shell condition

GemJam · 20-03-2016, 12:54 PM

Hi guys,

I have a 3 year old Hermanns and have owned her for 2.5 years and bought her from a local breeder. She struggled to eat and grow in the first 6 months of having her, but since then she has grown in size and weight rapidly. I am now worrying about the condition of her shell, as it is raised on top. I do not want it to pyramid, I want her to grow nice and healthy.
She is currently in a 6x4' indoor enclosure with a combi bulb at 32 degress, plenty of cool places to hide too. She is on a soil substrate which I keep moist. I feed her a varied diet of weeds and the dreaded raddichio/lambs lettuce/romaine when needed to boost. I use limestone flour every day and have just started to use the Arcadia herbimix too.
Soon I will have her outdoor enclosure up and running, which will be her permanent home.
Hopefully the picture below will show you her shell.
Any advice on what to do to help improve her shell and/or condition of life would be appreciated.

CherryBrandy · 20-03-2016, 01:20 PM

Gemma , rather than do the link which exposes your account to the world ! potentially try just copying and pasting the IMG code and preview - so its just the photo. Little hermanns looks beautiful to me. What you may want to try is spraying the tortoise as well as the soil. warmish water if possible - there is a relationship between shell growth and too dry atmosphere in other words humidity. Elenor my little one is same, not too lumpy but a little and im trying to avoid same. whats her name? she is lovely CB

GemJam · 20-03-2016, 01:50 PM

I didn't realise it did that, thought it only linked it to the relevant picture. Updated now though

thank you.
I haven't tried spraying her, and will do that. My little one is called Hettie.

CherryBrandy · 20-03-2016, 02:41 PM

doh for me ! the clue is in the sign off! sorry. She is lovely. There are lots of line of thought and too fast a growth is one, but I wouldn't rule of the mico climate definitely. even the dry areas can be very humid in small areas where the tortoises go to get out of the sun. ANd in hibernation (natural) there is masses of moisture in the air. CB

Suze65 · 20-03-2016, 02:52 PM

Gem, I think your little tort looks just lovely, their is a minimal amount of raised scutes , but it's minimal. By the time she is fully grown, that will hardly be noticeable. Sounds like you are doing a very good job with all her needs. Do you give her Nutrobal twice a week ( vit D3 ) this is important, but keep doing what you are doing. Do you still soak her 2/3 times a week, this will help.

GemJam · 20-03-2016, 03:34 PM

Thanks Suze, I do my best and she seems content enough.
I do need to give her nutrobal more often, so will up it to twice a week. And I soak her twice a week, on my days off.

Jan W · 20-03-2016, 06:42 PM

Lovely picture.

emma_mcraf · 20-03-2016, 06:55 PM

Gem, she really doesn't look too bad to me. I agree completely with the advice given on bathing, humidity, spraying the substrate and nutrobal. She's got plenty of growing to do yet and I think with the right husbandry she'll look fine. It's encouraging that you're noticing though and asking for advice. Hettie is in good hands.

20-03-2016, 12:54 PM	#1
GemJam Member Incubating Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Leicestershire, UK Posts: 123	shell condition Hi guys, I have a 3 year old Hermanns and have owned her for 2.5 years and bought her from a local breeder. She struggled to eat and grow in the first 6 months of having her, but since then she has grown in size and weight rapidly. I am now worrying about the condition of her shell, as it is raised on top. I do not want it to pyramid, I want her to grow nice and healthy. She is currently in a 6x4' indoor enclosure with a combi bulb at 32 degress, plenty of cool places to hide too. She is on a soil substrate which I keep moist. I feed her a varied diet of weeds and the dreaded raddichio/lambs lettuce/romaine when needed to boost. I use limestone flour every day and have just started to use the Arcadia herbimix too. Soon I will have her outdoor enclosure up and running, which will be her permanent home. Hopefully the picture below will show you her shell. Any advice on what to do to help improve her shell and/or condition of life would be appreciated. __________________ Gemma 1 Hermanns Tortoise - Hettie Last edited by GemJam; 20-03-2016 at 01:49 PM.

20-03-2016, 01:20 PM	#2
CherryBrandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SE England Posts: 4,262	Gemma , rather than do the link which exposes your account to the world ! potentially try just copying and pasting the IMG code and preview - so its just the photo. Little hermanns looks beautiful to me. What you may want to try is spraying the tortoise as well as the soil. warmish water if possible - there is a relationship between shell growth and too dry atmosphere in other words humidity. Elenor my little one is same, not too lumpy but a little and im trying to avoid same. whats her name? she is lovely CB __________________ Horsfields, Spur Thighed, & Marginata

20-03-2016, 01:50 PM	#3
GemJam Member Incubating Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Leicestershire, UK Posts: 123	I didn't realise it did that, thought it only linked it to the relevant picture. Updated now though thank you. I haven't tried spraying her, and will do that. My little one is called Hettie. __________________ Gemma 1 Hermanns Tortoise - Hettie

20-03-2016, 02:41 PM	#4
CherryBrandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SE England Posts: 4,262	doh for me ! the clue is in the sign off! sorry. She is lovely. There are lots of line of thought and too fast a growth is one, but I wouldn't rule of the mico climate definitely. even the dry areas can be very humid in small areas where the tortoises go to get out of the sun. ANd in hibernation (natural) there is masses of moisture in the air. CB __________________ Horsfields, Spur Thighed, & Marginata

20-03-2016, 02:52 PM	#5
Suze65 Senior Member Adult Join Date: May 2012 Location: Wiltshire Posts: 6,769	Gem, I think your little tort looks just lovely, their is a minimal amount of raised scutes , but it's minimal. By the time she is fully grown, that will hardly be noticeable. Sounds like you are doing a very good job with all her needs. Do you give her Nutrobal twice a week ( vit D3 ) this is important, but keep doing what you are doing. Do you still soak her 2/3 times a week, this will help. __________________ Suze. 3 THB, Sammy, Jemima, & Phoebe 7 Marginated, Tabitha, Ptolome, Tatiana, Noah,Lottey, Lulu & Poppy 1 TGG (Emma) RIP Feb 2012

20-03-2016, 03:34 PM	#6
GemJam Member Incubating Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Leicestershire, UK Posts: 123	Thanks Suze, I do my best and she seems content enough. I do need to give her nutrobal more often, so will up it to twice a week. And I soak her twice a week, on my days off. __________________ Gemma 1 Hermanns Tortoise - Hettie

20-03-2016, 06:42 PM	#7
Jan W Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Hampshire Posts: 1,400	Lovely picture. __________________ Jan Horsfields - Bertie & Beatrice

20-03-2016, 06:55 PM	#8
emma_mcraf Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Devon Posts: 11,365	Gem, she really doesn't look too bad to me. I agree completely with the advice given on bathing, humidity, spraying the substrate and nutrobal. She's got plenty of growing to do yet and I think with the right husbandry she'll look fine. It's encouraging that you're noticing though and asking for advice. Hettie is in good hands. __________________ Emma Testudo Hermanni 5.12.2:Theo, Tamara, Tabitha, Harriet, Isabelle, Clara, Oscar, Hugo, Oliver, Florence, Arabella, Esmé, Aurelia, Felicia, Claudia, Atticus, Celestia, Amaris, Tristan and Clementine Budgies: Jasper, Ivo, Otis, Henry, Louie and Luca Doggies: 1.1.0 Chester and Lottie

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