Is this pyramiding?

Jsvargas13

New Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2019
Messages
26
Location (City and/or State)
California
Hello,
This is Frida. She’s a little over a year old. I recently noticed her she’ll is raising a little. And it looks dry. During the day i started putting her out to get some sun and at night she’s inside. Inside her tank she has orchid bark and ceramic heat omitters. I know this is something that can’t be reversed but is there something I can do to stop it from getting worse?

180D4EDE-5F53-47C7-B0DD-D6B2F0AEE8BB.jpeg425CA7D3-A786-4D37-A706-CC3A846A86D6.jpeg19A1EFA8-FD9B-4C2F-A3AE-D0BFC824822C.jpeg2161300D-F0F1-4CD6-AD0D-95FE1CABC96C.jpeg
 

zovick

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
3,386
Hello,
This is Frida. She’s a little over a year old. I recently noticed her she’ll is raising a little. And it looks dry. During the day i started putting her out to get some sun and at night she’s inside. Inside her tank she has orchid bark and ceramic heat omitters. I know this is something that can’t be reversed but is there something I can do to stop it from getting worse?
Yes, that tortoise has pyramiding. It is not severe (yet) and if you take steps to correct it now, it will become less and less noticeable as the tortoise grows. Look up the care info for the species on this site and then start making your corrections. @Tom usually has the links handy, but I don't, so maybe he can post them for you.

Good luck!
 

iAmCentrochelys sulcata

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2019
Messages
1,322
Location (City and/or State)
Alief
Your tortoise is Pyramiding, due to lack of humidity. It’s more than minimal but not too bad. Increasing the humidity should prevent it from getting worse.
 

Jsvargas13

New Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2019
Messages
26
Location (City and/or State)
California
Yes, that tortoise has pyramiding. It is not severe (yet) and if you take steps to correct it now, it will become less and less noticeable as the tortoise grows. Look up the care info for the species on this site and then start making your corrections. @Tom usually has the links handy, but I don't, so maybe he can post them for you.

Good luck!

thank you, I will look into that.
 

Jsvargas13

New Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2019
Messages
26
Location (City and/or State)
California
Your tortoise is Pyramiding, due to lack of humidity. It’s more than minimal but not too bad. Increasing the humidity should prevent it from getting worse.

okay, does it have to be humid at night as well? I’m in Southern California and right now outside is humid so I’m sure she’s fine outside but inside her enclosure has to be hot at night too?
 

zovick

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
3,386
okay, does it have to be humid at night as well? I’m in Southern California and right now outside is humid so I’m sure she’s fine outside but inside her enclosure has to be hot at night too?
Don't confuse humidity with temperature. Tortoises don't need a source of heat at night unless the temperature is going to get below 65 to 70 degrees. They do need to be kept in a humid environment day and night, though, and they need good sources of UV light, Vitamin D, and calcium to get proper shell growth. Humidity or heat alone will not do the trick. All those factors have to be addressed to get good growth and have a tortoise thrive rather than just survive in captivity.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Check this out:
 

iAmCentrochelys sulcata

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2019
Messages
1,322
Location (City and/or State)
Alief
Don't confuse humidity with temperature. Tortoises don't need a source of heat at night unless the temperature is going to get below 65 to 70 degrees. They do need to be kept in a humid environment day and night, though, and they need good sources of UV light, Vitamin D, and calcium to get proper shell growth. Humidity or heat alone will not do the trick. All those factors have to be addressed to get good growth and have a tortoise thrive rather than just survive in captivity.
I believe at this point we are taking about Pyramiding, but yes these factors also needs to be addressed but don’t factor with Pyramiding.
 

zovick

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
3,386
I believe at this point we are taking about Pyramiding, but yes these factors also needs to be addressed but don’t factor with Pyramiding.
Sorry to disagree with you, but ALL of the things I mentioned can contribute to pyramiding in tortoises. I have been working with tortoises since 1958 and can tell you from personal experience that humidity alone does not control it.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
okay, does it have to be humid at night as well? I’m in Southern California and right now outside is humid so I’m sure she’s fine outside but inside her enclosure has to be hot at night too?
Southern CA is a desert basin. It does not get humid here.

If you are trying to stop pyramiding in progress, you need to keep the tortoise in very humid conditions as much as possible, day and night. Also soak daily and spray the carapace with water several times a day. You can use distilled, RO, or collected rainwater for this shell spraying, but use regular tap or well water for soaking and drinking.
 

Jsvargas13

New Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2019
Messages
26
Location (City and/or State)
California
Southern CA is a desert basin. It does not get humid here.

If you are trying to stop pyramiding in progress, you need to keep the tortoise in very humid conditions as much as possible, day and night. Also soak daily and spray the carapace with water several times a day. You can use distilled, RO, or collected rainwater for this shell spraying, but use regular tap or well water for soaking and drinking.


Thank you, I will start with soaks and spraying her she’ll.

Okay, just measured her and she’s actually exactly 5 inches long.

I currently am using orchid bark for substrate. Would I need to do anything with that in order to hold humidity?

my plan is to either build or buy a closed chamber enclosure. I have a Che right now and plan on continue using that. Will I need another light? I also plan on getting a bigger hide for her as well.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Thank you, I will start with soaks and spraying her she’ll.

Okay, just measured her and she’s actually exactly 5 inches long.

I currently am using orchid bark for substrate. Would I need to do anything with that in order to hold humidity?

my plan is to either build or buy a closed chamber enclosure. I have a Che right now and plan on continue using that. Will I need another light? I also plan on getting a bigger hide for her as well.
Everything you just asked is explained in detail in the care sheet.
 

iAmCentrochelys sulcata

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2019
Messages
1,322
Location (City and/or State)
Alief
Sorry to disagree with you, but ALL of the things I mentioned can contribute to pyramiding in tortoises. I have been working with tortoises since 1958 and can tell you from personal experience that humidity alone does not control it.
You may have done it for many years but it doesn’t mean you where doing it correct, I’m specifically taking to Pyramiding in this instance. I’m sure you take great care of your tortoises. But Tom has done “Experiments” that has helped, in what contributes to Pyramiding.
 

KarenSoCal

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
5,749
Location (City and/or State)
Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
Don't confuse humidity with temperature. Tortoises don't need a source of heat at night unless the temperature is going to get below 65 to 70 degrees. They do need to be kept in a humid environment day and night, though, and they need good sources of UV light, Vitamin D, and calcium to get proper shell growth. Humidity or heat alone will not do the trick. All those factors have to be addressed to get good growth and have a tortoise thrive rather than just survive in captivity.
You may have done it for many years but it doesn’t mean you where doing it correct, I’m specifically taking to Pyramiding in this instance. I’m sure you take great care of your tortoises. But Tom has done “Experiments” that has helped, in what contributes to Pyramiding.
@iAmCentrochelys sulcata , you're overstepping here. Read @zovick 's post again, very carefully. Everything he posted is true.

There's a saying "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing". Keep that in mind when you accuse a veteran member of something. Questioning is OK...accusations, are not.
 

Toddrickfl1

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 7, 2018
Messages
7,103
Location (City and/or State)
Ga
You may have done it for many years but it doesn’t mean you where doing it correct, I’m specifically taking to Pyramiding in this instance. I’m sure you take great care of your tortoises. But Tom has done “Experiments” that has helped, in what contributes to Pyramiding.
You really have no idea who your trying to debate here bud.
 
Last edited:

zovick

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
3,386
You may have done it for many years but it doesn’t mean you where doing it correct, I’m specifically taking to Pyramiding in this instance. I’m sure you take great care of your tortoises. But Tom has done “Experiments” that has helped, in what contributes to Pyramiding.

Oh, I think I was doing things pretty well, probably even before your parents were born, and in the days before internet forums, how-to books, videos, etc., were invented and began offering people unlimited advice and guidance.

What I am trying to help you and the original poster understand is that these factors are all inter-related, it is not just a one factor problem. IE, plenty of humidity alone without daily soaks, excellent UV lighting, a good diet, and adequate calcium and vitamin intake is not going to produce good looking growth in a tortoise.

Check out these three tortoises. All were hatched and raised entirely indoors by me from day one. They are one, two, and three years of age in the photo. They were raised in open top tubs with absolutely no effort made to control the humidity of their environments. I didn't even provide humid hide boxes for them. All the other factors I have mentioned (daily soaking, a good diet, superb UV lighting, adequate calcium and Vitamin D) were given to them. These tortoises are not severely pyramided (if one could call them pyramided at all) and they had NO humidity provided (other than that of the ambient air in a heated room which is very minimal).

Aged Group Side.jpg
 

SKOLsuper

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2019
Messages
294
Location (City and/or State)
Essex
Hello,
This is Frida. She’s a little over a year old. I recently noticed her she’ll is raising a little. And it looks dry. During the day i started putting her out to get some sun and at night she’s inside. Inside her tank she has orchid bark and ceramic heat omitters. I know this is something that can’t be reversed but is there something I can do to stop it from getting worse?

View attachment 296911View attachment 296912View attachment 296913View attachment 296914
Hi
 

zovick

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
3,386
Hi do u soak 4 x a week and also do u give cattle bone I have the same tortoise and he’s 1 year and 5 months and he not pyramid View attachment 296964View attachment 296964
@SKOLsuper
Not sure if you were directing your question to me or not, but if so, I soaked my tortoises EVERY morning (so 7 times weekly) until they were 3-4 years old or even a bit older. I only offered them cuttle bone occasionally but I religiously sprinkled their food daily with Ultrafine Rep-Cal WITH Vitamin D3 as well as with Herptivite.

Your tortoise looks very nice. Have you been raising it in a closed chamber and soaking it about 4X weekly?
 

SKOLsuper

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2019
Messages
294
Location (City and/or State)
Essex
Hi no I keep him indoors but let him out the garden when it’s warm 773E9C19-2422-4664-BA95-9009D2C16F75.jpeg773E9C19-2422-4664-BA95-9009D2C16F75.jpeg773E9C19-2422-4664-BA95-9009D2C16F75.jpeg61BCA1AE-971D-466D-B345-D02FA0EA15EC.jpeg61BCA1AE-971D-466D-B345-D02FA0EA15EC.jpegAE2940FB-2037-4538-9C4D-CCBD096D36D9.jpegAE2940FB-2037-4538-9C4D-CCBD096D36D9.jpeg
@SKOLsuper
Not sure if you were directing your question to me or not, but if so, I soaked my tortoises EVERY morning (so 7 times weekly) until they were 3-4 years old or even a bit older. I only offered them cuttle bone occasionally but I religiously sprinkled their food daily with Ultrafine Rep-Cal WITH Vitamin D3 as well as with Herptivite.

Your tortoise looks very nice. Have you been raising it in a closed chamber and soaking it about 4X weekly?
Sorry it was for someone else thanks anyway
 

New Posts

Top