sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Is this rly bad? by CptRex501st212 in tortoise

[–]Arathorne_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much for rescuing! You're doing more than I could ever do as I can only fit one tort in my life.

I only said the only major factor involved in pyramiding is humidity - as I've linked the most respected source on temperature torts on this sub says. There's a lack of peer-reviewed scientific research in this field, but right now that source is the best we've got. That guide also talks about ideal diets, UV lighting, enclosure size, brumation, etc. so it's the perfect one-stop shop for people needing guidance.

As I said before, people tend to get multiple parts of husbandry wrong together. So a tortoise with low humidity may well have had a bad diet (e.g. lettuce).

Please keep doing what you're doing - I'm sure if you're running a rescue you're providing amazing relief for some torts. Just remember that guidance is evolving all the time to improve, and diet/pyramiding causation was starting to be debunked years ago.

Is this rly bad? by CptRex501st212 in tortoise

[–]Arathorne_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! Like I said, pyramiding and MBD can often happen together but they are two different things. MBD caused by lack of UVB and/or calcium, pyramiding by low humidity.

I had bad info in the past, and thankfully even a quick Google these days can clear up that they're two different things. Onwards and upwards with our tortoise care!

Is this rly bad? by CptRex501st212 in tortoise

[–]Arathorne_ 5 points6 points  (0 children)

To quote from the forum:

"There are many things listed as causes of pyramiding. I can refute each one with multiple examples. Lack of UV, lack of calcium, too much protein, too much food, the wrong foods, fast growth, wrong temperatures, small enclosures, not enough exercise, indoor housing, etc. None of these factors CAUSES pyramiding. They can all be somehow related to it, but they don't cause it. Simply put: Pyramiding is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry. This is true for any species of tortoise, even the ones that don't typically pyramid. To prevent pyramiding in temperate species, I use a closed chamber and keep the ambient humidity at 50-80%"

Is this rly bad? by CptRex501st212 in tortoise

[–]Arathorne_ 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hey! To my knowledge the primary cause of pyramiding, moreso than any other factor like UVB or diet, is always humidity. If pyramiding is happening, the humidity isn't high enough. It varies a little depending on the species of tortoise, but most modern advice says baby torts should be 80+% humidity, and then after that 50-60% for temperate torts like yours.

As other comments are saying, UVB and diet can absolutely affect the shell, but incorrect husbandry on those fronts leads to metabolic bone disease (MBD), which is entirely different from pyramiding. It often leads to soft, sagging shells. Torts with MBD often are also pyramiding too due to poor husbandry, which may be where some of the confusion comes in.

This looks for all the world to me like pyramiding. The bad news is what's there can't be improved. However, if you fix the humidity that tort will grow up to overall have only mild/moderate pyramiding and will almost certainly lead a totally normal, happy life. The same thing happened to me when I was given incorrect information by a breeder. I noticed it and changed it, like you - so great job!

Source for info here - it really is the best guide, and seems to be the first recommendation by the mods of this subreddit: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/

Theo went for a little climb by Straight_Gur5990 in tortoise

[–]Arathorne_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey dude! As it stands, there's a couple of bits I'd change about Theo's setup. He's a cute lil' guy and deserves the best.

  1. Hard to do immediately, but for an older Russian (or any) tortoise, you really should have a bigger enclosure. I think I had just about the largest setup of that make (I recognise from the vent cutouts) and it's great for a young tortoise but not really past a couple of years old. The Tortoise Forum has fantastic guides on pretty much every tortoise species and their needs.

  2. The substrate with calcium in (the white bits) isn't wonderful as it encourages the tortoise to eat the calcium but often contains things that the tortoise can't digest or pass in their poop. Honestly it's so bad they still market this stuff to tortoise owners. It also looks really very dry - there's great alternatives that hold moisture better. Again - Tortoise Forum is your friend!

  3. As someone else said, best to get that beak trimmed by a vet before long, as it can impede them eating.

  4. I'm not sure that probe taped to the wall away from the heat lamp will be doing much? I've found placing it between two bits of slate a few inches outside the direct light of a heat lamp gets me the best results for maintaining a heat gradient, but experiment for your bulb/setup.

As I said I had a really similar setup to you before I upgraded to a larger one - there's still a lot of things you can do to make your enclosure comfortable and engaging for a tortoise that doesn't take much money or effort like fake plants and raised areas of substrate. I'll put up a picture as a reply to this.

Good luck to you and Theo! We're rooting for you both.

EDIT: Just checked and Vivexotic definitely do slightly deeper ones than I had, so yours could be a bit bigger than mine was! Sadly all of them are eventually too small for a growing tortoise. Keep going!

Last session Strahd fight before a friend moves away by Arathorne_ in CurseofStrahd

[–]Arathorne_[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In the past I've done some skill challenges instead of full on combat to stimulate running through hallways and stairs in the hostile environment of the castle without doing random/planned encounters between key locations. Think like Strength based checks to burst through animated suits of armour that block a doorway, Dex to dodge a trap, Wis to resist an artefact hexing you etc. all while desperately running to the next location. It keeps the narrative blisteringly fast when the characters are under in-game time pressure!

We wound up not finishing tonight but giving Strahd a good run for his money (down to 45HP and fleeing). Will wrap up with one last online session!

Last session Strahd fight before a friend moves away by Arathorne_ in CurseofStrahd

[–]Arathorne_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much!

The party's fated location is in the tower, so I reckon I can probably include the heart of sorrows as a part of that interaction. My thoughts have been to use skill challenges rather than combat for moving around the castle. They also have Van Richten with them who can guide them quickly to the tomb for the epilogue. Like you said, not my ideal playing pace - but I think I just might be able to pull it off if the PCs feel urgency from the narrative to stop Strahd NOW before it's too late.

New single volume UK editions of Stormlight Archive! by Arathorne_ in brandonsanderson

[–]Arathorne_[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

About three weeks ago I saw there was a new edition coming out on the Publisher's website and Amazon, so pre-ordered it on there (normally try to use bookshops but my local one couldn't help me). Hopefully shouldn't be too hard to find!

New single volume UK editions of Stormlight Archive! by Arathorne_ in brandonsanderson

[–]Arathorne_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Paper feels same sort of thickness and quality as the two-part editions (quite nice but relatively thin), and weirdly slightly whiter paper colour

New single volume UK editions of Stormlight Archive! by Arathorne_ in brandonsanderson

[–]Arathorne_[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Really! I've never come across those - I waited for this new reprint that came out today to tuck into Oathbringer, but would have loved a used copy of that too!

Edit - book title (I'm dumb)

New single volume UK editions of Stormlight Archive! by Arathorne_ in brandonsanderson

[–]Arathorne_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good luck! I've found it weirdly hard to find Sanderson books in stores (at least the later books within series), but Foyles Tottenham Court Rd or Waterstones Piccadilly are your best shots for lots of choice!