well these buggers are growing like weeds. from left to right is 3 days old then 2 weeks old, and 3 weeks old. Growing nice and smooth too with different methods.
3 days old 2 weeks old and 3 weeks old.
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It must be all the weeds they eat, 'cuz they sure grow like them. 
So what are the different methods your using?
So what are the different methods your using?
I typically use an enclosed enclosure, but this time I wanted to see if the hydration worked instead of the humidty and hydration method. I keep the coco coir rather moist and only spray once a day but still soak them 2-3 times a day. So far they are growing super smooth like the hatchlings from last year that were totally enclosed and subjected to high humidity and constant hydration.
This is awesome! Please keep us updated on this over the next few months. I'm going to subscribe to this thread, so I don't miss any of it.
Right now I am doing the reverse of your experiment. I did open topped enclosures and the same things you are doing for the past two years, and this year, I am doing the closed chamber from day one with the current babies.
I'm sending you a PM...
Right now I am doing the reverse of your experiment. I did open topped enclosures and the same things you are doing for the past two years, and this year, I am doing the closed chamber from day one with the current babies.
I'm sending you a PM...
I will keep everyone posted on this experiment. So far the first clutch hatched out is doing awesome in this experiment the one seen on the right. The first one that hatched out is one im keeping to grow up to adulthood as well as test my TSD experiments. I put 58 eggs two different incubators this year. The first clutch that hatched hatched kinda later than expected but I started the eggs 2-3 degrees lower than I usually do at 83-86 for the first 40 days and then spiked it up to 87-92 and this is when they started to pip out of the first clutch. The first one that hatched was HUGE its name is tank hes about a week older than the one pictured on the right. Tanks growth is nice and smooth.
It amazes me seeing the different methods of starting hatchlings off. Before I knew the hydration and humidity method the growth is so different. When I did the typical put them on pellet method they grew more upright and now with the new methods they seem to grow more flat and rounded then upright around 3-4 months after the hatch date, they look more like the figure of an adult utilizing this method. Im not sure if your notes have shown similiar as well tom?
It amazes me seeing the different methods of starting hatchlings off. Before I knew the hydration and humidity method the growth is so different. When I did the typical put them on pellet method they grew more upright and now with the new methods they seem to grow more flat and rounded then upright around 3-4 months after the hatch date, they look more like the figure of an adult utilizing this method. Im not sure if your notes have shown similiar as well tom?
Absolutely. Dean and I were just talking about this the other day. All of ours are growing very round too, but not tall yet. I'm trying to remember at what point the higher dome thing kicked in from a couple of years ago. Might have to go review old pics and dates. That was an interesting thing to me about the "wet" method vs. the "dry" method. The dome shape on wet routine ones seems higher as they get to be a few months old. This is fun stuff.
It is very interesting to me. Which is why I was so stoked seeing the thread about the radiated and ploughare growing so domely. Ive raised quite of bit of radiated over the years in the dry method but soaking and spraying and seen perfect smooth growth as well. The total dry method showed some pyramiding but not as severe in that species. So it makes me wonder if season humidity and constant hyrdration play a role in high dome developement but also smooth.
I remember about 5 years ago when I started the wet method with my baby sulcatas I kept a few for about 3 years and they started growing out of the high dome phase around that time, but there size was smaller than the wet method growth. But its hard to tell, some sulcatas will grow at an accelerated level moreso than other in my experiments. Maybe since I have so many hatchlings this year I can keep more than 8-10 to test the theory.
I remember about 5 years ago when I started the wet method with my baby sulcatas I kept a few for about 3 years and they started growing out of the high dome phase around that time, but there size was smaller than the wet method growth. But its hard to tell, some sulcatas will grow at an accelerated level moreso than other in my experiments. Maybe since I have so many hatchlings this year I can keep more than 8-10 to test the theory.
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Fantastic information. Thanks guys.
MooingTricycle said:
Thats what were all here for. We also started another thread on all of our methods you can give it a read and come up with a good decision that fits your tortoise, and your needs to raising them right.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread...ta-Husbandry-Method-Experiments#axzz22Kozzvzl
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wow they look like little balls
I love your sulcata tortoises. They are so cute! Keep up the good work!
lovelyrosepetal said:I love your sulcata tortoises. They are so cute! Keep up the good work!
Why thank you! they come from a good line of genes, from adults Ive kept since they were about this small.
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