Strange growth

[Burek]

Hi guys. I was waiting to the last min to ask for help...hoping I can fix it.

Days, months, years has passed by. I was hoping the new growth would change direction, but it didn't. I dont get it. I guess I'm doing something wrong. I give him calcium supplement min 3 times a week. I spray him and his enclosure every day. He drinks water, lets say min 5 times a week.
I home grow everything - mixsalad, dandelion, weeds, etc.. I have a yard and a green thumb

He is 4/5 months outside and then the rest indoors. His got a UVB basking light and a UVA neon light.
The basking light is on for 9h and the UVA for 5h.

Any idea?..

He is very strong, full of energy, he is growing on a regular rate..just the growth..well.. its strange

 

[Jodie]

I am curious to see what others will say. I do not have any experience with this. I would guess he was born with irregular schutes? Maybe MBD, but it doesn't look like the pyramiding is too bad. Someone with experience and actual knowledge, not just guesses will be a long soon.

 

[Burek]

Here is a picture when I got him...a few years back.
It is true that the first few months he had a bad case of pneumonia, the vet gave him a few shots..then he got better and he slowly started to grow.

A side effect maybe??

 

[G-stars]

Has he ever been injured? How are you raising him as far as temps and humidity are concerned? I am also curious to see why he's so irregular.


— Gus

 

[bouaboua]

I like to learn why too.

 

[Yvonne G]

It might be too late to try this 'fix' now, but sometimes, when you first notice that scutes are sticking together at the growth line, it helps to massage the growth line between those stuck scutes with a Q-tip dipped in some kind of oil/lubricant. I have had good luck massaging the area with olive oil. Just massage it for a few minutes, then wipe off the excess oil. No need to oil the whole carapace...just the stuck line between the scutes.

 

[Burek]

G-stars - Nop, he was never injured.
The day temp. range from 27C and up. The basking spot under the lamp is pretty hot, lets say 34C.
The night temp. doesn't drop under 20C.
If you ask me the humidity could be better, but still, I do spray him every night and when i feed him, and he drinks a lot of water..so..hmm

Yvonne G - Thanks for the info, didnt know that

 

[Burek]

I am worried all so, because I just got a baby mariginated, he is just 2 months old. I dont want to do the same mistakes to him :/

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't know why this happened to your leopard, but I really don't think it had anything to do with how you cared for him. Just be sure your new baby is far enough from the light/heat source and doesn't get burned, soak him daily, feed him right and read the care sheet we have at the top of the marginated section.

 

[Alaskamike]

Your care sounds very complete. Others know better than I do however. Nothing I see that would cause abnormality. As long as he is healthy I wouldn't worry.

Sometimes perfection is overrated.

 

[Jodie]

I agree with Mike. Despite the strangeness he is a good looking tort. You might try to raise your humidity just a bit. Low humidity is what causes pyramiding. Congrats on your very unique Leopard!

 

[mikeh]

In could just be genetic. My juvenile leopard is exhibiting somewhat similar crooked/tilted vertebrae scute in a same exact spot as the mother.

 

[Tom]

In 2010 I bought 36 South African leopard tortoise babies. 2 of the 36 had this same sort of growth, and I still have one of them. In my case the growth lines were not sticking together, but mine does have this same sort of odd asymmetry and scute rotation. All 36 babies, and the 36 from the next year got the same care and routine. I cannot explain with this happens, but I'm pretty sure it is nothing you did and I would not expect this to happen with your new Marginated.

 

[motero]

He looks great. Maybe, Just change his name to Pablo.

 

[JHoward]

Why is it on pine shavings? I see pyramiding which mean he needs a much more humid environment.