my 5 y.o. desert tortoises

[Melo]

I've recently been taking care of my family's two 5-year-old desert tortoises. One of them, Tortilla, has a generally flatter shell than the other, along with what I believe to be pyramiding. He's (sex unknown) been like that for the entire time we've had them. Along with his appearance, Tortilla seems to struggle a bit with eating and walking. His jaw strength isn't as good as Little Foot's (the other tortoise, who seems to be very healthy), and I've found that Tortilla doesn't really eat too much unless I hand feed him. I'm wondering if there's anything that I can do to help Tortilla thrive as best as he can. Thanks!

Here are some photos of Tortilla and his shell. (The quality isn't the greatest, sorry)

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hello!
Can you provide more details on them:
1. Do you keep them together or separately?
2. Outside or inside? Maybe some photos of the enclosures/pens, details on temperature, lightning/heating, substrate and enclosure size.
3. What is their diet - foods and supplements. Do they get soaks, how often?

 

[Tom]

I've recently been taking care of my family's two 5-year-old desert tortoises. One of them, Tortilla, has a generally flatter shell than the other, along with what I believe to be pyramiding. He's (sex unknown) been like that for the entire time we've had them. Along with his appearance, Tortilla seems to struggle a bit with eating and walking. His jaw strength isn't as good as Little Foot's (the other tortoise, who seems to be very healthy), and I've found that Tortilla doesn't really eat too much unless I hand feed him. I'm wondering if there's anything that I can do to help Tortilla thrive as best as he can. Thanks!

Here are some photos of Tortilla and his shell. (The quality isn't the greatest, sorry)

View attachment 368943View attachment 368944

Hello and welcome. The answers to Alex's question will give us ore insight into what might be going on.

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[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome!

Tortoises don't do well when kept in pairs. Three or more work ok, but when you have two there will always be a dominant and a subordinate. The dominant tortoise is always telling the other tortoise to get out of his territory. It's quite stressful for both of them because the less dominant can't get out . This ends up with one growing better than the other. Eventually the less dominant tortoise may even sicken and die.

Pyramiding is caused by baby tortoises living in too dry an environment.

 

[EppsDynasty]

@Melo ... Without you answering the questions it is pretty obvious that what @Yvonne G is stating about pairs is what's happening. You have one bullying the other and Tortilla will die a slow miserable death IF you do not change there care. I could be completely wrong BUT what you explain is exactly what happens when 2 Desert Tortoises are housed together, so I'll go out on a limb and say your most likely housing them together.

 

[TammyJ]

Hi and welcome! We really want your tortoises to be happy and healthy, so please do try to give us the details of how they are kept, thanks! Also, how about some pictures of Little Foot?