Hello there

[vanillapooh1979]

Hi,
I think I had a membership here before but was unable to log in.
Anyway I suppose I should introduce myself. I have 2 Sulcatas. They hatched in Sept 2011 from the same clutch. I am in Florida in the panhandle. I am worried about one of my Sulcatas. He is rather large in comparison to his clutchmate and I am seeing some pyramiding on him. They are both on a natural grass/yard weed diet with calcium via cuttlebone as well as powder I sprinkle on the hay in their enclosure. They are frequently outside and have a full spectrum Uvb bulb on them when inside. My smaller one does not seem to have the pyramiding. They are both on the exact same diet and soak schedule as well as sunlight et cetera. Am I doing something wrong?? How can I keep him from getting worse? My vet seems to think that there is not much I can do to prevent the pyramiding.

 

[Jacob]

Welcome to the forum!
Theres lots of great info here, first off how old are your sulcatas?
Humidity is a huge factor in how they are raised smooth and healthy, along with diet.

 

[dmarcus]

Hello and welcome to the forum...

 

[vanillapooh1979]

I have avidly followed Toms posts as far as humidity and diet. They hatched around mid Sept 2011 so they are approximately 8 months old. I just feel like I am missing some crucial fact. I had researched extensively before adopting them, because I wanted to provide the best I could for them. Thanks for your fast replies!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi vanillapooh1979:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

What would you like us to call you?

Do you remember what your username was before when you were a member? I'd like to check the membership list and see if you're still on it.

 

[Tom]

Take a look at this one and see if anything strikes a chord.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Beginner-Mistakes#axzz1tyMyvygK

Next give these a look and see if any of these give you some ideas. The very last thread in particular might give you some insight.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Helpful-Threads#axzz1tyMyvygK


A few questions too:
What is the outdoor humidity like in your area?
How many hours a day did you leave them outside when you first got them?
What is the humidity level indoors in your set up?
Does your indoor enclosure have an open top?
Do you have a humid hide box indoors?
Do you spray the carapace several times a day?
Did you soak daily when you first got them?
Do they eat the cuttle bone? Do they eat the hay? Usually babies don't eat hay and so I wonder if the bigger, faster growing one is getting enough calcium. If he's not eating much hay, and not nibbling the cuttle bone, then he might not be getting enough calcium. Hay is more appropriate for larger sulcatas. I prefer to use fresh grass for babies instead of dry hay.

Lastly, your vet is dead wrong. Show him my "End of Pyramiding" threads. There has got to be some element of your care that is lacking. They simply do not pyramid if the conditions are right and their needs are met. I hope we can help you figure it out.

 

[vanillapooh1979]

What would you like us to call you? Vp79 or Vanillapooh is fine.

Do you remember what your username was before when you were a member? I'd like to check the membership list and see if you're still on it.
It would be the same name I am using now or as I use it for all my forums. I have been reading this forum for 13+ months so I may have never actually joined until now. Although I know I had joined one forum, my computer crashed and I lost my favorites, so I can not recall what forum it was.

is the outdoor humidity like in your area? It is usually around 80%
How many hours a day did you leave them outside when you first got them? 4-6 hours weather permitting. There were to many cold days in January/February to go outside much.
What is the humidity level indoors in your set up? I keep a humidifier going so it is around 100%
Does your indoor enclosure have an open top? Yes.
Do you have a humid hide box indoors? I have an igloo that they go in sitting on damp moss.
Do you spray the carapace several times a day? Yes.
Did you soak daily when you first got them? Yes.
Do they eat the cuttle bone? I see them nibble at it. I also add calsium/d3 powder to their fresh grass.
Do they eat the hay? I see my larger one munch on it.


Tom "Usually babies don't eat hay and so I wonder if the bigger, faster growing one is getting enough calcium. If he's not eating much hay, and not nibbling the cuttle bone, then he might not be getting enough calcium. Hay is more appropriate for larger sulcatas. I prefer to use fresh grass for babies instead of dry hay."

I feed them fresh grass daily. They graze the entire time they are outside.
I have noticed my larger ones poops seem to be white chalky while the smaller ones poop looks like grass logs.
I agree my vet is wrong. :/ Which is why I am here. I have been reading all you have posted. And following your End to pyramiding posts. So Perhaps I need to have blood work done?
Thank you for responding to my query. I want to make sure these guys grow up as healthily as possible.

 

[Zamric]

Welcome to the FOrum

 

[vanillapooh1979]

Thanks!

 

[vanillapooh1979]

This is Lucas the one I worried about.

---

---

Both Katie (smaller) and Lucas.

---

---

---

The white powder is from the sand in our yard they were playing in it. the last two are pictures after they had a soak. As you can see Lucas is much larger and pyramiding I think.

 

[TORTOISEMAN1]

Coolbeans!

 

[vanillapooh1979]

Is he pyramiding?

 

[vanillapooh1979]

?? Bumping up for Tom or another knowledgeable person to chime in on.

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

Welcome!
Yes a little pyramiding has started. How often and how long do you soak your torts? Luckily he/she is young enough still to where you can turn things around. New shell growth will surpass the pyramiding if things progress. Luckily its not too bad right now. Keep your tort nice and humid and don't forget to soak daily! Do that and things should turn around after a while. The diet isn't to blame for the pyramiding. It's lack of hydration. Also I noticed you said there was sand? Sand is not good for tortoises. It irritates their skin and eyes and causes them to dry out as well.

 

[vanillapooh1979]

Okay so I should soak longer and keep them from the sandy part of my yard. I can do that. They don't live in the sand they just dig through it when we are outdoors but I can take them into my front yard where only weeds and grass no sand.

 

[CLMoss]

Welcome!

 

[vanillapooh1979]

Thank you!