Bumpy shell

[Terri Snowden]

Hi all

Might be a stupid question but my Herm tortoise has a bumpy shell, just woundering if it was ment to be smooth or is bumpiness normal? Jac not had him for long so it's all still quite new to me

 

[dmmj]

It should be smooth, it is pyramided. Did you get the tortoise like that?

 

[Yvonne G]

That bumpiness is what we're referring to when we say "pyramiding." The tortoise was kept in a very dry environment during his first year or so. They need moisture/humidity in their environment when they're babies.

Don't worry about it. It's not a health hazard, purely cosmetic. It gives him 'character'!

 

[Terri Snowden]

Ye I got him like that, in his home he is on tortoise terrain from pets at home and I spay that with water to keep the dust down

 

[Levi the Leopard]

He looks Russian to me...? Sure he is a Hermann? :shy:

What is tortoise terrain? A dirt, earthy type of substrate?

Don't worry about the bumpiness now. Just keep him comfy with a good substrate, a water dish, varied diet, sunshine when possible and an occasional soak!

 

[Tom]

You have a russian that was captive raised in too dry an environment.

 

[Terri Snowden]

That's his home and a pic of the soil, it's like sandy soil with white bits in it I think it's small bits of gravel, iv seen pictures and from what iv seen he looks like a Herm tort is there much diffrence between them?

 

[Tom]

They are two different species. Like a donkey and a horse. Care is similar.

Your is Testudo horsfieldi.

 

[Terri Snowden]

Oh brill thanks for letting me know, when I got him his beak was over grown I have taken him to the vets to get it trimmed but he wudnt put his head out so his beak is still abit over grown, is there anyway of getting it trimmed or him doing it himself? I have put his food on slate to hopefully help and I also heard that cuttlebone will help aswell?