M
Maggie Cummings
Guest
mrblue2008 said:maggie3fan said:mrblue2008 said:maggie3fan said:Please read the care sheets and learn about pyramiding and humidity as one of yours is already starting to pyramid and once started it is hard to stop. But stop it you must. So you need to create a humid atmosphere for your babies.
I have Bob an 11 yr old 80 pound Sulcata as well as other species...
Welcome to the forum we will give you all the advice you need, but in return you must post pictures! lots of pictures...just kidding
yes thank you, i have been scanning the net regarding pyramiding, am totally aware that the darker one of mine is just starting to pyramid & i am going to try my hardest to slow it down, i can asure that it will be very well cared for with ideal conditions & diet, if the pyramiding still forms then thats just the way he will be.
as long as i do my very best to stop/slow it down then am happy, i have actually contacted the breeder, as i dont have them yet & told him to feed them on grass & weeds every other day.
Pyramiding is more then diet, it's 3 things...in the wild Sulcata walk for miles to find food, so exercise is one thing, also in the wild they live in burrows sometimes up to 20 feet long. Then they poop and pee in those burrows creating humidity. So humidity is two and a good diet is three. But the order of importance would be...
1, humidity about 80%
2, exercise
3, a good diet. About 90% grasses and weeds then blooms and squash and other food like the squash. So to recap...in order to prevent/stop pyramiding you need to create those 3 things for your babies.
Pyramiding is not simply a visual thing. It also creates organ problems malfunction and an unhealthy tortoise. So it is super important to stop the pyramiding and humidity will help.
You are very lucky to find Sulcata in England I understand, and I believe here in the PacificNorthWest our weather is similar. We don't see much sun here, as an example we had sun yesterday and today it's raining. I hope I have helped you and I will continue to do so if you need it. This is a great forum and we have numerous Sulcata keepers here...
Yes thank you for your advice.
I have got their table set up for them now, its a plasic one with the top half covered so this will keep the table humid. the substrate i will be useing is eco-earth & moss which will help contain the humidity, the diet really is no problem at all, grass & weeds are on hand 24/7 & i have been looking up at what weeds i can find on my doorstep, exercise should be ok, if anything this is where i might struggle!
i am converting my garage into their long time home, i will be insulating the walls & creating a good space for them to live in when bigger. i will have it heated & all the correct uvb & uva light strips etc. & when we get warm day the garden is theirs. so hopefully this will do for them.
i have not actually seen my torts yet the breeder picked them out for me & sent me the pics that i have posted on here, i had no idea about pyramiding untill a few weeks ago, then looking at my pics i noticed one had began to change shape. people have told me to get another that is not pyramiding but i am sticking with these two. i feel very happy that i can care for them in a good way or wouldnt be getting them, i dont think the pyramiding is that bad on mine, i have seen some very bad photos on the web with some poor torts ina bad way! i will do my very best with them.
what do you think my chances are on slowing down the pyramiding?
Some say it's impossible but I don't believe that. I think if you stay on top of your husbandry you will do fine. You may not stop it completely but you certainly can slow it down. Keep those 3 things in your head and really use them as a guide. That is a very young tortoise so I am thinking if you create a very humid hide that will help considerably. Also I know from experience that the pyramiding always looks worse in pictures.
Hatchling tortoises are very fragile so you need to remember they are babies and treat them that way. You need to be very aware of how they act so if one gets sick you will see it almost immediately. They will sleep a lot, mostly all day. They will eat in the morning then go back to sleep. Mine get back up in the early evening to eat again.
Can you get packaged Spring Mix in England? That is a good thing to feed then you add more good stuff to it and you have a great diet. I cut grass and sprinkle it over the different lettuces for my babies. OK...I'm thinkin you'll do fine!
