Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Now I have had my little tort for about 5 years and his shell looks fine, but I have recently seen alot of pics of Sulcatas with what I consider bad pyramiding on their shells, but the owners consider them to be healthy and fine. if anyone could help me with just a couple of examples I would be extremely grateful. thanks

Pyramiding is a generalized problem for neonate and small juvie tortoises of all species. Even with good care (nutritional problems can cause shell abnormalities) pyramiding does occur to some extent, and recent findings that an increase in humidity (even for desert species), perhaps by supplying a hidebox that is misted daily will reduce or prevent this condition. Minimal shell abnormalities are not harmfull to the tortoise, but will not be healed either. This may be why the owners claim their tortoise is healthy when it has a little bit of defect. The tortoise is in fact, healthy by captive standards, while the hobby is still trying to perfect husbandry practices.

I have been doing a lot of reading on this issue since I got my baby sulcata. From what I have read, pyramiding is the result of too much protein in their diet. People tend to feed too much lettuce or green leafy veggies. The books and articles I have read say 75% of their diet should come from grasses and weeds and the other 25% can be rose pettles and dandy lions and other items like that. Only an occaissional piece of green lettuce should be given. It sounds as though the pyramiding is caused by too much of a good thing. I am going to follow the feeding instructions laid out by a book I bought from a reputable breeder as well as the things wriiten here:

http://www.anapsid.org/sulcata.html

http://www.sulcata-station.org/

Good Luck