Beginning signs of Pyramiding?

[Hgarrity]

Do you think my Herman's is showing the beginning signs of pyramiding? I'm not sure what else to do if he is??? I have been keeping his enclosure humidity btw 50% and 70%. The substrate is soil and coconut coir. I'm trying to keep the top dry and the bottom moist. Is that right???

 

[Hgarrity]

Here is more pictures:

 

[tortdad]

I'm new so all I know is that he's cute!

 

[tinkerbell1189]

I can't see that he is, he looks healthy to me. Do you soak him regularly? As long as he gets a good diet and plenty of uv I don't think you should be worried, I think he looks in good condition

 

[Hgarrity]

I'm new so all I know is that he's cute!

Haha! I'm new too, so that's about all I know too! Thanks though.

 

[Hgarrity]

I can't see that he is, he looks healthy to me. Do you soak him regularly? As long as he gets a good diet and plenty of uv I don't think you should be worried, I think he looks in good condition

Thank you! I do soak him for about 15 min mostly every day. I just want to do everything right. He is my first tortoise so I'm still learning. I don't want him to suffer because I don't know what I'm doing. He does get plenty of uv. He has a uv light in his indoor enclosure. He also gets sun in his outdoor enclosure. I only leave him out there for a few hours a day right now. He loves it outside.

 

[Tom]

Your baby looks great. Spray the shell with water a couple of times a day in addition to the daily soaks, make sure your basking area is relatively wide and not too hot (don't use "spot" light bulbs), and you should continue to be fine.

 

[StarSapphire22]

Tom's advice is spot on! My baby was being kept perfectly, but after a year had just slight pyramiding thanks to a spot bulb. The spraying of the shell directly 2-3 times a day has helped so much and his growth is sooooo smooth now.

 

[Hgarrity]

Your baby looks great. Spray the shell with water a couple of times a day in addition to the daily soaks, make sure your basking area is relatively wide and not too hot (don't use "spot" light bulbs), and you should continue to be fine.

Tom, do you think a "Zoo Med PowerSun UV Mercury Vapor Lamp 100 Watts" is ok? It keeps his basking area about 94-96? The rest of the warm side stays in the upper 80s low 90s. The cool side is usually around 75.

 

[StarSapphire22]

Temps sound fine, though you may want to up it to closer to 100 at the basking area's hottest spot. Make sure you're using an Infrared Temperature Gun to measure temps.

Many members here use Powersuns and they are highly recommended...though some people think MVBs may be more dessicating to the shells than other bulbs because of the UV spectrum being different than naturally-occurring UV. Spraying the shell directly should help combat this, though, and it's still a great bulb.

 

[Hgarrity]

Temps sound fine, though you may want to up it to closer to 100 at the basking area's hottest spot. Make sure you're using an Infrared Temperature Gun to measure temps.

Many members here use Powersuns and they are highly recommended...though some people think MVBs may be more dessicating to the shells than other bulbs because of the UV spectrum being different than naturally-occurring UV. Spraying the shell directly should help combat this, though, and it's still a great bulb.

I can move the light a little closer to get the temp up closer to 100. I have a temp gun. It makes things a lot easier!!! I will start spraying him a couple of times a day too! Thanks for the advice!

 

[tinkerbell1189]

Sounds like your doing everything perfect, you've definitely come to the right place for friendly advice. Your tortoise is lucky to have a good owner! Does he/she have a name?

 

[Tom]

I'd leave that bulb right where it is. If you are measuring at ground level, it will be slightly warmer at tortoise shell height, even if its only an inch or two higher. That bulb should be fine.

 

[Hgarrity]

I'd leave that bulb right where it is. If you are measuring at ground level, it will be slightly warmer at tortoise shell height, even if its only an inch or two higher. That bulb should be fine.

Ok. Thanks!

 

[Camryn]

He looks very healthy, so tiny I don't think he would start pyramiding this early.