Re: help. What is pyramiding regarding sulcattas?

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Posted by Terry on May 19, 2000 at 00:18:40:

In Reply to: help. What is pyramiding regarding sulcattas? posted by greg on May 18, 2000 at 23:03:43:

Hi Greg and welcome, go to this URL it explains what pyramiding is.

http://www.tortoisetrust.org/care/faq.html#pyramiding

My largest female sulcata came to us quite pyramided, she had been fed a diet too high in protein, Mazuri Chow :O(
Two years later and having been on a mostly grazing diet during this time. She has grown quite a bit, but the new growth is smooth and the pyramiding greatly reduced.
I have a smaller sulcata, badly pyramided from his diet before we got him also.
He too is showing great improvement, I suspect by the time he is fully grown the pyramiding will be barely noticable, as with the female.

Sulcatas are grazing herbivores, so being housed outdoors and allowed to graze on grasses and other edible plants and weeds is the best diet you can provide.
You can round out the diet with Hibiscus flowers, ( red is a favorite), mulberry leaves and opuntia ( prickly pear cactus) pads, spineless or remove the spikes before feeding these cactus pads look like beaver tails. There is a spineless variety.
I would grow the Opuntia and hibiscus out of the tortoises area, and feed them the hibiscus flowers daily the opuntia pads maybe twice a week.
If the sulcatas can reach the plants, they'll eat them in a day, or less!!
Fruits and veggies such as corn, brocoli, peas, beans , coliflower are not recommended for sulcatas.
Kathy is right the Tortoise Trust discussion list is great, many experts are subscribed as well as veterinarians and long term, experienced tort keepers.
Also at egroups there are two sulcata lists Sulcata Stuff and Sulcata, I recommend going to egroups.com and subscribing to one or both of them in addition to the Tortoise Trust list.
I am subscribed to all three lists, as well as a few others, and have my own list. ( But not for sulcatas).
The discussion lists at egroup are a great source of info, as you will be in contact with some very experienced people, from all over the US, and the world.
Here's a link to the Tortoise Trust web site.
Hope to hear from you at the various lists.
Terry.
ps. I have 4 sulcatas, 2 adults and two juveniles I live in Hawaii.

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Re: help. What is pyramiding regarding sulcattas? Terry 05/19/00 (0)

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: Hi Greg and welcome, go to this URL it explains what pyramiding is. : http://www.tortoisetrust.org/care/faq.html#pyramiding : My largest female sulcata came to us quite pyramided, she had been fed a diet too high in protein, Mazuri Chow :O( : Two years later and having been on a mostly grazing diet during this time. She has grown quite a bit, but the new growth is smooth and the pyramiding greatly reduced. : I have a smaller sulcata, badly pyramided from his diet before we got him also. : He too is showing great improvement, I suspect by the time he is fully grown the pyramiding will be barely noticable, as with the female. : Sulcatas are grazing herbivores, so being housed outdoors and allowed to graze on grasses and other edible plants and weeds is the best diet you can provide. : You can round out the diet with Hibiscus flowers, ( red is a favorite), mulberry leaves and opuntia ( prickly pear cactus) pads, spineless or remove the spikes before feeding these cactus pads look like beaver tails. There is a spineless variety. : I would grow the Opuntia and hibiscus out of the tortoises area, and feed them the hibiscus flowers daily the opuntia pads maybe twice a week. : If the sulcatas can reach the plants, they'll eat them in a day, or less!! : Fruits and veggies such as corn, brocoli, peas, beans , coliflower are not recommended for sulcatas. : Kathy is right the Tortoise Trust discussion list is great, many experts are subscribed as well as veterinarians and long term, experienced tort keepers. : Also at egroups there are two sulcata lists Sulcata Stuff and Sulcata, I recommend going to egroups.com and subscribing to one or both of them in addition to the Tortoise Trust list. : I am subscribed to all three lists, as well as a few others, and have my own list. ( But not for sulcatas). : The discussion lists at egroup are a great source of info, as you will be in contact with some very experienced people, from all over the US, and the world. : Here's a link to the Tortoise Trust web site. : Hope to hear from you at the various lists. : Terry. : ps. I have 4 sulcatas, 2 adults and two juveniles I live in Hawaii.

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