Is this shell normal or does it need treatment?

ZEROPILOT

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Looking at the growth lines show several years worth of being kept too dry.
Your RF needs very high humidity in order to stop that pyramiding. Although what's already there will never go away.
I've seen MUCH worse.
The rest of it is just dust and dirt.
 

zovick

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The shell is pyramiding but it’s only cosmetic. Appropriate humidity and regular soaks aswell as proper uv and diet requirements should stop it progressing. :)
I see only very minor pyramiding in that shell. It is extremely minor and hardly even worth mentioning, IMHO.

The shell IS REALLY dry, though, as a couple others have said.
 

Carlos-NL

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Is the tortoise under a light? If so, the light might be too low, burning the new growth. You can paint that seam with a Q- tip dipped in cold pressed coconut oil.
I just rescued this RF from an old man who was not giving her a proper care. In winter he stored his tortoises of different species together in a storage box with a CH. In summer he puts them out in an old ditry green house to eat just one type of plants. She is about 30-40 years old and its difficult to reverse anything in her shell. I keep her in 75-80% humid, the temp every where in the enclosure is 29 degrees. Do they feel uncomfortable with dry shell? And is it ok to use vaseline instead of the coco oil?
 

Carlos-NL

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Looking at the growth lines show several years worth of being kept too dry.
Your RF needs very high humidity in order to stop that pyramiding. Although what's already there will never go away.
I've seen MUCH worse.
The rest of it is just dust and dirt.
True what you have guessed and that is also what I have explained to @Yvonne G. The pyramiding in her shell is not so bad yes it a common acceptable limits, there is a lot worse. Wil she be ok not doing anything about her shell?
 

zovick

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True what you have guessed and that is also what I have explained to @Yvonne G. The pyramiding in her shell is not so bad yes it a common acceptable limits, there is a lot worse. Wil she be ok not doing anything about her shell?
The tortoise should be fine going forward as long as you give it free access to water. I would recommend soaking it daily for a couple of weeks to help rehydrate the tortoise, then make sure it has a shallow water bowl in which it can soak itself at will if it wishes to do so in the future.

For now, you could take a soft bristle brush and brush off the dirt and dust from the shell with the brush and some of the water while the tortoise is soaking. Or you can do the same thing under running water in your sink or a bathtub.
 

Maggie3fan

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True what you have guessed and that is also what I have explained to @Yvonne G. The pyramiding in her shell is not so bad yes it a common acceptable limits, there is a lot worse. Wil she be ok not doing anything about her shell?
Her shell as the others have said is much too dry. All you need to do for that is using a container that she can get in and out of, give her clean water so she can soak herself at any time. Redfoot tortoises live in a very humid forest. So she needs low light and very high humidity. My eyes aren't so good anymore but, the tortoise in your avatar looks like a small Sulcata? Is that what I'm seeing?
 

ZEROPILOT

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True what you have guessed and that is also what I have explained to @Yvonne G. The pyramiding in her shell is not so bad yes it a common acceptable limits, there is a lot worse. Wil she be ok not doing anything about her shell?
Yes
 

ZEROPILOT

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I just rescued this RF from an old man who was not giving her a proper care. In winter he stored his tortoises of different species together in a storage box with a CH. In summer he puts them out in an old ditry green house to eat just one type of plants. She is about 30-40 years old and its difficult to reverse anything in her shell. I keep her in 75-80% humid, the temp every where in the enclosure is 29 degrees. Do they feel uncomfortable with dry shell? And is it ok to use vaseline instead of the coco oil?
No
Do not use Vaseline.
It's petroleum based.
In fact, there's no REAL reason to use anything at all.
At this point, it's a cosmetic issue only and doesn't affect his/her health. No "treatment" is required. In fact, I'd just leave it alone since it's not an issue and concentrate on other aspects.
29°Celsius is perfect.
Just start feeding a varied diet of fruit, leafy greens, edible flowers, mushrooms and animal protein.
Redfoot are capable of eating a vast variety of foods. Take advantage of that.
Keep a tray of water nearby for her to climb into. Most RF will self soak.
Also provide a lot of shade so that she can get out of the bright light/sun.
 
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Skip K

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We rescued a small ( 3 inches) Redfoot from horrible conditions at a pet shop. Same pronounced growth ridges and some pyramiding bordering on...what appeared to be... the early stages of MBD. Growth was stunted, I believe, as well. It’s taken quite a while to correct these issues...and growth has been slower than I’d like....but steady none the less. Other than her...shall we say...inauspicious start in life with the issues above...she is doing fine even though she will never be as pretty as a well started tort. Of course since so many of our torts are rescues or rehomes...and were started wrong with outdated husbandry...and will never be “show” torts...they are beautiful in their own way to us. Take the advice of the others about what steps to take.
 
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Cathie G

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I was referring to the new growth between the scutes, which looks dry and 'cooked.' Cold pressed coconut oil painted on the new growth will help lubricate it.
I like it too especially after a soak. It helps to hold in some of the moisture from the soak a little longer. So the moisture can be absorbed by the shell instead of immediately drying. I don't use it often but still it is good now and then.
 

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