The End Of Pyramiding

[StudentoftheReptile]

This is just my understanding of it....perhaps I'm wrong; someone feel free to correct me if that's the case.

Just taking into account all that's been laid on the table about humidity and hydration, this thread and others like it, Tom's recountings of his talks with Tomas, the "Scientific Studies pt 1" thread, etc...I would think that regular misting would have a greater effect on preventing pyramiding than just soaking would. It seems to me it has a lot to do with that water getting into the cracks between the scutes as well as water running down the carapace when misted. High humidity in the environment does this as well as misting (in nature, this may come from the morning dew collecting on the shell and rainfall, too).

Just sticking the tortoise in water up to its chin wouldn't do a whole lot for preventing pyramiding in my opinion. Perhaps my method/definition of proper soaking technique differs from others, but given what I said above, unless you're submerging the tortoises entirely underwater to make sure all areas of the carapace (where pyramiding typically occurs!) gets good and wet and dripping, I don't think it gets the same effect. [and I'm NOT implying anyone should completely submerge their tortoise underwater! The statement was rhetorical.]

Now I'm not saying anyone shouldn't soak their tortoises. I mean, I still do mine, but I do it more for hydration purposes, to ensure they're getting enough water intake. I still most each at least 2x daily, and more on the weekends when I'm home during the day.
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In response to Connie, given what we know of the mechanics of pyramiding so far (which I'll admit is still not that much), I personally do not feel stress is a huge factor. While not entirely conclusive, there seems to be pretty substantial evidence that humidity is the major contributing factor. One study already has indicated that improper diet has little to do with it. It certainly seems to be an environmental issue. That said, I suppose one could make the argument that enough stress could induce a tortoise to spend all of its time in hiding, possibly in a location where humidity is low. But even then...I think this would be unlikely. In captivity, we can control the environment for the tortoise, so stress or not, maintaining proper humidity is moot. In the wild, stress would induce the tortoise to find the most secure, familiar place possible, which would be its burrow (likely to be very humid). While again, it is not conclusive that every single tortoise in the wild doesn't have pyramiding, no wild tortoise has been documented with pyramiding. Ergo...the hypothesis that stress in wild tortoises could cause pyramiding is a stretch as well.

 

[Connie]

This is just my understanding of it....perhaps I'm wrong; someone feel free to correct me if that's the case.

Just taking into account all that's been laid on the table about humidity and hydration, this thread and others like it, Tom's recountings of his talks with Tomas, the "Scientific Studies pt 1" thread, etc...I would think that regular misting would have a greater effect on preventing pyramiding than just soaking would. It seems to me it has a lot to do with that water getting into the cracks between the scutes as well as water running down the carapace when misted. High humidity in the environment does this as well as misting (in nature, this may come from the morning dew collecting on the shell and rainfall, too).

Just sticking the tortoise in water up to its chin wouldn't do a whole lot for preventing pyramiding in my opinion. Perhaps my method/definition of proper soaking technique differs from others, but given what I said above, unless you're submerging the tortoises entirely underwater to make sure all areas of the carapace (where pyramiding typically occurs!) gets good and wet and dripping, I don't think it gets the same effect. [and I'm NOT implying anyone should completely submerge their tortoise underwater! The statement was rhetorical.]

Now I'm not saying anyone shouldn't soak their tortoises. I mean, I still do mine, but I do it more for hydration purposes, to ensure they're getting enough water intake. I still most each at least 2x daily, and more on the weekends when I'm home during the day.
-------------

In response to Connie, given what we know of the mechanics of pyramiding so far (which I'll admit is still not that much), I personally do not feel stress is a huge factor. While not entirely conclusive, there seems to be pretty substantial evidence that humidity is the major contributing factor. One study already has indicated that improper diet has little to do with it. It certainly seems to be an environmental issue. That said, I suppose one could make the argument that enough stress could induce a tortoise to spend all of its time in hiding, possibly in a location where humidity is low. But even then...I think this would be unlikely. In captivity, we can control the environment for the tortoise, so stress or not, maintaining proper humidity is moot. In the wild, stress would induce the tortoise to find the most secure, familiar place possible, which would be its burrow (likely to be very humid). While again, it is not conclusive that every single tortoise in the wild doesn't have pyramiding, no wild tortoise has been documented with pyramiding. Ergo...the hypothesis that stress in wild tortoises could cause pyramiding is a stretch as well.

---

This is just my understanding of it....perhaps I'm wrong; someone feel free to correct me if that's the case.

Just taking into account all that's been laid on the table about humidity and hydration, this thread and others like it, Tom's recountings of his talks with Tomas, the "Scientific Studies pt 1" thread, etc...I would think that regular misting would have a greater effect on preventing pyramiding than just soaking would. It seems to me it has a lot to do with that water getting into the cracks between the scutes as well as water running down the carapace when misted. High humidity in the environment does this as well as misting (in nature, this may come from the morning dew collecting on the shell and rainfall, too).

Just sticking the tortoise in water up to its chin wouldn't do a whole lot for preventing pyramiding in my opinion. Perhaps my method/definition of proper soaking technique differs from others, but given what I said above, unless you're submerging the tortoises entirely underwater to make sure all areas of the carapace (where pyramiding typically occurs!) gets good and wet and dripping, I don't think it gets the same effect. [and I'm NOT implying anyone should completely submerge their tortoise underwater! The statement was rhetorical.]

Now I'm not saying anyone shouldn't soak their tortoises. I mean, I still do mine, but I do it more for hydration purposes, to ensure they're getting enough water intake. I still most each at least 2x daily, and more on the weekends when I'm home during the day.
-------------

In response to Connie, given what we know of the mechanics of pyramiding so far (which I'll admit is still not that much), I personally do not feel stress is a huge factor. While not entirely conclusive, there seems to be pretty substantial evidence that humidity is the major contributing factor. One study already has indicated that improper diet has little to do with it. It certainly seems to be an environmental issue. That said, I suppose one could make the argument that enough stress could induce a tortoise to spend all of its time in hiding, possibly in a location where humidity is low. But even then...I think this would be unlikely. In captivity, we can control the environment for the tortoise, so stress or not, maintaining proper humidity is moot. In the wild, stress would induce the tortoise to find the most secure, familiar place possible, which would be its burrow (likely to be very humid). While again, it is not conclusive that every single tortoise in the wild doesn't have pyramiding, no wild tortoise has been documented with pyramiding. Ergo...the hypothesis that stress in wild tortoises could cause pyramiding is a stretch as well.
Just the fact that we handle the animal is stress to that animal.These tortoises aren't domesticated animals, though we would like to think that... In captivity we control the environment, in the wild no one controls the environment, they are at the mercy of mother nature... Mother nature isn't as kind as all of you on this forum...Reading the posts I see everyone takes great care in seeing that their tortoises get the best of food and treatment--> You think then the opposite would be true-->smoother shells in captivity. Why do dessert tortoises in the wild and as stated red foots who I read ALSO live in the grasslands(dry) don't pyramod in the wild ,but in captivity they do? Just the Stress of being in captivity can do alot of biological things to the system to screw it up..........

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Just the fact that we handle the animal is stress to that animal.These tortoises aren't domesticated animals, though we would like to think that... In captivity we control the environment, in the wild no one controls the environment, they are at the mercy of mother nature... Mother nature isn't as kind as all of you on this forum...Reading the posts I see everyone takes great care in seeing that their tortoises get the best of food and treatment--> You think then the opposite would be true-->smoother shells in captivity. Why do dessert tortoises in the wild and as stated red foots who I read ALSO live in the grasslands(dry) don't pyramid in the wild ,but in captivity they do? Just the Stress of being in captivity can do alot of biological things to the system to screw it up..........

Read more: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/newreply.php?tid=15137&pid=373153#ixzz1iGjOL4Eu

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

Just the fact that we handle the animal is stress to that animal.These tortoises aren't domesticated animals, though we would like to think that... In captivity we control the environment, in the wild no one controls the environment, they are at the mercy of mother nature... Mother nature isn't as kind as all of you on this forum...Reading the posts I see everyone takes great care in seeing that their tortoises get the best of food and treatment--> You think then the opposite would be true-->smoother shells in captivity. Why do dessert tortoises in the wild and as stated red foots who I read ALSO live in the grasslands(dry) don't pyramid in the wild ,but in captivity they do? Just the Stress of being in captivity can do alot of biological things to the system to screw it up..........

Read more: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/newreply.php?tid=15137&pid=373153#ixzz1iGjOL4Eu

Wild Sulcata hatchlings are not dry in the least. They have been seen in marshes and they live in very , very ,very humid burrows for the first years of their life
read more at
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Wild-Baby-Sulcatas#axzz1iHkwtmMb
Have you also seen these threads
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-The-End-Of-Pyramiding-II-The-Leopards#axzz1iHkwtmMb

I find it very hard to believe that stress causes pyramiding when if I tortoise is raised wet (like this thread shows) it grows perfectly smooth and thats with handling my tortoise all the time. Where as I promise you that if you were to raise a tortoise dry and never touch it at all it would pyramid, like all of them do raise this way.
Without daily squirting and humidity

---

This is just my understanding of it....perhaps I'm wrong; someone feel free to correct me if that's the case.

Just taking into account all that's been laid on the table about humidity and hydration, this thread and others like it, Tom's recountings of his talks with Tomas, the "Scientific Studies pt 1" thread, etc...I would think that regular misting would have a greater effect on preventing pyramiding than just soaking would. It seems to me it has a lot to do with that water getting into the cracks between the scutes as well as water running down the carapace when misted. High humidity in the environment does this as well as misting (in nature, this may come from the morning dew collecting on the shell and rainfall, too).

Just sticking the tortoise in water up to its chin wouldn't do a whole lot for preventing pyramiding in my opinion. Perhaps my method/definition of proper soaking technique differs from others, but given what I said above, unless you're submerging the tortoises entirely underwater to make sure all areas of the carapace (where pyramiding typically occurs!) gets good and wet and dripping, I don't think it gets the same effect. [and I'm NOT implying anyone should completely submerge their tortoise underwater! The statement was rhetorical.]

Now I'm not saying anyone shouldn't soak their tortoises. I mean, I still do mine, but I do it more for hydration purposes, to ensure they're getting enough water intake. I still most each at least 2x daily, and more on the weekends when I'm home during the day.

Thank you this was very informative !! I am going to start squirting him a lot more

---

Hi Yvonne,
I also read that red foots can be found in forests (wet or damp most of the time?) but in grass lands(dry). I know nothing of any other "Breed" of tortoises for I just gotr my "Ruby" and and trying hard to find out as much as I can about red foots.
I want her to be healthy and happy but I also know that Stress can play havic on any living creature, humans included. It can lead to all sorts of disorders.. I know feather picking in birds (I have 4 parrots and 6 finches)only occurs in captive bred birds. Stress, diet and boredom plays a major there.....

Your Redfoot needs high humidity , but the substrate itself should not be very wet because Redfoots are extremely prone to shell rot where as I can keep Gupta ( my sulcata ) in a swamp and he wont get shell rot. Misting your Redfoot's shell daily is also really important
Here is a really good caresheet about raising them smoothly and what they should need ect.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Raising-REDFOOT-Hatchling-to-Adults-Do-s-Don-t-s#axzz1iHsnqOsi
Only thing with this care sheet is I would provide more UVB lighting than it suggests to make sure your little tortoise doesn't get MBD. Supplements with Calcium and D3 vitamin also will really help.
This is off topic so I won't post any more about it but you can go to the red foot section and ask lots of questions . The people on this forum are very , very intelligent and experienced. Thats where all my info comes from

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Hi, just a quick one, is this an mediterranean/African spur-theighed??

I'm not quite sure what you mean by that because when you say mediterranean /spur theighed that could very well be a greek tortoise (more likely because greeks are Mediterranean) but African Spur theighed tortoises is most likey a Sulcata (their scientific name)
When you combine them I am not sure, also are just asking what species of tortoise we are talking about or do you have a tortoise that you don't know what species is ?

 

[Connie]

Just the fact that we handle the animal is stress to that animal.These tortoises aren't domesticated animals, though we would like to think that... In captivity we control the environment, in the wild no one controls the environment, they are at the mercy of mother nature... Mother nature isn't as kind as all of you on this forum...Reading the posts I see everyone takes great care in seeing that their tortoises get the best of food and treatment--> You think then the opposite would be true-->smoother shells in captivity. Why do dessert tortoises in the wild and as stated red foots who I read ALSO live in the grasslands(dry) don't pyramid in the wild ,but in captivity they do? Just the Stress of being in captivity can do alot of biological things to the system to screw it up..........

Read more: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/newreply.php?tid=15137&pid=373153#ixzz1iGjOL4Eu

Wild Sulcata hatchlings are not dry in the least. They have been seen in marshes and they live in very , very ,very humid burrows for the first years of their life
read more at
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Wild-Baby-Sulcatas#axzz1iHkwtmMb
Have you also seen these threads
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-The-End-Of-Pyramiding-II-The-Leopards#axzz1iHkwtmMb

I find it very hard to believe that stress causes pyramiding when if I tortoise is raised wet (like this thread shows) it grows perfectly smooth and thats with handling my tortoise all the time. Where as I promise you that if you were to raise a tortoise dry and never touch it at all it would pyramid, like all of them do raise this way.
Without daily squirting and humidity

---

This is just my understanding of it....perhaps I'm wrong; someone feel free to correct me if that's the case.

Just taking into account all that's been laid on the table about humidity and hydration, this thread and others like it, Tom's recountings of his talks with Tomas, the "Scientific Studies pt 1" thread, etc...I would think that regular misting would have a greater effect on preventing pyramiding than just soaking would. It seems to me it has a lot to do with that water getting into the cracks between the scutes as well as water running down the carapace when misted. High humidity in the environment does this as well as misting (in nature, this may come from the morning dew collecting on the shell and rainfall, too).

Just sticking the tortoise in water up to its chin wouldn't do a whole lot for preventing pyramiding in my opinion. Perhaps my method/definition of proper soaking technique differs from others, but given what I said above, unless you're submerging the tortoises entirely underwater to make sure all areas of the carapace (where pyramiding typically occurs!) gets good and wet and dripping, I don't think it gets the same effect. [and I'm NOT implying anyone should completely submerge their tortoise underwater! The statement was rhetorical.]

Now I'm not saying anyone shouldn't soak their tortoises. I mean, I still do mine, but I do it more for hydration purposes, to ensure they're getting enough water intake. I still most each at least 2x daily, and more on the weekends when I'm home during the day.

Thank you this was very informative !! I am going to start squirting him a lot more

---

Hi Yvonne,
I also read that red foots can be found in forests (wet or damp most of the time?) but in grass lands(dry). I know nothing of any other "Breed" of tortoises for I just gotr my "Ruby" and and trying hard to find out as much as I can about red foots.
I want her to be healthy and happy but I also know that Stress can play havic on any living creature, humans included. It can lead to all sorts of disorders.. I know feather picking in birds (I have 4 parrots and 6 finches)only occurs in captive bred birds. Stress, diet and boredom plays a major there.....

Your Redfoot needs high humidity , but the substrate itself should not be very wet because Redfoots are extremely prone to shell rot where as I can keep Gupta ( my sulcata ) in a swamp and he wont get shell rot. Misting your Redfoot's shell daily is also really important
Here is a really good caresheet about raising them smoothly and what they should need ect.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Raising-REDFOOT-Hatchling-to-Adults-Do-s-Don-t-s#axzz1iHsnqOsi
Only thing with this care sheet is I would provide more UVB lighting than it suggests to make sure your little tortoise doesn't get MBD. Supplements with Calcium and D3 vitamin also will really help.
This is off topic so I won't post any more about it but you can go to the red foot section and ask lots of questions . The people on this forum are very , very intelligent and experienced. Thats where all my info comes from

---

Hi, just a quick one, is this an mediterranean/African spur-theighed??

I'm not quite sure what you mean by that because when you say mediterranean /spur theighed that could very well be a greek tortoise (more likely because greeks are Mediterranean) but African Spur theighed tortoises is most likey a Sulcata (their scientific name)
When you combine them I am not sure, also are just asking what species of tortoise we are talking about or do you have a tortoise that you don't know what species is ?

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Isn't not being properly " Hydrated" a form of stress to the animal. Isn't lack of exercise a form of stress to the body?. It is a known fact (for humans at least) exercise helps build strong bones. Get your kids off the computer and have them play outside in the sun!
I read at the World Chelonian Trust that:"That tortoises have access to microclimates that we cannot provide and Even tortoises that would have little contact with water in the wild MUST have it in captivity". That stresses the animal--not having these "Microclimates" so we compensate with soaking . spraying, etc??? I guess it does help and does do the trick for some. From what I see and read not all.. Some can deal with stress better than others, just lke people...

 

[Tom]

Should I just make him stay in his soaks and not worry about the pooping and go back to squirting him a lot?

Short answer: Yes, in my opinion you should.

Longer answer: The shell spraying thing is an idea that I got from Terry K who told me to call Richard Fife and ask him about it for sulcatas and leopards. Terry had been doing it for redfoots for many years with stunning results. Terry O used the technique with her redfoot, Pio, with PERFECT results. Richard Fife told me he had been doing it with sulcatas and leopards for a while, and the results were very promising. I have also had great results with it, and Ana's "Scientific Studies Part I" thread gave me my a good explanation of WHY it works. I think what the humidity does is keep them from dehydrating as quickly and it keeps those crevices in their scute margins from drying out as quickly too.

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With all the "theories" out there---is one fact certain?-->That wild tortoises all have smoothe shells?? The problem is that capitives are the only ones with this pyamiding problem?? Could this all be STRESS related to the captive animal??????

Hi Connie. Welcome to the discussion. I have two reasons why I think it is not stress related to pyramiding, or that it plays a very minor role.
1. Captivity is a LOT less stressful than wild living.
2. I can take two of groups clutchmates and raise them side by side in two separate, but identical enclosures in the same room. If one group gets the wet routine and the other group gets the dry routine, all the wet ones will grow smooth and all the dry ones will pyramid. Same diet, same exercise level, same stress level, same amount of sunshine or UV, same level of human interaction, same everything except moisture, humidity and hydration.

 

[Sammy]

Tom's #2, before I joined this forum, saw this experiment on the web (not forum). A guy took 2 batches of his tortoises, everything the same except, one is in a dry enclosure and other wet. The results = wet one all smooth. Dunno if I can find it again.

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I think cause Artificial light & heat is very drying, so we need to give extra humidity too. While I soak my tortoises, I'd soak a thin piece of tissue and place it on their shell. Like a hydrating mask for 30 mins with the soak. They don't seem to notice it. That plus spraying and a humidifier, they still look a bit dry and red foot is a bit bumpy.

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

Tom's #2, before I joined this forum, saw this experiment on the web (not forum). A guy took 2 batches of his tortoises, everything the same except, one is in a dry enclosure and other wet. The results = wet one all smooth. Dunno if I can find it again.

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I think cause Artificial light & heat is very drying, so we need to give extra humidity too. While I soak my tortoises, I'd soak a thin piece of tissue and place it on their shell. Like a hydrating mask for 30 mins with the soak. They don't seem to notice it. That plus spraying and a humidifier, they still look a bit dry and red foot is a bit bumpy.

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That tissue thing is a seriously awesome idea, I might use a very small rag though because its much sturdier

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Sorry, what type of tort is yours?? Our are Greek spur-theighed!!

Sulcata tortoise also known as African Spurred Tortoise
I also have Ibera Greeks too

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Should I just make him stay in his soaks and not worry about the pooping and go back to squirting him a lot?

Short answer: Yes, in my opinion you should.

Longer answer: The shell spraying thing is an idea that I got from Terry K who told me to call Richard Fife and ask him about it for sulcatas and leopards. Terry had been doing it for redfoots for many years with stunning results. Terry O used the technique with her redfoot, Pio, with PERFECT results. Richard Fife told me he had been doing it with sulcatas and leopards for a while, and the results were very promising. I have also had great results with it, and Ana's "Scientific Studies Part I" thread gave me my a good explanation of WHY it works. I think what the humidity does is keep them from dehydrating as quickly and it keeps those crevices in their scute margins from drying out as quickly too.

Awww thank you , I'm glad I asked this question. I will go back to making him soak and spraying him a lot more

 

[Sammy]

The 'hydrating mask soak' thing, I use a kitchen towel tissue it's more durable. Drape the tissue over the sides into the water, it absorbs and keeps the tissue very wet. I try to hydrate them at every opportunity, heat lights so drying. Summer no need these and tortoises don't look dry.

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

The 'hydrating mask soak' thing, I use a kitchen towel tissue it's more durable. Drape the tissue over the sides into the water, it absorbs and keeps the tissue very wet. I try to hydrate them at every opportunity, heat lights so drying. Summer no need these and tortoises don't look dry.

Thanks for the tip

 

[Bow]

The Hermann's tortoise I'm getting in a matter of days has pyramiding. I'm going to try this and see if his new growth comes in smooth. Great work!

 

[Katherine]

The 'hydrating mask soak' thing, I use a kitchen towel tissue it's more durable. Drape the tissue over the sides into the water, it absorbs and keeps the tissue very wet. I try to hydrate them at every opportunity, heat lights so drying. Summer no need these and tortoises don't look dry.

I also use a wet paper towel drape in the winter months, seems effective.

 

[Sammy]

Only while bathing time or when they're sleeping too? I am worried about shell rot?

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

Only while bathing time or when they're sleeping too? I am worried about shell rot?

You have a redfoot(I believe) and it will get shell rot very easily for some reason. Where as it would take a lot to give my sullies shell rot, I mean pretty bad husbandry conditions

 

[Sammy]

My red foot (Tor Tor) is so dry, shell is looking a bit bumpy too. She needs alot of humidity and I read on this forum red foots gets shell rot more than others. So I have to be very careful.

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

My red foot (Tor Tor) is so dry, shell is looking a bit bumpy too. She needs alot of humidity and I read on this forum red foots gets shell rot more than others. So I have to be very careful.

Many people told me that to keep up humidity without having wet substrate for a redfoot you need to use under tank heat cables plugged into a rheostat to make sure they don't get to hot. I would get a 100 watt one , cause I got a 50 and it didnt do much and wasn't long at all. Then u can have a layer of really wet substrate under a layer of dry substrate the cable heats the water up and evaporates it creating humidity. You need to cover the top of the cage to make sure it doesn't escape. I just dig a little hole to the bottom of the enclosure in different places in the enclosure and pour water into the lower half of the substrate to make it wet.
Here are some threads about it
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Heat-Mat-and-Heat-Cable-wattage
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-how-wet-is-too-wet--37232

 

[Sammy]

Thanks so much, I will follow that

 

[Connie]

From all the posts I read spraying the shell seems to be a great idea-->keep the shell moist.I am going to be doing that . My redfoot is slightly bumpy when I got her. I guess moisture makes the shell more "flexable" so the shell can grow evenly and nicely, at least that is what I get from it.
What about those moisturizers for the tortoises and turtles they sell. They claim it makes the shell and hinges flexable. I also saw a breeder on utube use olive oil to make the shell shine and be "flexable".
ANY WOMAN knows moisturizers and oils holds in the moisture on skin and makes the skin flexable and smooth. Wouldn't this help to make the shell grow evenly also because you are holding in the moisture and making the shell flexable to grow evenly???
One other thing I would like to ask, everwhere I read that to feed a red foot protein once a week because more(Too much protein) might cause pyramiding. Let's just say for arguements sake, You give it a piece of chicken, instead of giving the tortoise one chunk once a week, why not divide that one chunk into 7 pieces and give it every day, wouldn't that make the shell grow more evenly?? I know protein repairs also and giving it every day because repairs are made by the body every day. Repairs don't wait for that "protein day".... Why is that a good or not good idea?? You are giving the same amount of protein , but in small steady amounts... BTW How much Protein should I give my Ruby. She is 5 inches long and weighs 15 oz???

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

From all the posts I read spraying the shell seems to be a great idea-->keep the shell moist.I am going to be doing that . My redfoot is slightly bumpy when I got her. I guess moisture makes the shell more "flexable" so the shell can grow evenly and nicely, at least that is what I get from it.

If you haven't already, here's a good thread that better explains the mechanics of chelonian shell growth and what happens when each scute adds a new ring of growth.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Scientific-Papers-pt-1#axzz1iWGmC300

I'm not sure "flexible" is the most accurate term to apply. I think of it more akin to a stone worn smooth after years of being in a streambed of running water.

 

[ShadowRancher]

The 'hydrating mask soak' thing, I use a kitchen towel tissue it's more durable. Drape the tissue over the sides into the water, it absorbs and keeps the tissue very wet. I try to hydrate them at every opportunity, heat lights so drying. Summer no need these and tortoises don't look dry.

I do the same thing, have been for a couple of weeks now. Before I was constantly pouring water over his back to keep it moist during a soak...then one night I was setting the table, looked over into the living room where he was soaking then back at my paper napkin and lightbulb, duh you're right it's nice bc it constantly wicks, it's basically the same as spraying except it holds the water there for a bit.

Also glad my scientific papers thread wasn't completely unintelligible I was so excited about tortoise related papers that I just wrote down everything and left the important bit at the end...glad some people slogged through and found it useful!

 

[Sammy]

I use to sit there pouring water over her back too, then I'd have a hydrating mask for myself. I thought, yeah let's give them one ttooi

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I use to sit there pouring water over their shell during their soak too, for half an hour. Then I'd give myself a hydrating mask, as I was lying there all relaxed I thought 'why not? We can all have one at the same time' : D

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Sorry I thought I lost the first one, duplicated it