2 sulcatas major difference in size

[MeGaNs TiPpY TuRtLeS]

I have a 6 year old female sulcata and a 3 1/2 year old male sulcata. As a hatchling the female, Digger, was already pyramiding when I got her but otherwise quite healthy. At Nearly 6 1/2 years old she measures 9 inches carapace and 7 inches plastron. My male Dozer measures 12 1/2 inches carapace and 9 inches plastron. I know males generally run bigger than females but this seems a little dramatic. any input would be appreciated. I just purchased the male from a family that could no longer care for him but from my understanding they have both had the virtually the exact same diet and care.

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

A lot of factors go into the size/growth of any animal. There's no set simple formula you can go by. You say "exact same care." Is that really accurate? Was the exact same type of heating and lighting used? Substrate? Humidity? Exposure to natural sunlight? Etc, etc....Then there's genetics; some individuals are genetically pre-disposed to be "smaller" than what the textbook or caresheet may say. I've had a handful of "runt" animals that by rights, should be larger according to the care, diet and age that they are.

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If you think about it, people are the same way. Why should other species be any different? My brother is 7 yrs younger than I am, but he's larger and heavier. His bone structure is different than mine.

 

[MeGaNs TiPpY TuRtLeS]

A lot of factors go into the size/growth of any animal. There's no set simple formula you can go by. You say "exact same care." Is that really accurate? Was the exact same type of heating and lighting used? Substrate? Humidity? Exposure to natural sunlight? Etc, etc....Then there's genetics; some individuals are genetically pre-disposed to be "smaller" than what the textbook or caresheet may say. I've had a handful of "runt" animals that by rights, should be larger according to the care, diet and age that they are.

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If you think about it, people are the same way. Why should other species be any different? My brother is 7 yrs younger than I am, but he's larger and heavier. His bone structure is different than mine.

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Health is my main concern. I wondered if the temp she was incubated at could have played a factor in her seemingly stunted growth. I am ok with her being smaller and I have seen some smaller sulcatas. And I understand the genetics issue also, both had the same diet, different substrates, female was kept on hay or hay flakes, male was kept on coconut or pine. Both had several hours of natural sunlight daily throughout spring, summer and earlier parts of the fall. Under UVa/ UVB lighting during the winter each with a hot and cool end of enclosure, female kept in an 8 foot tortoise table, male in an 80 gallon aquarium. so obviously yes some differences. I have just had people say "oh shouldnt she be bigger than that by now." So thought this would be a great place to get input from many other minds with thier hearts in the same places as mine

 

[Laura]

if you keep them together, does the small one eat enough? or does the big one eat it all?

 

[Tom]

I see two likely possibilities:

1. If they have been together for years, one is almost always going to be stunted because they should not be raised in pairs. See this for a more in depth explanation:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Pairs#axzz1bv5qbbcz

2. The smaller one may have had a drier start, which could lead to stunting along with the pyramiding that you speak of. This seems likely given the substrates you mentioned. The bigger one might have gotten soaked three or four times a week when it was a hatchling vs. the smaller one getting no soaks or maybe once a week... Just speculating, but I've have seen it this way many times. Here's more explanation on that one:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Hatchling-Failure-Syndrome#axzz1bv5qbbcz

 

[ascott]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Sulcata-250-lb-male-specimens#axzz1svjWgUPF

LOL....uh, check these guys out There truly is alot to do with the line of the tortoise....magnificent...