- Joined
- Aug 18, 2013
- Messages
- 13
Hello. I am new, and after chatting with some of you on the forum about my sulcata's slight pyramiding and small size, I think that the more I read about MBD, the more I see other symptoms I never thought were related, or even anything negative. Aside from slight pyramiding, she has a "hunched back" look, and her beak looks a little strange- it is more pointed, looks thin, and almost chipped (symptoms of MBD).
I am currently changing her substrate from 50/50 sand/soil mix to coco coir, adding a mercury vapor UV light, and adding a water bowl to the tank and keeping it tank humid. I know this will help her get "better", but my question is:
Is this disease a disease she will always have, or will she be able to become healthy and just show signs that she was once sick (slight pyramiding). Will her bones be able to become strong, and her shell begin to grow normally, and her beak become normal again? Thanks a lot for all of your advice so far, and all you have to say now. I have been really hit by guilt and fear lately because of these new discoveries in what I thought was a healthy tortoise.
I am also wondering, if the grass is damp outside, should I not let her out to walk on it? Also, with increasing humidity, I have been misting the tank...does that make the substrate too moist? All of this moisture is making me fear a respiratory infection might occur...can that be prevented from simply keeping temps up?
Here is my original post if you want more info on my tortoise and what I have done and am now changing and my reasons:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-77515.html
Below are some pictures showing her shell shape and beak.
I am currently changing her substrate from 50/50 sand/soil mix to coco coir, adding a mercury vapor UV light, and adding a water bowl to the tank and keeping it tank humid. I know this will help her get "better", but my question is:
Is this disease a disease she will always have, or will she be able to become healthy and just show signs that she was once sick (slight pyramiding). Will her bones be able to become strong, and her shell begin to grow normally, and her beak become normal again? Thanks a lot for all of your advice so far, and all you have to say now. I have been really hit by guilt and fear lately because of these new discoveries in what I thought was a healthy tortoise.
I am also wondering, if the grass is damp outside, should I not let her out to walk on it? Also, with increasing humidity, I have been misting the tank...does that make the substrate too moist? All of this moisture is making me fear a respiratory infection might occur...can that be prevented from simply keeping temps up?
Here is my original post if you want more info on my tortoise and what I have done and am now changing and my reasons:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-77515.html
Below are some pictures showing her shell shape and beak.