Is this rough texture on my stars shell ok?

[Zezima]

Hi Iv noticed that on this section of the shell it’s looking rougher than other parts also if you look closely it almost looks like a diamond shape on the shell what causes this?

Just making sure it’s all normal!

 

[Yvonne G]

That's a very good looking tortoise. Nice job!

I don't see what you're concerned about, but maybe the new growth is a bit dry??? You can rub in some cold pressed coconut oil and see if that helps.

 

[Zezima]

That's a very good looking tortoise. Nice job!

I don't see what you're concerned about, but maybe the new growth is a bit dry??? You can rub in some cold pressed coconut oil and see if that helps.

Thank you Yvonne Maybe it is, what’s the practice for using coconut oil on tortoises? Do you apply it once a week?

 

[Yvonne G]

I would dip a Q-tip in the coconut oil and rub the new growth seams with it, massaging it in. Allow it to absorb for a few minutes, then polish it off with an absorbent cloth. You can do it daily until you see improvement.

 

[Sarah2020]

I use coconut oil on speedy as suggested and it helps moisturise the shell. I apply weekly or bi weekly as required.

 

[Tom]

Hi Iv noticed that on this section of the shell it’s looking rougher than other parts also if you look closely it almost looks like a diamond shape on the shell what causes this?

Just making sure it’s all normal!

Are you asking about the pyramiding? Like the whole scute sticking up like a pyramid?

 

[Zezima]

Are you asking about the pyramiding? Like the whole scute sticking up like a pyramid?

Hi Tom no I’m on about this part of the shell looking more rougher it looks a little gristley looking

 

[Zezima]

I would dip a Q-tip in the coconut oil and rub the new growth seams with it, massaging it in. Allow it to absorb for a few minutes, then polish it off with an absorbent cloth. You can do it daily until you see improvement.

Iv seen that some people thrown on the idea of doing this but if it’s safe and you have done it I don’t see why it wouldn’t help

 

[Tom]

Hi Tom no I’m on about this part of the shell looking more rougher it looks a little gristley looking

These look like rough, but also within the range of "normal", growth lines. A dry environment, or the wrong bulb can contribute to this. Or a cooler ambient that makes them want to bask more can do it too. I like ambient to drop to 26-27C at night and rise up to around 32-33C during that day in addition to a 36-37C area directly under the heat lamp. When day time temps are cooler than this, stars tend to spend more time under the desiccating bulbs.

Some torts will do some of this no matter what you do with them. It may be due to how they were started, genetics, or some other as yet unknown factor.

 

[Zezima]

These look like rough, but also within the range of "normal", growth lines. A dry environment, or the wrong bulb can contribute to this. Or a cooler ambient that makes them want to bask more can do it too. I like ambient to drop to 26-27C at night and rise up to around 32-33C during that day in addition to a 36-37C area directly under the heat lamp. When day time temps are cooler than this, stars tend to spend more time under the desiccating bulbs.

Some torts will do some of this no matter what you do with them. It may be due to how they were started, genetics, or some other as yet unknown factor.

Hi Tom Thankyou for your reply, The temperature under my basking spot is 35 degrees in the day and then at night I have a deep heat projector from Arcadia reptile that’s set to 26 degrees.

Would you change the temperatures to encourage less basking time? I’ll attach a photo of my two stars they were born in June last year ans I bought them here in the uk let me know what you think of there condition and any advice would be appreciated in regards to keeping them the best I can! These two are Sri Lankan

 

[Tom]

Hi Tom Thankyou for your reply, The temperature under my basking spot is 35 degrees in the day and then at night I have a deep heat projector from Arcadia reptile that’s set to 26 degrees.

Would you change the temperatures to encourage less basking time? I’ll attach a photo of my two stars they were born in June last year ans I bought them here in the uk let me know what you think of there condition and any advice would be appreciated in regards to keeping them the best I can! These two are Sri Lankan

What is the ambient temp in the rest of the enclosure during the day? Is it a humid closed chamber?

Do they live together as a pair?

I don't have experience with the deep heat projectors, but I recall, @Markw84 mentioning that they can contribute to pyramiding because of the type of IR they give off. Hopefully he will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Zezima]

What is the ambient temp in the rest of the enclosure during the day? Is it a humid closed chamber?

Do they live together as a pair?

I don't have experience with the deep heat projectors, but I recall, @Markw84 mentioning that they can contribute to pyramiding because of the type of IR they give off. Hopefully he will correct me if I'm wrong.

The ambiet is 28 degrees throughout the day and they live together in a vivarium, This was never my first choice and I enquired buying an enclosed chamber off @Markw84 but unfortunately he couldn’t ship to the uk so I went with a vivarium.

 

[Lyn W]

Are they housed together?
Torts are solitary, territorial creatures and when kept in pairs, one becomes dominant and can seriously harm the other.
Have you noticed any close contact - following, nudging, barging, one trying to climb on the other, biting etc.? I'm wondering if the rough shell you've found has been caused by bullying behaviour.

 

[Tom]

The ambiet is 28 degrees throughout the day and they live together in a vivarium, This was never my first choice and I enquired buying an enclosed chamber off @Markw84 but unfortunately he couldn’t ship to the uk so I went with a vivarium.

Thats a bit low for the ambient. Try to get it up to 32-33C each day.

They really should be housed separately. Torts don't do well in pairs. Stress could be a factor for your growth line issue too.