Question about leopards pyramiding

[TortoiseRN]

So I have a baby leopard on its way to me and I've been looking at pictures of leopard tortoises and it seems like every picture I come across they all have pyramiding why is that

 

[Greg T]

Do some searches on the forum and you'll find many, many discussions about it. It just seems to be a trait of most leopards to develop some pyramiding over time. If you can maintain the proper environment, you can prevent pyramiding, but that is quite difficult. Some of our members have put a lot of effort into this and will tell you much more about it. I've been lucky with mine and the pyramiding they had when I got them has diminished as they grew older.

Read some other posts about it and see what you think.

 

[wellington]

Read the threads below in my post. They are Toms and even the sulcata ones will pertain to leopards. If the breeder does not start them out right from hatching, they will start to pyramid. If you raise it like in the threads, you will be able to prevent or diminish the pyramiding.

 

[TortoiseRN]

I have read Tom's threads about Silcott as to the

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I have read Tom's threads about sulcatas is leopard husbandry basically the same.

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

I have read Tom's threads about Silcott as to the

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I have read Tom's threads about sulcatas is leopard husbandry basically the same.

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Yes, exactly the same.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

if you raise them with the high heat/humidity you can have smooth growth. most leopard tortoises you see have the pyramiding because this "humid routine" is still fairly new. Tom's (the author of the posts you were referred to) leopard experiment was done in 2010. The thread is titiled "The End of Pyramiding II"
I followed this method and here is my leopard as a brand new hatchling, and again at 9months old. No pyramiding.

Good luck

 

[Richard Gere's Ears]

Smooth! The squirt bottle is your friend

 

[Melly-n-shorty]

and once they start to pyramid it is hard to stop it. my first leopard started to pyramid and it has taken me a long time to get new smooth growth on him. I didnt bring him in and put him in his humid hide at night during the peak of last summer for about a week and a half and he got a new notch it seems like he is prone to a relapse. I hope it is because he is still young, other wise I will be dragging a 30lb adult into a humid hide each night...

 

[Mick.Ire]

Years ago advice for keeping leopards was different, it was advised to keep them in desert like conditions with a water bowl. This promoted pyramiding and for years it was seen as the norm with captive tortoises.
We have a female for 22 years and she has considerable pyramiding because of how we kept her in her early years. Yes it's our fault but we were going on the most up to date advice which was wrong. The thought was that any humidity would cause respiratory problems so it was to be avoided at all cost.
We have a juvenile leopard, 4 years old and despite our best efforts she is has some pyramiding. Unfortunately they are just prone to it. Doesn't have any effects on health, the only thing is if a female has severe pyramiding the male mightn't be able to cover her successfully.
Cheers Mick.

 

[Zamric]

here are pics of my 2 Leopard Yearlings... They have had High Heat/High Humidity and Vita-shell for all thier lives. I am starting to let the humidity drop progessivly lower over time so over the next year I will reduce their average Humidity from 80% to standard Dallas Humidity with a humid hide.... they cant live in a box forever!

 

[MasterOogway]

[ They have had High Heat/High Humidity and Vita-shell for all thier lives. I am starting to let the humidity drop progessivly lower over time so over the next year I will reduce their average Humidity from 80% to standard Dallas Humidity with a humid hide.... they cant live in a box forever!

When warm weather arrives I want to let Master Oogway out for weeds & natural sunshine. This has been my concern. How do you monitor the humidity when they are outdoors?

 

[Tortus]

^^That's a good question for those who've been using the humid method for a while.

Do you let them outside at all, or keep them in their enclosures for a couple years? I haven't had a chance to let mine outside yet since it's cold and it's still on the small side.

 

[Zamric]

Mine go outside when it's nice but only for a few hours at a time. I do how ever have an abundance of UV bulbs in their enclosure for when they have extended stays inside (like now...)

 

[wellington]

I used Toms advice on leopard care to help stop the pyramiding that had started on my leo. i actually found it to be easy. However, I don't feel a humid hide only works as well. A humid enclosure is the way to go I personally think. As for outside. Last summer I would spray my Leo's outdoor enclosure before I put him in it. Helps some for the humidity.

 

[Tortus]

I was planning on building an large outdoor table this spring with grasses and weeds growing inside, covered by chicken wire. Just wasn't sure how long to leave it out since the humidity is usually much lower than 70-90% unless it's raining. I got the impression from a couple people that they only put theirs in humid enclosures at night, and leave them out during the day.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

When warm weather arrives I want to let Master Oogway out for weeds & natural sunshine. This has been my concern. How do you monitor the humidity when they are outdoors?

My little one spends alot of time outdoors...when the weather is nice. In summer and spring this means every day. Right now its maybe 3x a week.

I hose down the entire pen (which is very heavily planted) and just put him in it. Sometimes he is out for 2 hours, sometimes 6.
I never worry about what our local humidity is.

On the super hot summer days the pen gets hosed down maybe 3x while he is in it.

You can see mine is still smooth even with spending alot of time outside.

Keep in mind he always returns to a humid enclosure.
And i think the over abundance of weeds kept the ground (his level) more moist than had it just been plain dirt or grass.