Hi all.
I would like to learn more about bone growth. I think it's a vital part of knowing how tortoise grow and in turn could explain more about how we care for them. There's quite a lot on this forum regarding keratin growth. I know @Markw84 , @Tom have helped me in this department a lot, probably more than they realise. But what about bone growth!!!!!!
Hopefully this discussion will lead to us all being more knowledgeable, I know I have quite a few questions, but as usual questions are dependent on answers to prior questions.
So my starting questions are:-
Does a tortoise in hibernation or aestivation still gave bone growth, does it still garden off, do fontanelles still fill in during these periods.
How does existing bone growth. I'm under the impression that new bones in a hatchling are soft cartilage, over time this ossifies into hard bone through absorbing calcium and phosphorus. Is that correct?
Also what happens to new bone growth, does it always grow as soft cartilage that over time ossifies. This would mean in theory you can have cartilage between hardened(ossified)bone.
What about when a tortoise us capable of drawing calcium from the bone to lay eggs. How does it replace this calcium? Does bone break down and regenerate?
If it can does this mean the regeneration of bone can take a different form(shape). If yes then in theory a pyramided tort den smooth off to some extent.
Does temperature have an effect on bone growth?
Thanks everyone.
I would like to learn more about bone growth. I think it's a vital part of knowing how tortoise grow and in turn could explain more about how we care for them. There's quite a lot on this forum regarding keratin growth. I know @Markw84 , @Tom have helped me in this department a lot, probably more than they realise. But what about bone growth!!!!!!
Hopefully this discussion will lead to us all being more knowledgeable, I know I have quite a few questions, but as usual questions are dependent on answers to prior questions.
So my starting questions are:-
Does a tortoise in hibernation or aestivation still gave bone growth, does it still garden off, do fontanelles still fill in during these periods.
How does existing bone growth. I'm under the impression that new bones in a hatchling are soft cartilage, over time this ossifies into hard bone through absorbing calcium and phosphorus. Is that correct?
Also what happens to new bone growth, does it always grow as soft cartilage that over time ossifies. This would mean in theory you can have cartilage between hardened(ossified)bone.
What about when a tortoise us capable of drawing calcium from the bone to lay eggs. How does it replace this calcium? Does bone break down and regenerate?
If it can does this mean the regeneration of bone can take a different form(shape). If yes then in theory a pyramided tort den smooth off to some extent.
Does temperature have an effect on bone growth?
Thanks everyone.