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Re: Pyramidded Sulcata?/more


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Posted by Terry on June 14, 2000 at 12:30:24:

In Reply to: Re: Pyramidded Sulcata? posted by Terry on June 14, 2000 at 12:05:13:

Hi again.
Two of my four sulcatas came to us with pyramiding.
The first a 13" female had been housed in a small indoor enclosure her entire life and fed primarily a pelleted diet. Most of the prepared tortoise diets ( pellets) are very high in protein.
This tortoise had pyramiding, not as severe as the sulcata in the photos I linked in my last post. But never the less she was quite bumpy.

Almost three years later her shell has smoothed out to the point where the pyramiding is barely noticable.She is 19" now and weighs 45lbs.
She is housed outdoors, and is on a mostly grazing diet. Her grazing diet is supplemented with hibiscus flowers daily, mulberry leaves, hibiscus leaves, opuntia cactus once a week.
All of these foods I grow in my yard, away from the tortoise area. She does get some store bought greens, Endive, watercress, romaine and a small amount of collard greens. But these are not fed often 2-3 times a week in a small amount.
The base of her diet is grazing on grasses, clovers and other edible weeds.

One of my smaller sulcatas 5" came with rather more severe pyramiding. He had also been kept indoors on a high protein diet. He has been on a grazing diet since living with us, he is also housed outdoors, in the shed at night.

His diet is exactly the same as the larger sulcatas.
In just two years his pyramiding is greatly reduced, some of the scutes almost completely flat.
He measures 7" now and by the time he is around 12" I expect he will have smoothed out very nicely.

So from my experience with two pyramided sulcatas I have learned that a large enclosure, or entire yard gives the tortoises plenty of excersise.
Natural sunlight I'm sure also played a part. And of course a much improved more natural diet, have all contributed to the new smooth growth.

If your sulcata is not fully grown then by providing a more natural low protein, high fiber diet offering natural sunlight and a large enclosure could very well help it to smooth out as it grows.

If you can't house the tortoise outdoors year round, at least during the warmer summer months try to.
The sunlight, natural graze and exercise will help promote smooth growth.

Terry.

If you haven't already visit the web site below for lots of great sulcata info.



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