More beginner pyramid freak out

[Timothy Stewart]

Hi all,
Our sulcata, Duncan Donut, is our first. He is 7 months old and is 114 grams. After looking at some of the threads about pyramiding, I am afraid it has started already. He seems to be developing deep grooves between scutes. Any thoughts or insights? He has been raised exclusively outside in Thailand. Humidity rarely drops below 60% and temperatures are 85-100 in the day, 75-80 at night. We feed him mostly mullberry leaves, grass, clover, prickly pear, hibiscus leaves and flowers, and cuttle bones.

 

[Bogie=babyDINO]

Are you soaking him regularly?

 

[Careym13]

Welcome to TFO!! Your little one is starting to pyramid. Generally, it is not recommended to house hatchling tortoises outdoors full time. Now you obviously are in a much different climate than most of us, but since your tort is pyramiding I would say you need to find a way to keep him in a more humid, controlled environment. 75 degrees at night in even a moderately humid climate is putting your little one at risk for a respiratory infection as well. Temps should not go below 80 at anytime for a tortoise as young as yours. Check out these links for more info and ask all the questions you want

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[Tom]

Babies don't do well outside full time.

60% humidity is too low.

75 at night is just a little too low with humidity.

Its all explained in that care sheet.

 

[Timothy Stewart]

Thanks for the help! I will start gathering materials for a more controlled environment. As a first emergency measure, should I get the heat up at night?

 

[Careym13]

Thanks for the help! I will start gathering materials for a more controlled environment. As a first emergency measure, should I get the heat up at night?

Yes, that would be a good idea.

 

[Keith D.]

Closed chamber ftw

 

[Timothy Stewart]

Duncan update. I have had him in a closed chamber since October 20th.Do you think his growth is flattening out?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

What's there now with stay there. It will just look less as the new growth comes in correctly...He's cute

 

[mike taylor]

Yes ,I think you fixed the problem before it got out of hand . By the time this guy hits the 20 lbs mark you will not see it hardly .

 

[Momof4]

Keep up the good work!! Lots of warm soaks and humidity!
He is really cute!!

 

[teresaf]

Wow! That doesn't even look like the same tortoise! Good freaking job!

 

[Timothy Stewart]

Yes!!! Thanks, everyone. He now soaks voluntarily for 20-30 minutes in the morning--it's like his morning cup of coffee.

The next big question: How long should he be in a closed chamber?

 

[teresaf]

I dont have a sulcata. But i would say as long as you can? Lol. As long as he's growing like a weed especially. That's when the most damage occurs. Awesome pyramiding turnaround.