Pryamiding?

[nfrost]

Got in at the beginning of November, growing number steady got him around 65 or so grams and when I weigh him this week he should break 100 on the scale! It's weird from far away it looks like he is pyramiding but up close I don't see it so are my eyes playing tricks on me?

 

[dmmj]

I can't see anything bad

 

[sibi]

I don't see pyramiding, but it's hard to tell in a picture. Regardless, all you can do is make sure his enclosure has about 80% humidity, correct temps of 80 degrees on the cold side, ambience of about 82 degrees, basking about 95 degrees. A CHE 100 watts for night heating, and UVB of 100 watts. If you get a higher wattage, make sure it has the proper distance to avoid burning the tort's carapace. Natural sunlight would be best, but winter months may not be warm enough to let the tort soak up natural sunlight. Also, you may have to provide calcium supplement. These are some of the things you can so to prevent pyramiding.

The best information to follow are Tom's threads on how to raise a sulcata w/o pyramiding. He provides lists of do's and don't. Let me know if you found his threads.

 

[Tom]

You do have some minor pyramiding starting.

 

[teresaf]

Yep, a little bit. Bump up the humidity a bunch but make sure his heat is no less than 80f everywhere in his enclosure day and night... We don't want a sick tortoise.

 

[nfrost]

I feed him store bought red leaf lettuce once in a while kale once in awhile I take flowers and leaves from plants around my house and feed him, he has grass growing in his enclosure he loves , and muzzari 2-3 times a week humidity is always 80 or more hot spot is 98 cold spot is 82-79 depends on how cold the night gets calcium once a week idk what I could be doing wrong substrate is Cyprus mulch mixed with peat moss

 

[Speedy-1]

I would try to raise the night and cold spot temps a bit . If you are using a CHE you might want to go with a higher wattage one ? You could also soak him daily , in warm water to rehydrate him !

 

[nfrost]

I soak him twice a day for 15-20 min a time I could try a higher che

 

[Speedy-1]

I soak him twice a day for 15-20 min a time I could try a higher che

I know I started out with a 60 watt , but it has been a colder than usual winter for us , and I went to 100 watt one which does a nice job. Keeps it at 84 better a little higher , than a little to low .

 

[nfrost]

Just wondering if his little bit of pyramiding has gotten better first time trying to feed him clovers tonight also ha as it's finally getting green outside! And of course the pictures make it look worse then seeing it in person I think!

 

[teresaf]

Very nice! I can see where the original pyramiding is and between the scutes i can see where the nice new smooth growth is coming in. very good job in Turning the pyramiding around... Even @Tom would be proud!