Paranoid about shell growth

[Kylie Linnea]

Hi everyone, I've been through quite a few different threads about shell growth because I'm absolutely terrified of Flash Gordon pyramiding. I've only had him for about 2 months, but I want him to be the happiest lil tort he can be. I've been trying to soak him and get him moving around for the exercise more often as well as adding supplementary pellets to his regular greens.

I've attached a few pictures. Can anyone tell me if I'm just being a paranoid new tortoise mom or have cause to worry?

 

[wellington]

There is some very slight pyramiding. Do you have any humidity in his enclosure? Russians too benefit from humidity. Around 50% would be good.

 

[Kylie Linnea]

Its been fairly humid here (north east US) recently and I've tried to spray his enclosure with water every few days. Any tips to keep the humidity at good levels?

 

[wellington]

you only had him a short time. I'm assuming he came with the pyramiding that I am seeing. It's not bad. If you keep doing what your doing, it should not get worse.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Change his substrate to coconut coir or something like it. Keep it moist by pouring water in. The substrate needs to hold moisture. The humid air isn't enough.

What are you using for light?

 

[Kylie Linnea]

I plan to order some coco coir come next pay day. Just pouring water into it keeps it moist?

I've got a 50w basking bulb and a UVB bulb at one corner together about 10 inches from the substrate.

 

[wellington]

You do not want a wet substrate for an adult Russian. The pouring of water is for a high humdiity tort. Russians don't pyramid as easily as others. A modest spraying the substrate a couple times a day and making a warm humid hide will work. I have a Russian, live in fairly humid Chicago and only in winter do I add extra humidity. He has no pyramiding. I use dirt and leaf litter for a substrate.

 

[wellington]

Please read this. http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

Change his substrate to coconut coir or something like it. Keep it moist by pouring water in. The substrate needs to hold moisture. The humid air isn't enough.

What are you using for light?

Not all tortoises should have the high humidity by way of pouring water in and making it very wet.
Please read this http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Kylie:

You don't have to worry anymore about your Russian tortoise and pyramiding! Russian tortoises are not a species that pyramids easily. It takes some very bad care to cause irregular shell growth in a Russian tortoise.

Also, pyramiding starts during the first year of life. Your Russian tortoise is way past that age.

 

[Kylie Linnea]

That's what I've read, but I'm just a natural worrier. I was looking back at my pictures from when I first got him and they look the same so I probably just noticed it rather than it just recently occurring. But I'll up the humidity just to be on the safe side!

 

[Yvonne G]

No. You don't need to give your adult Russian tortoise any more humidity. A better idea would be to make him an outdoor yard to live in.

 

[Kylie Linnea]

Unfortunately, I don't have the resources to do that at this time but I do take him outside whenever I can and there is natural light hitting his enclosure during the daytime