing great. He’s lucky that he has an owner that cares :)
 

New Posts

Top