Bottom shell

[mmorales9292]

I’ve recently noticed my tortoise bottom shell looks like this is this normal?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Yes
It looks like the healed plastron of a baby Sulcata

 

[mmorales9292]

Yes
It looks like the healed plastron of a baby Sulcata

I’ve had him since August of 2020 and when I got him or her it was smooth and flat

 

[AgataP]

So this is a 7 months old sulcata ??

 

[mmorales9292]

So this is a 7 months old sulcata ??

Yes about 7 months I don’t know how old he/she was when I got em

 

[AgataP]

It does look weird. Also how much does the tort weigh?
can you please post pictures of his enclosure?
I have 7 mo sulcata and plastron does not look like that.



@Tom will be able to answer in more details.

 

[Tom]

I’ve recently noticed my tortoise bottom shell looks like this is this normal?

Looks like a typical dry housed baby. Pet shops, breeders and vets almost universally give the old incorrect care info for this species. I only know of a handful of breeders that start them correctly.

Show us how you are housing the baby?

Here is the current and correct care info. Get the baby into the proper monsoon conditions in the correct enclosure and that will flatten back out over time.

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Your questions are welcome.

 

[mmorales9292]

Looks like a typical dry housed baby. Pet shops, breeders and vets almost universally give the old incorrect care info for this species. I only know of a handful of breeders that start them correctly.

Show us how you are housing the baby?

Here is the current and correct care info. Get the baby into the proper monsoon conditions in the correct enclosure and that will flatten back out over time.

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Your questions are welcome.

 

[mmorales9292]

So, we have night light, day light and uvb, he got the food and water dish we also have a reptifogger to keep the humidity. He eats greens as well as hays and grass. He gets 30 -45 minutes soaks daily. We put calcium powder on his food once a week and all his food gets soaked to keep him well hydrated

 

[mmorales9292]

This is the top of his shell

 

[AgataP]

Do you soak him every day in warm water for 20-30 min?

He looks very underweight .... how much did he weigh when you got him and how much does it weigh now?

Tom linked you to the care sheet so study that.
Ask questions.

Just as an example here is my 7 months old sulcata. Yes on his back because it tried to run and I also want to check the plastron sometimes to make sure it’s healthy.

 

[mmorales9292]

Last weight I had on him he was 6oz that was back in November I haven’t weighed him and we did start feeding him more. He gets soaked daily for 30-45 minutes

 

[AgataP]

Hopefully now he has great care and keeps on growing.
Yeah I would check his weight ones a month. It’s an easier way to keep track of growth ...
don’t get obsessed like me and weigh it 10 times a day ? .... not anymore.

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome,
The lamps would be better hung so that you can adjust the temps by raising or lowering them and the clamps have been known to fail and cause fires , and/or injury to the torts so keep an eye on that.

 

[mmorales9292]

Hopefully now he has great care and keeps on growing.
Yeah I would check his weight ones a month. It’s an easier way to keep track of growth ...
don’t get obsessed like me and weigh it 10 times a day ? .... not anymore.

Lol I will definitely start weighing once a month I will say he grew from when I first got him he was like 2oz. I was just concerned about the bottom. He’s super active. I do only feed him every other day. Should I feed him more often?

 

[AgataP]

Also look into closed chamber enclosure to keep the humidity and temperatures stable.

 

[mmorales9292]

Hi and welcome,
The lamps would be better hung so that you can adjust the temps by raising or lowering them and the clamps have been known to fail and cause fires , and/or injury to the torts so keep an eye on that.

Thank you I will switch that around

 

[AgataP]

Lol I will definitely start weighing once a month I will say he grew from when I first got him he was like 2oz. I was just concerned about the bottom. He’s super active. I do only feed him every other day. Should I feed him more often?

Yes!
They are grazers. They pretty much explore, stare from the hideout and snack - oh that’s like me ??

What do you usually feed him?

 

[mmorales9292]

Also look into closed chamber enclosure to keep the humidity and temperatures stable.

Okay the temps are always at 90 and humidity is hard to keep stable which is why I got the fogger

 

[mmorales9292]

Yes!
They are grazers. They pretty much explore, stare from the hideout and snack - oh that’s like me ??

What do you usually feed him?

He eats Timothy hay, grass, and a variety of greens. He also has Mazuri pellets. We soak the food before giving it to him as well