A sulcata that won't grow, a blessing or a nightmare?

[Liam Owen]

I have had my tort sue for about a year now. I purchased him/her from a vendor at an exotic pet show. The first time I weighted him/her she was around 45-50 grams. In a year she is only 75 grams. I have had sue in a 20 gallon tank with controlled humidity, water, humid hide, temps between 75-85 year round (harder to keep it up in winter) and zoo med grassland tort food with weeds and clover from my yard. Around 3 months ago I got a tort house and nothing rlly has changed except for controlled humidity (but pyramiding has not been an issue). Is this normal? Sue has not seemed to have signs of illness, quite active.

 

[mtdavis254817]

Hello. Would love to see pics of your tort and enclosure. Is there any way you can provide a larger enclosure asap. Sulcatas need a lot of room to explore. Depending on were you are located you could even purchase a cheap 50 gallon plastic storage bin that would work for now.. Is the little guy getting any direct sunlight or uvb??? And make sure he is getting calcium and vitamins a couple times a week. Thanks to Yvonne I love centrum vitamins. Just crush them up and sprinkle it on the food. That way he will get his essential a. B.e. and k vitamins... You may consider the small size a blessing now but it will impact his health in the long run... Oh and make sure he is getting soaks everyday. Check out toms thread. Great expert experience

 

[Liam Owen]

Re: RE: A sulcata that won't grow, a blessing or a nightmare?

Hello. Would love to see pics of your tort and enclosure. Is there any way you can provide a larger enclosure asap. Sulcatas need a lot of room to explore. Depending on were you are located you could even purchase a cheap 50 gallon plastic storage bin that would work for now.. Is the little guy getting any direct sunlight or uvb??? And make sure he is getting calcium and vitamins a couple times a week. Thanks to Yvonne I love centrum vitamins. Just crush them up and sprinkle it on the food. That way he will get his essential a. B.e. and k vitamins... You may consider the small size a blessing now but it will impact his health in the long run... Oh and make sure he is getting soaks everyday. Check out toms thread. Great expert experience

The tortoise house is 3'x5' er so, so I hope size isn't to much of a problem. Sue has had uvb and in the summertime out door exposure since I've had her. Vitamins and supps I use around 1 every 2 week's so I will increase. Thx. I've read Tom's threads for the past 2 years he's great!

 

[SulcataSquirt]

HAHAHAHAHA. don't count your blessings yet, I also had a small sulcata for a good while. Then one day 100 grams was 400 grams then 1 pounds. now 15 pounds and 3 years old. Humidity, lots of water, mazuri, hay and all the greens it will eat and don't worry your tort will get huge. my tort started out at 30 grams and hovered at 70 grams for the longest time. it was a big celebration to hit 100 grams.

 

[Tom]

When they are started dry at the breeders they often grow very slowly. Give it time. She will probably start to sprout and grow normally at some point. My Daisy hardly grew at all for two years. Now she's around 40 pounds at six years old.

I agree that 20 gallons is much too small. I won't start hatchlings in anything smaller than a 40, but usually a 100 or a 4x8' closed chamber.

 

[Liam Owen]

Oh and I can get a pic tomorrow, but lights are out for now and I just deleted lots of my phone storage but if u have an instagram, my tort does. Username suethetortoise.

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I'm not really happy about the small size, more concerned, but thx for some closure guys. I will increase vitamins and supplements starting tomorrow. Thanks