My Hermann's is a year-old and has a normal well-formed upper shell (as compared to pictures I see of the same species). But does pyramiding also occur on the lower shell? I thought -- and I'm new to this -- that a tortoise's bottom shell was mostly flat with a small body-length ridge or even a groove down the center. (I don't see many pictures of the bottom of tortoises.) My Hermann's bottom shell bulges outward slightly and the center ridge is quite prominent with distinct black lines. All these features are very symmetrical and smooth with no breaks or cracks. But this ridge is such that he almost rests on it when he is not in an elevated position like when walking. Is this normal, like the sort of gangly growth spurts that a teenager experiences, or is this a type of pyramiding? Thanks!
