Sulcata pyramiding...

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

My sulcata was fed on Alfalfa and Mazuri plus other healthy food, grazing time, all natural Florida sunshine and that southern humidity. And somehow he has some pyramiding. This is how he was raised up on a farm. So what caused the pyramiding? Only thing I could think of was the high protein diet? I bought him online and he is 2 1/2 years old at 10". He eats just about anything and everything if he had a chance..lol.

 

[DeanS]

Diet appears to have little to do with pyramiding. There are several excellent articles on it...but it's cause seems to stem more from humidity (or lack thereof) than anything else. How about you post some pictures and we can help you more from there.

 

[Tom]

The pattern for pyramiding starts in the first few weeks of life. Its unlikely that this baby was outside 24/7 as a hatchling. Correct me if I'm wrong. I'll bet that most of his first year was spent in a dry indoor enclosure, on rabbit pellets, with a hot bulb, few soaks and no water bowl. At least thats how it typically goes...

The pattern for growth, either smooth or pyramided, is usually set in those first few months. Once they reach 6-8", around the time most people move them outside, all the factors that contribute to pyramiding are already set.

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

I've had mine, and only after a few months, I can tell that misting 2x daily is keeping what minimal pyramiding he has at bay. I suggest misting him at least once a day until he's dripping wet or until your fingers ache, whichever comes first!

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...and provide a nice, moist humid hide box or two, too! I'm sure others will come on and chime in as well.

 

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

1st pic show the pyramiding but believe it or not the pic makes it look worse then it is. I will have to get some better pics of him taken soon.

Tom, yes the breeder told me that all the hatchlings are indoor until a certain age. Dont remember what the age he starts adding them to outdoor enclosures though. All the the ways they raise them seemed pretty good. Btw, it's not nothing big (the pyramiding) but it's still there. And it does look like it happened early in his life. Like you metioned.

 

[Tom]

Chris, he's not bad at all. He actually looks really good. Do you see that notch of a growth line about 1/3 of the way up his dorsal scute? See how there is that little step there and then all the growth after that is starting to smooth out? I'll bet you that line coincides with the time they moved him outside either full time or most of the time and that is why the new growth is smoother now.

Anyhow, at his size and living outside now, you should see nothing but nice smooth growth from here on out. He'll be a gorgeous, smooth adult.

 

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

Chris, he's not bad at all. He actually looks really good. Do you see that notch of a growth line about 1/3 of the way up his dorsal scute? See how there is that little step there and then all the growth after that is starting to smooth out? I'll bet you that line coincides with the time they moved him outside either full time or most of the time and that is why the new growth is smoother now.

Anyhow, at his size and living outside now, you should see nothing but nice smooth growth from here on out. He'll be a gorgeous, smooth adult.

Thanks a bunch Tom . His humidity is around 60% and he gets warm soaks in the tub for about 30 minutes every other day. He has to stay inside for our cold winter here in Ky. But as soon as the warm weather comes rollin in, around spring then he will get to got outside to play during the day until it hits summer then he will be outside all summer long. Btw, I read your threads on Pyramiding the other day. Great stuff and well done.

 

[DeanS]

All you really need to do is mist him regularly...I'm getting new info about soaking...although I'm not sold completely yet...but it maybe enough to at least mist them everyday. And Tom is absolutely right...he looks pretty good...and as he grows, the pyramiding will become less and less evident! Keep up the good work...and keep us posted!

 

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

All you really need to do is mist him regularly...I'm getting new info about soaking...although I'm not sold completely yet...but it maybe enough to at least mist them everyday. And Tom is absolutely right...he looks pretty good...and as he grows, the pyramiding will become less and less evident! Keep up the good work...and keep us posted!

Thanks Dean. I will start the warm misting regularly.

 

[Neal]

I would guess it probably had to do with him receiving little drinking water as he was growing up. I've seen tortoises raised their entire lives outdoors in parts of Florida, Hawaii, and even Guam...they will still pyramided even when exposed to high levels of humidity, so I think it takes a bit of overall good husbandry. Considering the old mentality that tortoises receive all their hydration from the food they eat, I would say he was not given an adequate amount of drinking water when he was younger.