So I've had my Red Foot Tortellini for 2.5 years now and this forum has been our go to reference right from the start. Her shell was pyramided when she was given to me but I'm pleased to say her new growth these past couple of years has been coming in a lot smoother. The thing is, the new growth is also rather noticeably darker. It's most apparent when her shell is dry but the ambient humidity is 70% or higher. When the shell is wet it is uniformly black but water evaporates off of the old growth very quickly and when she's really dry the new growth fades to a grey color closer to the brown/grey of the pyramided areas. One glance at her shell and I know if her humidity levels are right or not, she's as consistent as the hydrometer! I'm curious if anyone else has noticed something similar. It's not a natural color variation like marbling, it's a distinct line between old and new growth.
I've seen a couple threads where people questioned if sunlight and UV darkens shells and wondered if that might have something to do with it too. Her previous owner did not have a UV bulb in the enclosure and she never went outside. She's always had a MVB with me and get's quite a bit of outdoor time in the summer. She's also been living in a closed chamber for the last year but the darker shell growth started well before that. Any thoughts?
I've seen a couple threads where people questioned if sunlight and UV darkens shells and wondered if that might have something to do with it too. Her previous owner did not have a UV bulb in the enclosure and she never went outside. She's always had a MVB with me and get's quite a bit of outdoor time in the summer. She's also been living in a closed chamber for the last year but the darker shell growth started well before that. Any thoughts?
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