tortoise pyramiding (red-footed)

[turtlelover2495]

ive just bought my tortoise from petco a couple days ago. ive been looking at its shell since i got it and it looks like it has alittle bit a pyramiding going on. how can i prevent further pyramiding as a beginner tortoise owner. i have a redfoot if anyone is wondering.

for my diet i have in the tank:
-alfalfa hay
-food dish with its weekly greens and fruits/veggies/ and meat
-flukers diet tablets
- and a cuttler bone

tank setup:
-150W infrared heat lamp
-and a long uvb bulb thats on for only 8-10 hours a day
-and im still need to get a humidifier for it because it our humidity level where i live hasnt been keeping up.

lets pretend i have a humidifer and im keeping it between 70 and 85% humidity. would my enclosure be purfectly fine and healthy with the right diets? one day i give it leafs with carrots and then another day i do leafs with apples and etc everyday is a different combination. somtimes no combination and just the leafs

My care:
misted 3 times a day and bathed 2 times a day

 

[JoesMum]

RE: tortoise pyramiding

What kind of tortoise do you have? It makes a difference

 

[turtlelover2495]

RE: tortoise pyramiding

What kind of tortoise do you have? It makes a difference

i have a redfoot =D

 

[Tom]

RE: tortoise pyramiding

I prefer to let the redfoot keepers give you specifics on diet and such, but I can tell you about the pyramiding. The pattern for growth is set in the first few weeks or months after hatching. If your baby was already 4" when you bought it, that boat sailed long ago. The best you can do now is to offer optimal conditions for future growth, and this is where the accomplished redfoot keepers should be stepping in...

 

[turtlelover2495]

RE: tortoise pyramiding

I prefer to let the redfoot keepers give you specifics on diet and such, but I can tell you about the pyramiding. The pattern for grow is set in the first few weeks or months after hatching. If your baby was already 4" when you bought it, that boat sailed long ago. The best you can do now is to offer optimal conditions for future growth, and this is where the accomplished redfoot keepers should be stepping in...

ok i will transfer this thread to the redfoot section!

 

[Madkins007]

Actually, I deleted the duplicate thead and will move this one so all the info is kept with it.

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OK, pyramiding seems to happen because the various layers of the shell are not growing at the same time. There is probably some magical solution to setting up the cares (temps, humidity, etc.) and diet that will fix this once and for all, but so far we don't know it.

Humidity plays a role, but it is not the only player in the game. You are better off with good quality overall cares. (https://sites.google.com/site/tortoiselibrary/basic-medical-care/understanding-pyramiding or https://sites.google.com/site/tortoiselibrary/basic-medical-care/about-pyramiding )

For example- misting and soaking that often is not really all that great for it. It is better to design a habitat that provides good humidity, offer a good dish it can soak in, and foods with decent moisture levels in them. This cuts your work load down and is more natural/less stressful. (https://sites.google.com/site/tortoiselibrary/the-work-shop/humidity-1 )

The diet you are offering, as I understand it, is something like
"-alfalfa hay
-food dish with its weekly greens and fruits/veggies/ and meat
-flukers diet tablets
- and a cuttler bone
one day i give it leafs with carrots and then another day i do leafs with apples and etc everyday is a different combination. somtimes no combination and just the leafs"

It is a good start but it could be a lot better...

1. Most red-footed tortoises don't particularly seem to like hay. Also, too much hay in the habitat dries the air out and can grow molds and mildew.

2. There is not much in Flukers to brag about. It is not bad, but for the cost you would do better with Mazuri, Zoo Med Natural, or Red Tortoise Sticks. (https://sites.google.com/site/tortoiselibrary/nutrition/prepared-vs-fresh-foods )

3. Cuttlebone is more of a toy and supplement combination, and not really a food item.

4. Neither carrots or apples are top-level food choices (but they are not bad). While offering several colors of veggies is good, veggies with seeds are better most of the time than those without. So squash or pumpkin is better than carrots. Apples are great for fiber, but high in sugars. Fruits like bell pepper, cherry, squash, pineapple, melon, and tropical fruits are better overall.

The library, referenced above, also has a whole section and lots of links on diet issues.