Help with health and determining gender

[louisewhomack76]

Hi

This is Ziggy. He is 22 months old and likes eating and sleeping and I’ve had him since March. I’m new to tortoise keeping and wondered if you look at photos to see if his shell looks ok. I’m paranoid about pyramiding and would be so upset if it happened. His welfare is of upmost importance to me and am careful at monitoring temps, humidity and feeding a variety of weeds I have grown outside. I think I just need some reassurance that he looks ok and is healthy.

I’ve also posted a photo of his plastron to see if anyone can tell the gender. I’ve been thinking of him as a male, but am thinking he is possibly a she.

I love this forum and have found it very useful. Thanks in advance

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome!

Your new little tortoise has the characteristics of female right now, but may be too small yet to know for sure. All tortoises start out looking female. I don't see pyramiding yet. Just don't keep the enclosure too dry and pyramiding shouldn't be a problem.

 

[wellington]

There seems to be slight pyramiding to me. Get the humidity up to 80%. It can be 30-50% once she is an adult.
I do think she is still to young to sex

 

[louisewhomack76]

Hi, and welcome!

Your new little tortoise has the characteristics of female right now, but may be too small yet to know for sure. All tortoises start out looking female. I don't see pyramiding yet. Just don't keep the enclosure too dry and pyramiding shouldn't be a problem.

Thank you

 

[louisewhomack76]

There seems to be slight pyramiding to me. Get the humidity up to 80%. It can be 30-50% once she is an adult.
I do think she is still to young to sex

Humidity is usually in the 70's but I will get it up to 80%. Obviously I am gutted but hopefully I can prevent it from getting worse.

 

[wellington]

Are you using a mercury vapor bulb?

 

[louisewhomack76]

I use a 100 watt Arcadia bulb. The mixed one that does heat and UV. I also have an Arcadia ceramic heat bulb as I live in the UK, which is not the warmest place. He has an outdoor enclosure for warmer days and he goes out as long as its warm enough.

 

[wellington]

Is it the halogen one?
If so, that's the problem and likely cause of the slight pyramiding. Stop using it and replace with a tube florescent uvb and a incandescent Flood bulb for added day heat and basking.

 

[louisewhomack76]

Is it the halogen one?
If so, that's the problem and likely cause of the slight pyramiding. Stop using it and replace with a tube florescent uvb and a incandescent Flood bulb for added day heat and basking.

It's the D3, I checked and it is indeed Mercury Vapour. Is this bad? I thought Arcadia made some of the best products for tortoises. I follow Garden State Tortoise on YouTube and the guy on there recommends Arcadia.

 

[Tom]

It's the D3, I checked and it is indeed Mercury Vapour. Is this bad? I thought Arcadia made some of the best products for tortoises. I follow Garden State Tortoise on YouTube and the guy on there recommends Arcadia.

Mercury vapor bulbs do cause pyramiding. Arcadia makes lot of things. Their Pro T5 Kits are the best thing going for UV.

Garden State Tortoise is a member here. Over all they are good, and no one is better at ID'ing all the different Testudo, but they still follow some of the old wrong info because they don't see it as a problem at their facility. Like using soil and sand for substrate for example. I don't think Chris have ever had a sand impaction case in one of his personal tortoises, but I work with a lot of exotic vets due to my business, and they see sand impaction cases regularly from people who follow that advice.

This all help you tremendously, and look for the heating/lighting breakdown and the temperate species care sheet near the bottom. Chris is one of the better ones, but most of YT, FB and even vets and breeder advice is rubbish.

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

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[zolasmum]

Humidity is usually in the 70's but I will get it up to 80%. Obviously I am gutted but hopefully I can prevent it from getting worse.

If you are able to stop his pyramiding now, then as he grows, his shell will improve and more or less smooth out, so don't worry. I love the photo of him going to sleep leaning on the entrance of his hide !
Angie

 

[wellington]

It's the D3, I checked and it is indeed Mercury Vapour. Is this bad? I thought Arcadia made some of the best products for tortoises. I follow Garden State Tortoise on YouTube and the guy on there recommends Arcadia.

They do make great bulbs, but some are still not great for tortoises.
Years ago the mercury bulbs was the cats meow. Since then, Tom has figured out that they were what was still causing pyramiding even though high humidity was maintained.
Follow the link Tom posted for you.