Pyramiding?

[Tom]

You've got pyramiding in progress there. How are you housing this tortoise? Can we see a pic?

What is ambient humidity and how are you measuring that? Stick-on dial type hygrometer, or digital?

 

[LilSammi42]

The humidity is usually somewhere between 65-85, i have a digital hydrometer, i keep temp on both sides of his 5ft long tank, usually between 75-85 on the cool side and 80-98 under the spotlight. i try to keep the substrate as moist as possible as well as moist moss on top of his hut to help with the humidity. i feed him mostly dandelion greens and romaine plus some grasses from my backyard and dry store bought food. I also supplement calcium about 1 time a week and soak him every other day. sorry for the poor picture quality.

 

[teresaf]

According to your thermometer your temperature is too low you don't want it to be below 27C in the deepest darkest corners of your tank. This is VERY important because high humidity and low temperature causes respiratory infections that will kill your tortoise.

the future sometime you might want to consider getting a thermometer/barometer with a probe on it so that you can put the probe inside the tank and leave the mechanism outside the tank. That way any humidity in the air cannot touch the mechanisms internal workings and mess up your reading.

The ramp water bowl is a big No-No here. it's a tipping hazard deathtrap. Clay Plant pot saucers make good water dishes and food dishes for that matter.

 

[Tom]

Good tips from Teresa. I agree.

The part I noticed was the "spot" light. Are you using a "spot" bulb? We need indoor heat for our tortoises and incandescent bulbs are still the best way I have found to offer a basking area, but these do dry out their carapaces horribly. Spot bulbs make this desiccating effect worse. Best to use flood bulbs which spread the heat and light out over a greater area.