Reptile & Amphibian Forums

my sulcata that is about 5 months old shell is now starting to grow.
it isn't pointy but, the shell looks as if it is being raised upward. sorry i am being so vague but i don't know the correct terminology. if anybody can understand what i am trying to say i ask you this, is it just shell growth or prymiding?
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1 sulcata ( sullivan )
1 russian ( foxy )
3 cockerspaniels (wilbur, charlotte and torre )
1 betta ( frederica )

sullivans shell growth is simmilar to this tortoises shell, i found this picture on the classifieds.
i'll try to put up a pic of sull's shell later.
does that shell look like the beginning to pyrmiding?
why is the shell being raised like that? is it just a growing shell?

sorry for using somone elses pic but, i needing to show what sullivans shell looked like.

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1 sulcata ( sullivan )
1 russian ( foxy )
3 cockerspaniels (wilbur, charlotte and torre )
1 betta ( frederica )

it's starting to raise and pyramid, pretty much for a youngster
already. When they grow they have white lines in their shells
everywhere and then it gets darker. White line = growth.
As far as the raising, my personal opinion is that they need
much more heat and more UV. I've read that not having enough head
will cause the shell to do that. Also provide plenty of calcium
and drinking water.

Shelly,
The photo of the sulcata you show demonstrates the beginning of pyramiding. I had a sulcata that showed early signs and adjusted his food and environment and had good results. With many arid tortoise, refraining from overfeeding and also feeding them appropriate foods will do wonders. With my Sulcata, I followed a fairly strict diet of high calcium, low phosphorus high fiberous vegetation. There are many lists available on websites and in books. I also moderated the food and prevented overfeeding which some of these animals can easily do.

There are many theories also that some animals are genetically susceptible. I don't have any real evidence but it is very likely. I'd still make adjustments to diet and environment as these must also be factors in pyramiding.

Paul

Have you tried providing a humid hide for the little guy? I'll bet this would help a great deal. At the same time make sure you have a temperature range of 80 to 100 F so the tortoise can regulate properly. No doubt the temperatures have been declining recently all over and I'll bet it is cooler in his enclosure also.
Then, of course, there is the 'M' word. I suggest trying this at least once a week.
Ed
(the 'M' word is Mazuri tortoise chow in case you haven't heard/read)

what would the mazuri do for the pyramiding?
and also how would i get a humid hide?
she has a half log and a flower pot on it's side in her enclosure.
thanks for informing me about the pyramiding, i thought it was just normal shell growth.
with a strict diet what should i be feeding her? i read what they say to do on websites but it's to confusing , what kind of diet should i have her on?
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1 sulcata ( sullivan )
1 russian ( foxy )
3 cockerspaniels (wilbur, charlotte and torre )
1 betta ( frederica )

I'm sorry to say life is not that simple...
Everybody has their own ideas of what is 'right'. My advice is based on years of searching and then finally finding a diet that gives me the results that I've been searching for. (sorry, I know that's what you want to hear)
The Mazuri Chow seems to contain some required components that are missed no matter how much of a 'natural' diet you try to feed your pet. So, I suggest you feed a varied diet and add some of the Mazuri and see what kind of results you get. This is safe because I've yet to hear of anyone killing their pet using the Mazuri diet and it has been around for quite a while.
Varied diet suggests mixed greens, grasses, broad leaf weeds. As far as feeding a varied diet your options are endless. While all the info out there might be confusing, if you consider it all you will see patterns and then you can form your own conclusion that will work for you.
Ed

alright thanks i'll do some research.
about the humid hide. how so i get one? do they sell Humid hides?
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1 sulcata ( sullivan )
1 russian ( foxy )
3 cockerspaniels (wilbur, charlotte and torre )
1 betta ( frederica )

http://www.turtlestuff.com/pyramid.html
the websites linked says that pyramiding can also be from little to no natural sun light. it's hard for me to raise sullivan in new york.
Link

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1 sulcata ( sullivan )
1 russian ( foxy )
3 cockerspaniels (wilbur, charlotte and torre )
1 betta ( frederica )

I don't think pyramiding has much to do with the lack of sunshine as it does the heat but again that is an opinion as is most other 'facts' on this topic.
Ed

I've seen some real elaborate setups to increase humidity.
I like to keep things simple. I use a fine grained sand. Some others use sphagnum moss, potting soil, sponges... I would suggest placing the sand in the half flowerpot and this should be near the heat source. One thing your have to be very careful of is to not let the tortoise get chilled. In NY that is a big problem in the winter. The humidity and the cool can lead to pneumonia pretty easy.
Ed

Shelly,

I make humid hides for my torts and turtles from rubbermaid or tupperware depending on the size of your animal. Choose your container and essentially turn it upside down with it's lid on. Using a saw or a blade, cut an entry hole on one side of the container. Place the container into your enclosure and place enough substrate on the ground to make it comfortable for the tort. The goal is to have substrate that will hold water in a hide that will not evaporate too quickly. You won't want it wet in there but you want the humidity to remain high. With all my torts I place a heat source near by so that the hide stays in the 70-75 range (given that you are in New York).

You don't want it to get cold and damp in there.

The rest of the enclosure I provide a hot spot basking area with UV and a dry option. The tort will decide where to go and when.

Richard Fife at Riparian farms has had very good results raising his CB babies using this method. He provides this humid hide for both tropical and arid animals.

Good luck.

Paul

Only 8 dollars spent. All 6 of my cherryheads will huddle in here for hours, sometimes days. I mist it every few days and there is a infrared heat lamp in this corner that keeps it warm and tropical(70-90% humidity - 75 degrees). For an arid animal, I'd probably make it less humid (50-70% tops - 70-75 degrees).

Paul

down here in Florida!
At 9:30 AM it is now 80 degrees and very humid.

Sorry, she's very unusual and is raised on a diet of fresh Maine rock crab which can only be found in abundance here in the NE. She also has aspirations of going to Yale and prefers to stay close to her Ivy League colleagues, very intelligent, scary-smart.

Paul

n/p

I'll bet this is why your RFs are so bright in color also... not to say they are not exceptional animals to begin with.
Ed