Are flowers "fattening"?!

[Stellanne]

Originally Posted by Ozric Jonathan

My opinion is that a lot of lumpy tortoises are in really good health but their environment including humidity and diet has not been ideal for that individual.

I'm choosing my words carefully there. Especially the bit about 'that individual'. My tortoises get provided with more or less the same regime and environment but are very variable in their smoothness. Why is this? I think it's just individual differences including genetic ones. Some are more active and use up more energy charging around - boys mainly. Others might put themselves into different microclimates even in the same enclosure, leading to different humidity around them - especially at night.

But it shouldn't be difficult to restrict feeding if that's what you decide is necessary. Just provide less food less often, use very low protein foods and even feed stuff that Daisy isn't very keen on. Won't eat Pre Alpin? Offer nothing else. Believe me she will start to eat it after a while. And the chances of starving herself to the point of any harm taking place are zero unless she has some underlying health problem.

I agree Jonathan, I have rehomed tortoises kept in the same conditions but with very different shell growth. No have often wondered how that can be especially when they have been outside all the time. The owner of two I am thinking about described one as 'greedy' the other as 'lazy'....... Whatever that means x x x hugs x x x

[CherryBrandy]

[QUOTE=vikki;659738]Thank you - she looks great. Here is a picture of Daisy - it doesn't show so much on the photos but she is quite "bobbly"! My main concern isn't cosmetic but the underlying problems that can occur


Vikki, honestly I can't see anything wrong with little Daisy, yes a little bobble, no different to Elenor and yes certainly some torts are smooth as chocolate when they are 80 odd, but I have others that aren't and it is definitely not to do with husbandry but the tortoise (I know it can be sometimes but there are usually indicators).
Like humans things go wrong even on 3 square meals, 5 veg and proper hydration. Daisy is lovely ! CB

[vikki]

Thanks - being fairly new to it all makes it all a bit scary sometimes when you want to make sure you are doing the best thing fot them:~)

[sandy]

Originally Posted by vikki

Thanks - being fairly new to it all makes it all a bit scary sometimes when you want to make sure you are doing the best thing fot them:~)

Vikki when asking advice, please don't take offence from replies you think are having a go. Unless honest advice is given you will always get things wrong. To many say things are ok, not to sound harsh.
When you can see white lines around any of the scutes or rainbow type glistening over the scutes when wet, these are both signs of rapid growth.
And your tortoise does have signs of rapid growth. But so far it's not too bad.
I know this because like you, I was inexperienced with hatchlings, and didn't know how much to feed etc. And I had nobody to tell me differently, as this was 25ys ago. I wish I had known then what I know now, and my first ever hatching which I still have, would not have raised scutes. Getting things right is not easy, but can be done.

[Suze65]

Originally Posted by Ozric Jonathan

My opinion is that a lot of lumpy tortoises are in really good health but their environment including humidity and diet has not been ideal for that individual.

I'm choosing my words carefully there. Especially the bit about 'that individual'. My tortoises get provided with more or less the same regime and environment but are very variable in their smoothness. Why is this? I think it's just individual differences including genetic ones. Some are more active and use up more energy charging around - boys mainly. Others might put themselves into different microclimates even in the same enclosure, leading to different humidity around them - especially at night.

But it shouldn't be difficult to restrict feeding if that's what you decide is necessary. Just provide less food less often, use very low protein foods and even feed stuff that Daisy isn't very keen on. Won't eat Pre Alpin? Offer nothing else. Believe me she will start to eat it after a while. And the chances of starving herself to the point of any harm taking place are zero unless she has some underlying health problem.

I agree with Jonathan too. I think her pyramiding is minimal, and she still has a lot of growing to do, and in time given the right conditions for growth, there is a good chance it will become less noticeable. By the right conditions , I mean, humidity, hydration, suppliments, diet, temps.

[vikki]

Thanks both - don't worry Sandy I don't take offence - it is just very difficult when there is sooo much conflicting advice out there to know what to do for the best sometimes
This is where forums like this are great as you can get lots of advice from experienced keepers which although may not always agree it gives a really good basis to help make decisions - so thanks all once again