Is my Sulcata Tortoise Pyramiding and is this the right size Sulcata to be 1 year old

[andrew71888]

Hello again friends!

U all remember Lil Hercules my sulcata tortoise. I am just wondering if he is pyramiding or anything, and also if he is the right size to be a year old?

If u know plz inform me and here are some pictures of the lil guy

 

[Meg90]

He is very much undersized. How long have you had him? Did you get him from a shop, or a previous owner?

Please describe how you keep him (diet, substrate, temps, lighting, soaking, etc). I have a 6 month old Greek tortoise (a species that stays much smaller) that is just about his size. And yes, he is also already starting to pyramid. What are your daily humidity levels?

You can prevent his pyramiding from getting any worse, and get his growth back on track with some tips, I'm sure. Once we know his husbandry, it will be easier to help.

 

[terracolson]

I am so clueless to seeing this.. how do you identify the pyramiding?

I wish some one would import a pic into paint and draw on it!

He is very much undersized. How long have you had him? Did you get him from a shop, or a previous owner?

Please describe how you keep him (diet, substrate, temps, lighting, soaking, etc). I have a 6 month old Greek tortoise (a species that stays much smaller) that is just about his size. And yes, he is also already starting to pyramid. What are your daily humidity levels?

You can prevent his pyramiding from getting any worse, and get his growth back on track with some tips, I'm sure. Once we know his husbandry, it will be easier to help.

 

[TortieGal]

My Sulcata is not quite a year yet and he is much bigger. I would say he is small and is pyramiding. Can you show some pic's of his enclosure?

 

[Meg90]

If he wasn't pyramiding, his shell would be completely smooth. Those little valleys in between his scutes are the tell tale sign. Take a look at some of my threads, Terra. I have one up about Novalee recently, and she's my smooth girl. My older girl, Anouk, has minor pyramiding from being kept on dry substrate for 2 months (I fixed my enclosure when I noticed it)

 

[andrew71888]

He is very much undersized. How long have you had him? Did you get him from a shop, or a previous owner?

Please describe how you keep him (diet, substrate, temps, lighting, soaking, etc). I have a 6 month old Greek tortoise (a species that stays much smaller) that is just about his size. And yes, he is also already starting to pyramid. What are your daily humidity levels?

You can prevent his pyramiding from getting any worse, and get his growth back on track with some tips, I'm sure. Once we know his husbandry, it will be easier to help.

I have had him for 1 year i purchased him at the ariligton reptile expo Feb 8 2009 from a breeder. I feed him zuchinie turnip green collard greens and mustard greens and every now and then water mellon but only like once a month. He is on cypress multch in a pen of 76-80 degrees cuz right now i have no heat lamp but a uvb lamp. Humidity cant tell right now... I soak him 3 times a week? Maybe 4.

 

[Meg90]

You have no heat on a cold blooded animal? Just a tube UVB?

Do you know that reptiles need heat to digest and process their food? Without it, he isn't getting ANY nutrition at all. And your diet needs more variety. Turnip and collard greens bind Ca which contributes to pyramiding. Use spring mix as a staple in his diet, it has good fiber and will not stunt him (pick out any spinach) cycle in other greens once every week or so.

Does he have water available??

Heat is a big issue here. Its cruel to keep him without it. Sulcata come from Africa. Room temp is COLD to them.

 

[terracolson]

I agree with Meg on the foods and the temp...

 

[dreadyA]

humidity is arised because of the heat, so you should probably bump up the temps for the lil guy to produce humidity:]
pyramiding cannot be reversed but can be stopped.

 

[andrew71888]

Ok i will get a new heat lamp mix his diet up a bit, what else can i do to help him stop pyrimiding and start growing? And yes he has access to water

 

[Meg90]

Heat, humidity in the high 70's, lower 80's and a more stable diet will all help. Also, dust every one of his meals in pure Ca powder. He will need it for a healthy, hard shell and bones.

 

[terracolson]

Outside the most as possible!

 

[andrew71888]

Sorry this may soun dstupid but Meg wat is Ca? Is that calcium? And yes i am now starting to realzie he is more active becuz i have been taking him outside. He really misses that heat i bet. It is also getting warmer. And any other tips and or facts i need to know? And other then that is he going to be ok?

Since he wont eat do i still try to feed him? I notice he eats a lil outside? Is that due to the heat outside?

 

[TortieGal]

His core temp needs to be about 85 to even digest his food, so warming him up will help to get him to eat again. I think he will be ok if you get him going on the right track. Good Luck!

 

[andrew71888]

Thx so much ppl. I will get him the right stuff and hope he gets bck on track.
I will update him sooner or later

 

[Maggie Cummings]

That baby needs a hot light to warm him up. Even if you just use a regular 100 watt incandescent bulb until you can afford a CHE. You also need a blacklight bulb to keep him warm at night. Both bulbs together will cost less then $10 and they are seriously important. You say he's not eating? That's because he's not warm enough. His inner core temp needs to be in the 85 degree range for him to be able to metabolize his food. He could die...do you realize that? He needs to be warmer and he needs to be warmer NOW. This is not something you can ignore. If he is already not eating death is bumping at his door. Please please get those 2 bulbs for him, you can afford them. If you don't warm him up, and do it quickly he will die. 2 bulbs around $6...if you don't have the money tell us where you live and one of us will get the bulbs to you...please!

 

[andrew71888]

That baby needs a hot light to warm him up. Even if you just use a regular 100 watt incandescent bulb until you can afford a CHE. You also need a blacklight bulb to keep him warm at night. Both bulbs together will cost less then $10 and they are seriously important. You say he's not eating? That's because he's not warm enough. His inner core temp needs to be in the 85 degree range for him to be able to metabolize his food. He could die...do you realize that? He needs to be warmer and he needs to be warmer NOW. This is not something you can ignore. If he is already not eating death is bumping at his door. Please please get those 2 bulbs for him, you can afford them. If you don't warm him up, and do it quickly he will die. 2 bulbs around $6...if you don't have the money tell us where you live and one of us will get the bulbs to you...please!

Trust me this tortoise is my life...My parents are both gone my brother is dead idk who my sister is. I will do my absolute best to get this tortoise to live. All i need is some more money! I have uvb but wat is this CHE and Backlight light u r talking about?

 

[dreadyA]

do you have a regular old house light bulb laying around or on a lamp that you hardly use? just use that temporary till your parents get home. Good luck

 

[andrew71888]

do you have a regular old house light bulb laying around or on a lamp that you hardly use? just use that temporary till your parents get home. Good luck

Yes i think and when we say house light we just mean like ones from the ceiling fan right? And no i dont think they are comeing bck anytime soon...........(dead and left)

 

[chadk]

Keep the substrate moist too. Temps + moist substrate will give you decent humidity. He should have a warm side and a cool side. Do you have him in a glass tank?