Pyramiding possible on aquatic turtles?

[Yellow Turtle01]

Is it even possible for aquatic turtles to pyramid? (just a question, my turtles shells are tip top!) Pyramiding happens when they get too dry, correct? So it would be very hard for a turtle pyramid, with the aquaticness and everything... and if they were out of the water long enough to pyramid, they would have shriveled up, right?

 

[tortadise]

Aquatic turtles can pyramid. It's typical caused by terrible diet, and lack of calcium, minerals.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Hm! I thought it was something for the tortoise club only! Thanks

 

[tortadise]

Hm! I thought it was something for the tortoise club only! Thanks

Yeah I don't know much about it in turtle(aquatic) realms. But I do know it's possible. @Yvonne G would know.

 

[Anthony P]

It's not totally the same thing. What looks most like pyramiding in aquatics is associated usually with retained scutes, usually due to low amounts of vitamin E.

That "look" can be due to MBD, like in tortoises, but that is less often the case.

 

[tglazie]

I've seen some strange growth on red ears. Woodlawn Lake here in San Antonio is a common spot where people release their unwanted turtles, so you see a lot of weird ones scurrying across the roadways in the summer. I always find turtles that appear stunted and deformed, red ears that don't measure over four and a half inches shell length but have adult sized genitalia, huge heads, and deformed, "pyramided" shells. I didn't know what the direct cause of it was (vitamin E deficiency?), but I'd suspect improper diet and husbandry in general are contributing factors. After all, the sort of person who would be so irresponsible as to release a captive red eared slider into the wild was probably not doing such a great job of maintaining it in the first place.

T.G.

 

[ascott]

Yes, pyramiding on turtles does happen....this is why it is important to understand that hydration is not a cure all to a smooth shell...sun, exercise, diet and rate of growth are all just as important to the total pie....

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Wow, I had no idea that could happen! I was just thinking about my turtles, and tortoises (as per usual ) and wondered why I had never seen a turtle that had pyramided... concluding that they couldn't because they weren't dry enough thanks!!

 

[ascott]

http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Turtle338.jpg

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Yikes, and he's a young turtle too

 

[cosmomimi]

This turtle has had these bumps since we got it two years ago. He acts fine eats good and everything.. What could it be they seem to be getting bigger..

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

He may have retained scutes, instead. My midland had a small issue, but I added different pellets to his diet, and he started shedding like CRAZY!
@Anthony P could probably help you

 

[zenoandthetortoise]

As Anthony P mentioned, the shedding of scutes and stratified growth of aquatics is a different mechanism than the concentric growth of tortoise shells, so the term 'pyramiding' inasmuch as it is a technical term (i.e. uneven/abnormal keratin layers) and not just descriptive, is not applicable.

Try this or something like it:

 

[cosmomimi]

I tried to attach pictures with my first post.. Here he is..

 

[Diamondbacks4Life]

I tried to attach pictures with my first post.. Here he is..

You need to find a reptile vet in your area. Your turtle has two very large ear abscesses. The two large lumps at the side of its head. That can be painful for the turtle and can lead it stop eating from the pain.

 

[cosmomimi]

Ok thank you. He has beenthat way for two years. What causes it

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

As Anthony P mentioned, the shedding of scutes and stratified growth of aquatics is a different mechanism than the concentric growth of tortoise shells, so the term 'pyramiding' inasmuch as it is a technical term (i.e. uneven/abnormal keratin layers) and not just descriptive, is not applicable.

Try this or something like it:

View attachment 106846

OmegaOne is so great

 

[cosmomimi]

What kind of turtles are they?

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

They look like sliders to me

 

[Anthony P]

Ok thank you. He has beenthat way for two years. What causes it

It's an infection. The shell on this turtle actually looks pretty decent. There are entrained scutes, but no outward evidence of metabolic bone disease that can be the cause of deformities.

Those ear abscesses are substantial. The worst double abscess I've seen. Have you gotten the turtle to a vet yet? The area will need to be lanced and drained, and the turtle will need to be put on an antibiotic to avoid further infection.

To think about the severity of that situation, imagine having infected areas on your head that size, for that long. These aren't tumors. This is also an amazing illustration of the ability to survive that chelonians can sometimes display.