After reading the cause as posted by the WCT I thought this might be a good seperate thread...

I was totally blown away by the account submitted by the WCT especially since I've discussed this with the author at length.

They are out and out saying that protein causes pyramiding. This is so not true. While there is much documentation that protein causes there is no concrete evidence to support this claim. To show a deformed tortoise and then look at only the diet which it was fed does not lead to proof that the diet caused the condition.

This is the same thing as showing a deformed tortoise that was raised in a viv and saying the viv was the cause of the condition.

This comes back to what is 'too much' protein. I see numbers being thrown around and claims that some of those numbers are too high. Who determins what is too much and how did they come to that conclusion?

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Ed @ not allowed to post a link
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

I recon a couple of people said it, and then more and more people read it and decided it must be true, very much like what happened when the bible was wrote

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Very interesting topic Ed and i hope this thread does not turn into a nasty one.

Surely in the wild tortoise would come across bugs and slugs to eat

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And carrion too, I have seen numerous wild tortoises eating dead animals they have stumbled across.

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Please don't bite my head off

I thought it was an unbalanced diet like when people get deformed nails from a lack of the right stuff

* runs and hides quick before anyone shouts*

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Do Egyptian Tortoises get pyramiding (think about it!!!!)?

I completely agree with Sarah's sentiments - very intriguing post that raises important issues for all tortoise keepers and I hope the debate remains amicable.

I truly believe that too low humidity levels cause or contribute to pyramiding and also being fed far too much food of any sort or being fed too much of the same food constantly.


gtm I do not know anything about egyptian torts so can you please explain why we do not see them with pyramiding ?

i thought it was more-a-less based on overfeeding

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What I Want - Eventually!0.0.1 Bearded Dragon 0.0.1 Redfoot 0.0.1 Chihuahua

everything i have read when i researched getting a tortoise lead me too believe it was due to poor diet.

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Egyptian tortoises spend most of their time in burrows or burried at the base of bushes or grasses.

Can you think of a mechanism for overfeeding causing pyramiding? What would limit food availability in the wild and why don't we see more pyramiding in the wild considering they have a limitless food supply even in the desert?

Yes... pyramiding definately occurs in the wild... why?

I believe these are the most important factors which contribute to pyramiding going from the most important to the least important... Heat, Hydration, Diet(general), Behavior and Genetics. Keep in mind that all of these effect each other but, by far, the most important factor is heat with Hydration following up next.

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Ed @ not allowed to post a link
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care