Pyramiding Question

[TonkaLuv]

Hello everyone,

I have a question about my baby red foot. He/she is about 3 months old. When I got him a little over two weeks ago, I noticed that his carapace scutes were very very very slightly raised. It is mostly restricted to the middle, "top" scutes of his shell, but a few of the side scutes are slightly raise as well. Could this be a sign of early pyramiding, or could this just be his shell? I don't think it has gotten any worse or higher since I've had him, but I am pretty concerned about it. I'm fairly certain he was being over-fed at the pet store (large bowl of greens/veggies left available all day), so I want to be very sure I am not over feeding him....but I also definitely don't want to underfeed him! lol. A little neurotic here. So, anyway, how do I know if I am over/under feeding "Tonka"? He will certainly eat like a little pig, and eats whatever I put in front of him (and usually all of it!) Is there a basic easy measurement I can use to know how much to feed him? Right now I am feeding him about enough to cover his carapace (give or take a little) each day. I am also trying to make sure his temp/humidity stay good. His humidity stays between 65-90%, and his temp in his warm end stays between 88-92F. I will be getting a probe today to measure the temp in his cool end.

I love love LOVE this little guy so much, and I want to make sure I am doing everything he needs!

Thanks so much!!

--Rachael

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Rachael:

Food might have a bit to do with it, but mostly its caused by being kept too dry during the growing years. So just make sure you have the habitat like its supposed to be according to the redfoot care sheets, and the shell will start to grow more smoothly.

 

[bobbymoore]

i had that with my leo when i first got him. i got him from a local pet store but after a few months all the scutes went back to normal because at the pet store they dont take good care of them at all so just alot of soaking food well not too much but enough and right temps and he should be fine

 

[tyler0912]

lucky your petshop was overfeedind when i bought tiago he was with another male in a lil viv a dried piece of lettuce dry enclosure and they told me his eyes was supposed to water so i shocked him and said no theyre not its because theyre dried...should of saw his face.... XD [this dint help, thought id' just share that]

 

[TonkaLuv]

Thanks everyone for the great advice!! I feel better. So, I
Will work on keeping his humidity up and doing some extra
soaking.

 

[TonkaLuv]

lucky your petshop was overfeedind when i bought tiago he was with another male in a lil viv a dried piece of lettuce dry enclosure and they told me his eyes was supposed to water so i shocked him and said no theyre not its because theyre dried...should of saw his face.... XD [this dint help, thought id' just share that]

Yikes!! I'm glad u rescued him! He's such a cutie. It's amazing how poorly pet shops
really do take care of their tortoises. After learning more about what a healthy
tort should actually look like, I don't think I've seen a single juvenile or adult w/o some significant pyramiding. So sad You'd think they'd do a better job. Most other
reptiles in stores (usually) look pretty good, but not the tortoises. But, I love my
little Tonka regardless of where he came from.

 

[tyler0912]

Yikes!! I'm glad u rescued him! He's such a cutie. It's amazing how poorly pet shops
really do take care of their tortoises. After learning more about what a healthy
tort should actually look like, I don't think I've seen a single juvenile or adult w/o some significant pyramiding. So sad Sad You'd think they'd do a better job. Most other
reptiles in stores (usually) look pretty good, but not the tortoises. But, I love my
little Tonka regardless of where he came from.

Totally agree with you Tiago is mine know matter where he came from.....i agree lizards....frogs...snakes always seem well cared for and petshop owners have a good idea how to care for them but tortoises they charge high prices for and go for the sterotypical...hmmhh 'torts eat lettuce' it really bugs me!
and thankyou about the cutie things i have not seen tonka i will search some of your threads for pics...! much appreciated..! we have a reptile shop near us it is really big........and animals are well cared for...EXCEPT TORTOISES 6-7 Russian torts where been in kept in an approximately 40cmx20cm its tiny [they was babies but still too small] no waterbowl ...I HOPE THEY GET SOAKED...and they feed the tortoises on substrate [no bowl etc...] all the lizards...snakes etc have hide rocks trees,plants,vines but not tortoises...there cage was empty with a sand substrate..........I meen they had everything in the shop to care for a tortoise [i go there for my supplies] but i bought my tort somewhere else because them torts i dont think are healthy at least tiagos cage had rocks, plants ,waterbowl etc...but still on a REPTISAND substrate! D: its' Awful!!

 

[TonkaLuv]

Yikes!! I'm glad u rescued him! He's such a cutie. It's amazing how poorly pet shops
really do take care of their tortoises. After learning more about what a healthy
tort should actually look like, I don't think I've seen a single juvenile or adult w/o some significant pyramiding. So sad Sad You'd think they'd do a better job. Most other
reptiles in stores (usually) look pretty good, but not the tortoises. But, I love my
little Tonka regardless of where he came from.

Totally agree with you Tiago is mine know matter where he came from.....i agree lizards....frogs...snakes always seem well cared for and petshop owners have a good idea how to care for them but tortoises they charge high prices for and go for the sterotypical...hmmhh 'torts eat lettuce' it really bugs me!
and thankyou about the cutie things i have not seen tonka i will search some of your threads for pics...! much appreciated..! we have a reptile shop near us it is really big........and animals are well cared for...EXCEPT TORTOISES 6-7 Russian torts where been in kept in an approximately 40cmx20cm its tiny [they was babies but still too small] no waterbowl ...I HOPE THEY GET SOAKED...and they feed the tortoises on substrate [no bowl etc...] all the lizards...snakes etc have hide rocks trees,plants,vines but not tortoises...there cage was empty with a sand substrate..........I meen they had everything in the shop to care for a tortoise [i go there for my supplies] but i bought my tort somewhere else because them torts i dont think are healthy at least tiagos cage had rocks, plants ,waterbowl etc...but still on a REPTISAND substrate! D: its' Awful!!


As far as pics go, I have some in the tortoise enclosure forum.
Maybe per shop owners and employees will eventually educate
Themselves......maybe they'll read the tortoise care books
They sell. Lol.