Re: So, If my tort is severely pyramidded....

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Posted by A. C. Highfield on July 01, 2000 at 16:39:45:

In Reply to: So, If my tort is *severely* pyramidded.... posted by KATHY on July 01, 2000 at 01:53:54:

: She's a 2-1/2 year old female, who has been eating recommended foods and getting multivitamin & calcium supplements regularly for the last 6 months. She lives outside (with her clutchmate, who is also pyramidded), in weather that is similar to a sulcata's natural environment and spends most of the day grazing. The water amount she consumes, I'm sure, is much higher than it would be if she was in the wild (which is good or bad?) What do you suppose the pyramidding (most likely caused by eating mainly alfalfa, dog chow, with no supplementation for her first 2 years) toll on her is? How many years, or months, are deducted from her life expectancy? All I'm asking for is your *best guess* -- nothing you have to swear to; mainly I'm curious. Will continued healthy diet and environment, with annual physicals, add more to her life expectancy (excluding things beyond our control)? Sort of like a smoker, who after 20 years of a pack a day, quits and takes up a health regimen of exercise and improved diet.
: Has to make a difference, right?

Absolutely. Getting the diet right now immediately improves matters. No further damage will be caused, and the tortoise will gradually reduce accumulated toxin/urea/urate levels. I would maximise hydration with any tortoise with such a history - bladder stones and renal damage are probaby the major concern.
By changing the diet, you will hep considerably - no guarantees, but this tortoise can only benefit.

Andy Highfield

Tortoise Trust

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: : She's a 2-1/2 year old female, who has been eating recommended foods and getting multivitamin & calcium supplements regularly for the last 6 months. She lives outside (with her clutchmate, who is also pyramidded), in weather that is similar to a sulcata's natural environment and spends most of the day grazing. The water amount she consumes, I'm sure, is much higher than it would be if she was in the wild (which is good or bad?) What do you suppose the pyramidding (most likely caused by eating mainly alfalfa, dog chow, with no supplementation for her first 2 years) toll on her is? How many years, or months, are deducted from her life expectancy? All I'm asking for is your *best guess* -- nothing you have to swear to; mainly I'm curious. Will continued healthy diet and environment, with annual physicals, add more to her life expectancy (excluding things beyond our control)? Sort of like a smoker, who after 20 years of a pack a day, quits and takes up a health regimen of exercise and improved diet. : : Has to make a difference, right? : Absolutely. Getting the diet right now immediately improves matters. No further damage will be caused, and the tortoise will gradually reduce accumulated toxin/urea/urate levels. I would maximise hydration with any tortoise with such a history - bladder stones and renal damage are probaby the major concern. : By changing the diet, you will hep considerably - no guarantees, but this tortoise can only benefit. : Andy Highfield

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Re: So, If my tort is *severely* pyramidded....

Re: So, If my tort is severely pyramidded....