Cracks or Peeling on Sulcata Carapace

[eachdayisnew]

Hello,
Looking for someone who has some knowledge or experience on something we are seeing on our Sulcata.
We noticed tonight that there are two spots on its back that appear to almost be cracks between the scutes. A corner of one is lifted and then there is what looks like a crack between two others.
We soaked it good tonight and neither spot seemed to be bothersome to it when we dripped or brushed it with water. The plastron looks good and the shell is firm all the way around him. Ours is about 22 months so definitely still on the younger and smaller side.

Looking online there so many discussions about pyramiding, shell rot, scud, and metabolic bone disease but so very few pictures that I'm having a hard time finding good information. I've posted some pictures of what we are seeing and am thankful for any advice or experience you may have. Thank you!

 

[wellington]

@Yvonne G @Tom

 

[Tom]

Hello,
Looking for someone who has some knowledge or experience on something we are seeing on our Sulcata.
We noticed tonight that there are two spots on its back that appear to almost be cracks between the scutes. A corner of one is lifted and then there is what looks like a crack between two others.
We soaked it good tonight and neither spot seemed to be bothersome to it when we dripped or brushed it with water. The plastron looks good and the shell is firm all the way around him. Ours is about 22 months so definitely still on the younger and smaller side.

Looking online there so many discussions about pyramiding, shell rot, scud, and metabolic bone disease but so very few pictures that I'm having a hard time finding good information. I've posted some pictures of what we are seeing and am thankful for any advice or experience you may have. Thank you!View attachment 357739View attachment 357740View attachment 357741View attachment 357742

The pyramiding indicates that he is being housed too dry.

How are you checking the temperature under the basking bulb?
What type of basking bulb are you using?
What substrate?
What size enclosure?

This will help you. Look for the sulcata care sheet at the bottom:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[eachdayisnew]

The pyramiding indicates that he is being housed too dry.

How are you checking the temperature under the basking bulb?
What type of basking bulb are you using?
What substrate?
What size enclosure?

This will help you. Look for the sulcata care sheet at the bottom:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Thank you for that! We had noticed the pyramiding and were trying to dial that in with ensuring diet was accurate. Do you think the pyramiding is the cause of the cracking that we are seeing?
There is a hanging digital probe that sits in the direct beam of the daytime heat lamp.

His basking bulb is a 100W standard bulb, with a UVB running the whole length of the enclosure and a we have a ceramic heating bulb that is only on at night to ensure it doesn't get too cold.

The substrate we use is a mix of coconut husk and organic top soil. It is majority of top soil though.

The enclosure is a 25 gallong horse watering trough that we've made for him. Picture below for better understanding.

 

[Tom]

Thank you for that! We had noticed the pyramiding and were trying to dial that in with ensuring diet was accurate. Do you think the pyramiding is the cause of the cracking that we are seeing?
There is a hanging digital probe that sits in the direct beam of the daytime heat lamp.

His basking bulb is a 100W standard bulb, with a UVB running the whole length of the enclosure and a we have a ceramic heating bulb that is only on at night to ensure it doesn't get too cold.

The substrate we use is a mix of coconut husk and organic top soil. It is majority of top soil though.

The enclosure is a 25 gallong horse watering trough that we've made for him. Picture below for better understanding. View attachment 357744

Check the basking temp by laying a digital thermometer on its back directly under the bulb. Let it cook for an hour or more. Adjust bulb height as needed. Only use flood bulbs. No spot bulbs. Spot bulbs and improperly set heat lamps can cause those kinds of problems.

Humidifiers should not be blowing directly into tortoise enclosures. Its not good for them to be breathing those micro-droplets. Humidity should be maintained by using a closed chamber. Open topped enclosures don't work. That is like trying to heat your house in winter with no roof.

You CHE should be on a thermostat 24/7. If the temperature is warm enough, it will remain off.

Pyramiding is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry. Its because of that open topped enclosure. Pyramiding has nothing to do with food. There is a lot of wrong, old, out-dated info circulating around out there. Looks like you found some of it. Most people do. You are not alone. Luckily, you have now found the right info. Its all in the link I left for you.

 

[eachdayisnew]

Check the basking temp by laying a digital thermometer on its back directly under the bulb. Let it cook for an hour or more. Adjust bulb height as needed. Only use flood bulbs. No spot bulbs. Spot bulbs and improperly set heat lamps can cause those kinds of problems.

Humidifiers should not be blowing directly into tortoise enclosures. Its not good for them to be breathing those micro-droplets. Humidity should be maintained by using a closed chamber. Open topped enclosures don't work. That is like trying to heat your house in winter with no roof.

You CHE should be on a thermostat 24/7. If the temperature is warm enough, it will remain off.

Pyramiding is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry. Its because of that open topped enclosure. Pyramiding has nothing to do with food. There is a lot of wrong, old, out-dated info circulating around out there. Looks like you found some of it. Most people do. You are not alone. Luckily, you have now found the right info. Its all in the link I left for you.

Tom, thank you so much for the info on all of this! Glad I found you all and for well bring of our Voldertort!

 

[Yvonne G]

Your main concern was the 'cracks or peeling' on the shell. In my opinion your light/heat source has been too close to the top of the tortoise and has burned the new growth.

 

[eachdayisnew]

Your main concern was the 'cracks or peeling' on the shell. In my opinion your light/heat source has been too close to the top of the tortoise and has burned the new growth.

Thank you for that! Tom was saying similar things, we've already adjusted the height of the heat source further from him and are going to be re-evaluating his whole enclosure and substrate. Thank you for all of your thoughts and advice on this!