Pyramiding in Sulcata Hatchling

[Yvonne G]

I also thought he was older than she was told. Some babies keep their egg tooth for quite a while after hatching.

 

[MORTYtheTORTY]

I knew it...it looks thicker than my hatchlings that are barely 1 month and they still have their egg tooth..I'd say that looks 6-8 months maybe..

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Here's how I like to keep them:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies#axzz1pcH43DJw

My Daisy was like that when I got her at three months old. If you do a search for "Daisy" and my username you'll see all sorts of pics. Everyone has given you good advice above, but I agree the most with SulcataSquirt. WATER is your tortoises best friend at this point. Try to simulate the hot humid rainy season over there. Here is what I did for Daisy:
1. Damp substrate.
2. Covered top for maximum humidity.
3. Run a humidifier in the enclosure.
4. Keep it warm ALL the time. Never below 80 with all this wetness.
5. Give it a big shallow water bowl. I like the terra cotta plant saucers.
6. Use a humid hide box. A real humid hide box, not a half log or something.
7. Soak once a day in the morning for 30 minutes. After sunning, I soak for another 30 minutes or so.
8. Spray the tortoises shell at least 3 or 4 times a day, but shoot for 10 or more times.
9. Spray the food with water before you serve it.
10. Keep up the sunshine and calcium supplementation.

Remember that you are stopping pyramiding in progress, NOT preventing pyramiding. It took me a while to learn that these are two very different things. Shoot for swampy. Think tropical marsh during the rainy season. It took about two years for Daisy to start growing normally and smooth. It was a long frustrating two years. Now she is actually looking really good. By the time she is a big adult, I'm guessing her little nubs will barely be visible. All this hydration will also help keep your tortoises system flushed in case the kidneys and liver aren't working so great anymore.

It kills me every time I see a case like this and it is STILL so common. I look forward to the day when the "dry" routine is an archaic mistake from our past...

I just saw your thread on Daisy poor girl...do you have updated pics of her now?

 

[Vegasarah]

Thanks for all of the advice, everyone. He's still doing well and is happy and healthy. I brought him to my rep vet and we ran some fecal samples and blood work and the vet said he looked good. He also agreed that he is probably closer to 2 or 3 months old.

 

[Tom]

Good luck Sarah. I hope everything goes great for you!

 

[Dagashi]

your tort is adorable (save for the pyramiding) and its great to hear that your tort will receive the bestest care and moisture from a great mum like u!

I have to say that I'm thankful that we found this forum before we got ours as alot of breeders and owners in Malaysia advised us to keep our torts in the driest situation as possible and that the indian star is most beautiful with it's bumps.

After lots and lots of reading and researching, we found out that the bumps are pyramiding and is VERY VERY bad and is now a firm believer of moisting our torts as much as possible

We're still trying to enlighten others that regular soaks and humidity is good to prevent pyramiding, but sadly, alot of people here in Malaysia love the bumps and they actually attempt to make their torts as bumpy as possible! It is really really saddening. A friend of mine, who had an indian tort previously, which died a while ago, never gave water to his tort, because he was advised that the tort will get enough water from the vegetables it eats. It was very badly pyramided, and to boot, he was very proud of the bumps. *sigh*

Anyhow. Good luck with your 'rehab'! Btw does your tort have a name?

 

[Tom]

That is awful Dagaashi. So sorry to hear things have gone that way in your part of the world. How could anyone think that malformed bone and a dehydrated tortoise is a good thing???

 

[Vegasarah]

The little guys name is Squirt, short for Squirtle from pokemon. That's what happens when your boyfriend names your pets...lol. He is doing well in his moist environment, I just love him to bits.