Weird ‘Inverse Pyramiding’ Shell growth?

turtletrucker

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Wanted to get peoples’ opinion on the shell growth of my ~7 month old Cherryhead, Ahsoka.

It’s been a long time since I have cared for a hatchling, and this is my first Redfoot, so I went hardcore making sure her enclosure and diet were perfectly adapted to her unique needs. I have raised a Sulcata and an Indian Star in the past and a Redfoots needs are very different.

She’s now been with us almost 6 months and is active, healthy, and growing every day but I’ve begun to be a bit concerned about how her shell is developing. It’s almost like inverse pyramiding where the edges areas growing up but the scute is staying lower making a shallow sort of divot.

As I said this is my first Redfoot and it’s been 12+ years since my last hatchling so maybe this is normal and I’m just being over cautious but wanted to get opinions.

Some details:
Substrate is sphagum moss and cypress mulch.
Heating provided by heat pads (24 hours) and lamp (8 hours)
UVB 10 bulb on 12 hours a day.
Humidity up around 80+% with a warm wet hide and drier cooler areas
Fake plants to block most direct light but some open basking areas
Soaked every day before feeding and access to fresh clean water in enclosure

Fed a variety of greens, veggies, fruit, and protein based on the diet plan provided by Vicki at tortoiseyard.com.
Mazuri also provided a few times a week at suggestion of vet.
Calcium powder dusted on all food and cuttle bone available in enclosure.

I’ve also tried to get her outside for real sunshine a few times a week as weather has allowed.

I think that’s everything that might be useful, lol. Let me know what you think! I can try to get more pictures too if needed. Thanks!

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Toddrickfl1

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I also have heard somewhere that torts can grow like this from the use of a Mercury vapor bulb
 

turtletrucker

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These are the bulbs and setup I am using. I do not believe that either is a Mercury Vapor Bulb.

With that said what about those bulbs would cause something like this and if you have seen something like this before what exactly is the physiological condition being caused?


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turtletrucker

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Hmmm... changed up my keywords in searching and it actually seems like this is known as Reverse Pyramiding and is fairly common in forest tortoises when humidity is not high enough. In desert species lack of humidity causes pyramiding but apparently forest species react differently. I'll crank up her fogger, try to cover most of the top, and see if that helps. It stays pretty wet in there and she has constant access to water PLUS being soaked in warm water every morning so that seems odd to me but we will give it a shot!
 

Toddrickfl1

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These are the bulbs and setup I am using. I do not believe that either is a Mercury Vapor Bulb.

With that said what about those bulbs would cause something like this and if you have seen something like this before what exactly is the physiological condition being caused?


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No neither of those bulbs are Mercury vapor bulbs. Those compact florescent bulbs have been known to cause eye issues though but if you've been using it and haven't had a problem I wouldn't worry.
 

turtletrucker

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I would ditch the heat pad and provide overhead heat with a CHE

Eh, the heatpad does a great job of keeping her humid hide warm and moist, I see no reason to remove it. I could see replacing the heat lamp with a CHE at some point though. That was my original plan but my old UVB tube fixture was broken so I ended up getting this combo fixture since the enclosure is so small and it wont support a CHE.
 

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