What are the consequences of pyramiding?

[Korall]

I was just wondering about this because it seemed like everywhere i look only the causes of pyramiding seems to be explained.

I don´t think my tortoise has pyramiding, at least not very noticeable so i´m just wondering what the consequences of pyramiding are? I know pyramiding is often related to an improper diet and that in it self can do some damage, but what are the consequences of pyramiding in of itself?

Oh and i´l post a picture of my tortoise(Kind of bad quality and angle because i used it for something else) just in case my little tort actually has pyramiding.

 

[Korall]

Oh, and i was not entirely sure if i should have posted this in the health section because this is technically about health but its still more of a general question.

 

[wellington]

Tortoises pyramid mostly if not solely due to lack of humidity. Yes, your tortoise has pyramiding. With proper humidity you can stop it from getting worse. As for other consequences, from my understanding, that is still very debatable.

 

[Yvonne G]

Most pyramiding is strictly cosmetic. Sometimes tortoises are very misshapen due to wrong diet, no sun, etc. and this is usually accompanied with metabolic bone disease. But the mild type of pyramiding we usually see here, pyramiding that was caused due to the tortoise being raised too dry, is purely cosmetic and not harmful in the least to the animal.

 

[Markw84]

Your tortoise does have some pyramiding.

Pyramiding is not caused by dietary issues. It is caused by active growth in conditions that are too dry on the carapace. Now those dry conditions could also be causing the tortoise itself to be too dehydrated which can cause other issues, but the pyramiding itself is cosmetic. Most of us are concerned about watching pyramiding signs, as an indicator of whether we have the enclosure and it's conditions for the tortoise optimal. It's a bit hard to see for sure, but from what I see in your picture, you seem to have your tortoise doing quite well now, as the newer growth seems to be coming in smoother.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Most pyramiding is strictly cosmetic. Sometimes tortoises are very misshapen due to wrong diet, no sun, etc. and this is usually accompanied with metabolic bone disease. But the mild type of pyramiding we usually see here, pyramiding that was caused due to the tortoise being raised too dry, is purely cosmetic and not harmful in the least to the animal.

So what do you say about Knobby? I beieve he does have MBD. Sowhat do you think caused Knobby's pyramiding?. He is the same weight and length as my year old Pansy.
What happened to this tortoise that he could be so bad so young? He's afraid of water, won't graze, being outside is scary. And what am I going to do for him here in the land of no sun? I personally feel that whatever happened to Knobby is animal abuse, and I hope somehow his keeper is reading this. His life will never be normal, and I doubt that he will live 1 or 2 more years, then....boom...freakin dead.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

The skirt around the bottom is starting to come off......

This is Melon, turned in about a month ago. She's about 6 months old. She's kept in a closed chamber now.....or actually this is Bob, Melon is next.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Oh, and i was not entirely sure if i should have posted this in the health section because this is technically about health but its still more of a general question.

Most pyramiding is caused from a lack of humidity (85%) around 95 basking degrees. Sleeping temp should not get lower than 75 degees.
Sulcata eggs usually hatch during the monsoon season. They stay in the nest utilizing the humidity and rain. 1. So you need to start off at 85% humidity
2. In the wild Sulcata walk for miles taking a bite here and another there. So they need as much room as you can give them and they need a lot of exercise.
3. They need a diet of fibre, leafs blooms etc. 4. They need to be socialized, it makes it much easier for a Vet exam.
5. They need strong/fresh UVB light, or great sun......Just my opinion.....Melon is looking for a forever home BTW

 

[Gillian M]

Welcome to the forum.

Your tort's pyramiding is nothing serious, nothing to get worried about. But I would advise you to give him/her a daily soak in warm water and make sure that there's enough humidity in his/her enclosure, particularly if the climate is a dry one back there.

A cute tort, by the way. GOD bless.

 

[Korall]

Welcome to the forum.

Your tort's pyramiding is nothing serious, nothing to get worried about. But I would advise you to give him/her a daily soak in warm water and make sure that there's enough humidity in his/her enclosure, particularly if the climate is a dry one back there.

A cute tort, by the way. GOD bless.

Yeah, the current enclosure i have for some reason dosent really allow for high humidity, even if i literally soak everything it seems to go up to a maximum of 40-50%, thought i am getting a new enclosure as soon as i can.

Thanks for the reply btw

 

[Korall]

Your tortoise does have some pyramiding.

Pyramiding is not caused by dietary issues. It is caused by active growth in conditions that are too dry on the carapace. Now those dry conditions could also be causing the tortoise itself to be too dehydrated which can cause other issues, but the pyramiding itself is cosmetic. Most of us are concerned about watching pyramiding signs, as an indicator of whether we have the enclosure and it's conditions for the tortoise optimal. It's a bit hard to see for sure, but from what I see in your picture, you seem to have your tortoise doing quite well now, as the newer growth seems to be coming in smoother.

Yeah, i recently tried to increase the humidity, though the substrate isnt making it easy so im changing to soil soon both for the higher humidity and to be able to plant some plants in the enclosure.

Thanks for the reply

 

[Maggie Cummings]

@Korall, cover the top with aluminum foil. It will make humidity, (after you pour water over the soil and mix it up.)
Well I had some questions about Knobby and how bad his pyramiding is, but nobody here to answer me, so I'm turning him loose in the woods. He'll be better off dead.

 

[Tom]

Yeah, the current enclosure i have for some reason dosent really allow for high humidity, even if i literally soak everything it seems to go up to a maximum of 40-50%, thought i am getting a new enclosure as soon as i can.

Thanks for the reply btw

This is the problem with open topped enclosures and why so many of us recommend closed chambers of some sort instead.

Your substrate is ideal, its just too dry. Spraying the surface does very little, as you've already seen. You need to dump water into your substrate to moisten it. With an open top, it will evaporate quickly, so you'll need to dump more water in often and in fairly large amounts.

I would not recommend store bought soil in a bag because there is no way to know what it is made of. Could be fine, or it could be something toxic. They aren't selling it as substrate for an animal to live on, so it doesn't have to be safe for that. Soil also tends to turn into mud and be very messy in a dampened enclosure.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Man he took off. I'll bet he's never been socialized. I bet he is wild......ByeBye Knobby

 

[cmacusa3]

@Korall, cover the top with aluminum foil. It will make humidity, (after you pour water over the soil and mix it up.)
Well I had some questions about Knobby and how bad his pyramiding is, but nobody here to answer me, so I'm turning him loose in the woods. He'll be better off dead.

Now Maggie, I know you wouldn't do that.

 

[Gillian M]

Yeah, the current enclosure i have for some reason dosent really allow for high humidity, even if i literally soak everything it seems to go up to a maximum of 40-50%, thought i am getting a new enclosure as soon as i can.

Thanks for the reply btw

I for one live in Jordan (the Middle East) where the climate is a VERY DRY one. Therefore I give Oli a daily soak in warm water Winter and Summer alike, and I spray his enclosure with water daily.

In Summer it gets incredibly hot here (temp sometimes reaches 40-45 deg C). In such cases I give Oli a soak three times a day.

 

[Korall]

This is the problem with open topped enclosures and why so many of us recommend closed chambers of some sort instead.

Your substrate is ideal, its just too dry. Spraying the surface does very little, as you've already seen. You need to dump water into your substrate to moisten it. With an open top, it will evaporate quickly, so you'll need to dump more water in often and in fairly large amounts.

I would not recommend store bought soil in a bag because there is no way to know what it is made of. Could be fine, or it could be something toxic. They aren't selling it as substrate for an animal to live on, so it doesn't have to be safe for that. Soil also tends to turn into mud and be very messy in a dampened enclosure.

Yeah, though my enckosure is'nt open top, the only opening i have is for the lamps (Though that is a pretty big opening)

Im not planning to buy soil, im just going to use regular non fertilized soil from my garden (Its a completly private unused garden) and planting some cat grass on top of it to reduce the "muddyness"

And yeah, that was what i was talking about when i said i only reached about 40-50% humidity, i poured quite a lot of water into it.

But anyways, thanks for the reply!

 

[Korall]

I for one live in Jordan (the Middle East) where the climate is a VERY DRY one. Therefore I give Oli a daily soak in warm water Winter and Summer alike, and I spray his enclosure with water daily.

I live in sweden, its quite dry here during the winter and i give my tortoise daily soaks from now on (Though that picture is before i gave my tortoise daily soaks, but my tortoise havent really changed much since i took that picture yet)

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Korall]

Most pyramiding is caused from a lack of humidity (85%) around 95 basking degrees. Sleeping temp should not get lower than 75 degees.
Sulcata eggs usually hatch during the monsoon season. They stay in the nest utilizing the humidity and rain. 1. So you need to start off at 85% humidity
2. In the wild Sulcata walk for miles taking a bite here and another there. So they need as much room as you can give them and they need a lot of exercise.
3. They need a diet of fibre, leafs blooms etc. 4. They need to be socialized, it makes it much easier for a Vet exam.
5. They need strong/fresh UVB light, or great sun......Just my opinion.....Melon is looking for a forever home BTW

Thanks for the reply, though i dont have a sulcata, sorry i forgot to mention this but i have a bells hinge-back tortoise.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

@Korall, cover the top with aluminum foil. It will make humidity, (after you pour water over the soil and mix it up.)
Well I had some questions about Knobby and how bad his pyramiding is, but nobody here to answer me, so I'm turning him loose in the woods. He'll be better off dead.

Too late, done. I guess I don't get to ask.