Pyramiding?

[ssydney]

My Redfoots shell is starting to pyramid more than I think is okay... How can I stop this? Does it stay forever?

 

[blafiriravt]

THere are a bunch of factors that could trigger pyramiding. Humidity, hydration, nutrition, lighting and stress are big ones. Do you have pictures? Of both the tort and the enclosure?

 

[Nixxy]

Pyramiding does stay forever. It's not "correctable", but you can stop it from progressing.

It is, in most cases strictly cosmetic. However, it can be a telling sign that you need to adjust one of the following mentioned by Blafiria.

 

[ssydney]

She is only on the floor for better pictures.

View attachment 24891

 

[wellington]

Your pics did not show up. Redfoots need a higher humidity. Make sure that is where it is suppose to be. If you are feeding properly and a variety, I would guess it is humidity. Unless of course that is where it is suppose to be. Then it may have to do with the start it got before she came to you. Get everything correct it her husbandry and she will start to grow smooth.

 

[ssydney]

This is her habitat.

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Your pics did not show up. Redfoots need a higher humidity. Make sure that is where it is suppose to be. If you are feeding properly and a variety, I would guess it is humidity. Unless of course that is where it is suppose to be. Then it may have to do with the start it got before she came to you. Get everything correct it her husbandry and she will start to grow smooth.

Do the pictures show up now?

 

[mightymizz]

Does your tortoise have a cooler area to go to?

How do you maintain a higher level of humidity with that setup?

It just looks very hot and dry to me. Does he have a hide?

Redfoots for the most part live on the edges of rainforests. They are NOT a desert tortoise. Just some thoughts to keep in mind.

 

[tyguy35]

She doesnt look to to bad. Higher humidity will help with the shell growth

 

[ssydney]

Does your tortoise have a cooler area to go to?

Yes she has a log that I put in when she isn't in her water. She loves her water so much though that she Only uses her log at night and will move everything if the water isn't there.

How do you maintain a higher level of humidity with that setup?

I used to have the zoo med humidifier but it broke. Now I just use a handheld spray bottle and spray it every hour. Any humidifier recommendations?

It just looks very hot and dry to me. Does he have a hide?

I had just sprayed the chips about 10 minutes before, and I'm on my iPad taking pictures so they aren't great. She has a log but she only uses it to climb on top of it.

Redfoots for the most part live on the edges of rainforests. They are NOT a desert tortoise. Just some thoughts to keep in mind.

I answered all the questions in the quote and it just shows up in blue. Please read them.^

I tried using the coconut substrate, the one that looked like dark soil, and it was super messy. It would get all over her face and since she loves her water it always sticking to her and getting inside her bowl. Any substrate recommendations? Thanks.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Sidney:

I'm sorry to say that your habitat is way too small for the tortoise of that size. It is also way too open. Have you seen some of TerryO's habitat pictures? They are heavily planted to provide many hiding places and lots of humidity.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Pio-s-new-vivarium#axzz21pgtlTsy

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

She doesnt look to to bad. Higher humidity will help with the shell growth

I agree. My little Moby was worse, and I'm confident he'll turn out fine.

Check out the thread in my signature to see how my baby RFs are set-up.

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I tried using the coconut substrate, the one that looked like dark soil, and it was super messy. It would get all over her face and since she loves her water it always sticking to her and getting inside her bowl. Any substrate recommendations? Thanks.

Tortoises are going to get messy. Get used to it. Any substrate you use will be tracked into the water bowl.

I personally used a mixture of cypress mulch and the coconut coir. Still retains humidity well and they can burrow in it okay, but it reduces the chances of it sticking to them. Not really a big concern of mine either way, but it is something I noticed in comparison when I was using straight coco coir.

 

[ssydney]

Hi Sidney:

I'm sorry to say that your habitat is way too small for the tortoise of that size. It is also way too open. Have you seen some of TerryO's habitat pictures? They are heavily planted to provide many hiding places and lots of humidity.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Pio-s-new-vivarium#axzz21pgtlTsy

Hi, this habitat is only temporary for a little bit because I just moved into a rental home until my new house is built. Dewey has a bigger habitat outdoors and I bring her outside to play in it. In the new house I will build an outdoors enclosure. But for now she is only in this for a little bit until I find a better enclosure, and finish settling in.

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I agree. My little Moby was worse, and I'm confident he'll turn out fine.

Check out the thread in my signature to see how my baby RFs are set-up.

---

Tortoises are going to get messy. Get used to it. Any substrate you use will be tracked into the water bowl.

I personally used a mixture of cypress mulch and the coconut coir. Still retains humidity well and they can burrow in it okay, but it reduces the chances of it sticking to them. Not really a big concern of mine either way, but it is something I noticed in comparison when I was using straight coco coir.

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Alright thank you I will try that. Do you just pick yours up at the gardening store? And if so, how much does it cost there?

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Yeah, I got my cypress mulch from Lowe's or Home Depots, although many keepers claim it is harder to procure in the west where you're at. Just make sure it is organic, not dyed or colored. Usually runs $2.30 (plus tax) for a bag. http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-G...splay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051

The coconut coir I got from Amazon. This is about one of the cheaper routes to get it (best bang for the buck): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003DQPS5U/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[mightymizz]

I am a big fan of the Mosser Lee Sphagnum Moss for substrates. It allows them to burrow, supposedly doesn't cause impaction, and is great for spraying down and releasing moisture to help for humidity, and also inhibits mold and fungus growth, and it is completely bug free from my experience.

I just usually have to sift through the block of moss to take out the long little sticks and such that is sometimes seen in the block of moss.

 

[Madkins007]

https://sites.google.com/site/tortoiselibrary/the-work-shop/substrates-1