One of the biggest problems with keeping captive-bred tortoises is the bulgeback. The dorsal bulge is a protrusion of the shield armor produced by the turtle during the active growth period. Under normal growth conditions, the edges of the shield armor will grow evenly and smoothly in the horizontal direction, so that the diameter of the shield armor will increase and the turtle will grow. During periods when growth is rare or stops growing, a very small growth pattern like an "annual ring" also forms around the shield armor. Growth patterns can help determine the age of a turtle in some turtle species. A turtle with a bulging back, this new growth occurs in the vertical direction of the shield armor, which increases wear. This is not a normal process of growth or shell development. Few are recorded in wild tortoises.
Tortoises that have had a doltsing of their backs will not affect the health of the tortoises unless they are not well fed, but excessive structure of the dorsal ridges can reduce the ability of males to climb onto females, hindering reproduction. Shield armor that has already shown a dorsal boom cannot be corrected, but if the external conditions for dorsal carapace development are corrected, new growth can develop in the normal horizontal direction. It seems that the most critical period for the formation of the bulge is the first year or two of the tortoise's life. If the growth conditions are correct in the first year or two, and no cone is formed, then even if the feeding conditions are not optimal afterwards, the chances of the giant tortoise forming a cone will be greatly reduced.
There have been many opinions over the years about the actual causes of tortoise booms. It is hypothesized that excess protein in the diet, the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in the diet, temperature, exposure to natural light or UVB, dietary fiber, and excessive eating are all listed as influencing factors – most likely to play a role to some extent. With the improvement of breeding techniques, tortoises have become healthier and their survival rates have increased significantly. However, the problem of the bulge has not disappeared. While it is rare to see very severe back-toelding structures as they used to be, "perfect" captive tortoises are equally rare.
Does protein affect backlift formation? Over the years, keepers have tried a wide variety of tortoise recipes, but have not gotten a consistent result that eliminates the phenomenon of backlift. While diet is extremely important for raising a healthy tortoise, it doesn't seem to have much of an impact on reducing backlifts.
About five or six years ago, someone made this attempt to raise freshly hatched tortoises in a new way. The experiment set up two groups of newly hatched red-legged tortoises. The first group was placed in a plastic box with a dry towel (low humidity). The second group was placed in an identical plastic box with a wet towel (high humidity). The two groups of tortoise seedlings are placed together and fed in the same way. In just a few months, the discrepancy was staggering. Tortoises in dry environments have typical bulging structures that we see in captive hatched tortoises. The second group did not have any bulges and looked exactly like wild-caught tortoises. They began experimenting with increasing humidity in several other tortoises, and the results were the same. Their theory is that most of the time they hatch tortoises in the wild, they hide in damp soil, wet grass, or the bottom of a damp burrow. Even desert species spend most of their lives at the bottom of damp caves. In 2003, the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna (Austria) finally quantified the importance of humidity in the environment of hatched tortoises and showed in their study that high levels of protein had little effect on backlift. The Vienna study suggests that during dry periods of food scarcity, hatching tortoises grow almost nothing (and dorsal bulges only occur during growth). During periods when food is plentiful, humidity increases, growth is rapid, and back bumps are rarely formed.
The researchers also hypothesized that "under dry conditions, dehydration reduces intracellular and intercellular pressure on cartilage in bone growth areas, which can lead to soft tissue collapse and ossification at the site of collapse." Their next goal is to devise a convenient way to raise tortoises in high humidity environments without the problem of increased bacteria, fungi and mold. They tried many different systems and bedding and got the following confirmation. Peat moss is a good moisturizing matrix. It has the property of inhibiting the growth of mold and fungi. It is also not toxic if ingested by a tortoise, and it does not affect the intestines if eaten. It's also easy to buy and relatively inexpensive. The mat outside the hiding place can be any commonly used dry mat. In order to prevent mold or fungus from growing on dry bedding, it is important to separate wet and dry. It is also important to provide the tortoises with water, heat, UVB lighting and a balanced diet. Peat moss should be regularly checked for humidity levels and replaced with fresh peat moss regularly.
Under these conditions, the backlift can be eliminated and the tortoise can be active and healthy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Welcome to leave a comment to communicate together!
Further reading:
Eight things you probably don't know about turtles!
Why did turtles evolve shells? It's not really about defense.
Reptiles have low IQ? Cold-bloodedness doesn't mean stupidity!
Outdoor turtles, how should the pond be laid out?
A Russian tortoise that survived from the mouth of a mastiff!