Pyramiding

Nanalingle

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Is my Sulcata starting to Pyramid? Please see attached pictures for reference. He is 4 months old.
 

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Maggie3fan

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Yes he is...read this you can stop the pyramiding now...,

 

Nanalingle

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Yes he is...read this you can stop the pyramiding now...,

I have read Tom's care sheet and followed the best I could. I must be doing something wrong.
 

Markw84

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I have read Tom's care sheet and followed the best I could. I must be doing something wrong.
That is not pyramiding starting. That is well established pyramiding that has happened over the past several months. Harder to correct once this far along, but can certainly mitigate newer growth going forward.

IF you post pictures of your enclosure and the type of lights and heat used, we can help.
 

Nanalingle

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That is not pyramiding starting. That is well established pyramiding that has happened over the past several months. Harder to correct once this far along, but can certainly mitigate newer growth going forward.

IF you post pictures of your enclosure and the type of lights and heat used, we can help.
I just changed his enclosure a few weeks ago. Also went from a
That is not pyramiding starting. That is well established pyramiding that has happened over the past several months. Harder to correct once this far along, but can certainly mitigate newer growth going forward.

IF you post pictures of your enclosure and the type of lights and heat used, we can help.
 

Nanalingle

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I just changed his enclosure a few weeks ago. Also went from a 75w Repti Basking bulb to 65w LED bulb for light/UV. Had a 100w Ceramic Heat bulb to a 65w incandescent flood bulb. Both are now on a 12 hour timer. Enclosure is not fully enclosed and is 6ft x 3ft with a humid hide at one end and basking rock at the other. I am able to maintain an ambient temperature of 80 with 100 basking during the day. Humidity at night is 70 to 80, but daytime is only 60 to 70. I mist entire enclosure several times a day. A few pictures attached.
 

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Markw84

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You will never be able to raise a smooth (unpyramided) young sulcata in an open enclosure unless the room in which the enclosure is kept is also kept at 90%+ humidity. NO matter what you do with misting, and lighting it will not work. I've tried it all! You need a closed system to maintain monsoon-type conditions. Otherwise any humidity you create over ambient room humidity will constantly simply escape out of the enclosure.

I would also strongly recommend getting some plants in there. My belief is that tortoises need plant cover. You can use potted plants that drape over the edges to give cover which is my best choice. You can also put rose of sharon, or hibiscus, or mulberry clipping in to create a pile of clipping to hide beneath. This not only provides a very humid micro-climate within your enclosure, but also a natural hide that dramatically reduces stress with the tortoise. A tortoise in a barren enclosure like pictured, is in constant low-grade stress. Will grow slower, and be more likely to pyramid. In the wild, young tortoises are always hidden beneath plant or leaf litter cover.
 

Nanalingle

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You will never be able to raise a smooth (unpyramided) young sulcata in an open enclosure unless the room in which the enclosure is kept is also kept at 90%+ humidity. NO matter what you do with misting, and lighting it will not work. I've tried it all! You need a closed system to maintain monsoon-type conditions. Otherwise any humidity you create over ambient room humidity will constantly simply escape out of the enclosure.

I would also strongly recommend getting some plants in there. My belief is that tortoises need plant cover. You can use potted plants that drape over the edges to give cover which is my best choice. You can also put rose of sharon, or hibiscus, or mulberry clipping in to create a pile of clipping to hide beneath. This not only provides a very humid micro-climate within your enclosure, but also a natural hide that dramatically reduces stress with the tortoise. A tortoise in a barren enclosure like pictured, is in constant low-grade stress. Will grow slower, and be more likely to pyramid. In the wild, young tortoises are always hidden beneath plant or leaf litter cover.
Thank you Mark. I have been looking for some suitable plants, unfortunately Lowes or Home Depot do not have many. I have added some rocks that I mist as well and working on a top for the enclosure.
 

Maggie3fan

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Thank you Mark. I have been looking for some suitable plants, unfortunately Lowes or Home Depot do not have many. I have added some rocks that I mist as well and working on a top for the enclosure.
None at Lowe's or HD??? They have nothing but plants...are you maybe being too particular? Take some clippings of your friend's house plants...Pothos...Spider plants... Aloe Vera to name three... Wandering Jew...
 

Nanalingle

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You will never be able to raise a smooth (unpyramided) young sulcata in an open enclosure unless the room in which the enclosure is kept is also kept at 90%+ humidity. NO matter what you do with misting, and lighting it will not work. I've tried it all! You need a closed system to maintain monsoon-type conditions. Otherwise any humidity you create over ambient room humidity will constantly simply escape out of the enclosure.

I would also strongly recommend getting some plants in there. My belief is that tortoises need plant cover. You can use potted plants that drape over the edges to give cover which is my best choice. You can also put rose of sharon, or hibiscus, or mulberry clipping in to create a pile of clipping to hide beneath. This not only provides a very humid micro-climate within your enclosure, but also a natural hide that dramatically reduces stress with the tortoise. A tortoise in a barren enclosure like pictured, is in constant low-grade stress. Will grow slower, and be more likely to pyramid. In the wild, young tortoises are always hidden beneath plant or leaf litter cover.
Thank you Mark. I have been looking for some suitable plants, unfortunately Lowes or Home Depot do not have many. I have added some rocks that I mist as well and working on a top for the enclosure
None at Lowe's or HD??? They have nothing but plants...are you maybe being too particular? Take some clippings of your friend's house plants...Pothos...Spider plants... Aloe Vera to name three... Wandering Jew...
I don't really know much about plants. I was looking for the names listed on Tom's care sheet. They could have other names that im not familiar with. Going to my local nursery this weekend. Thank you everyone for the advise.
 

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