Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have two redfoots and my younger one(around 1 and a half to 2 years old) has begun to slightly pyramid... It looks more like what I've heard referred to as 'grenading'. It looks exactly like how the shell of a grenade looks but not as severe. You can feel it more than you can see it. Anyway, I don't like it and I really am trying to figure out whatever it is that is causing her shell to do this. I have a couple theories and would like to know which one would seem to be most likely the cause.

1. I live in Nevada..it is dry...I give them baths, spray them, have them on peat moss, and have a whole house humidifier in there room with them but their heads still look dry. Could this be why?
2. I feed them a huge plate of food and they usually eat it all. Their food is mainly greens and veggies, small bit of fruit, some pellets such as the forestland tortoise pellets or sulcata gold, and protein (only once every couple of weeks). They get fed 3x a week. Could I be feeding them too much at once?
3. I usually put miner-all or some calcium on their food every time. Vitamins once a week or less. Could I be supplementing them too much?

If anyone knows why this may be happening, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me know your thoughts. I don't want them to pyramid!
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~Jess

Hi,
We are somewhat new (1 year) at tortoise care. I would not supplement if they are getting a tortoise diet and dark green veggies. They are getting what they need. You can over supplement, people do it all the time to themselves. The diets these days are very good. We have had noticeable growth on your Yellow foots in the last year. They eat Mazuri,escarole, endive,sweet potatoes and the leaves,squash, carrot, some fruits,small amounts of other vegges. What is the protein that you offer? we have a 6" red foot that goes nuts for cooked chicken. Do you have a pic?
Amanda

Thanks for replying. I give my guys all of the same stuff that you do. The protein I give them is usually Mazuri, monkey biscuits, those canned snails, I've done some cooked chicken here and there. So you don't supplement at all on your red and yellow foots? I just don't want to not give them enough supplementation but I will try to cut down on the amount I give them. I just hate seeing their shells less than perfect... Here are some pics. Their shells are not terrible but you can see how the scutes look lifted up. The first pic is of Bowser (the worst one) and then Ruby.

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~Jess