Aging/BMI of a sulcata

Status
Not open for further replies.

Zabbi0

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2012
Messages
284
Location (City and/or State)
San Antonio, TX
I have a few growth questions.

1. I am still a little confused as to how how my babe could have been before I got her. I've had her for about 2 and 1/2 years but I was just curious how old you all thought she might be?

2. How can you tell what a good 'BMI' of a tort is? I moved her outside pretty late so she has been much slower to grow I think. She's about 8in. & pretty heavy but I don't know how much she weighs. I only have a standard scale.

3. Is the vet list on here recommendations or just quickly researched info? There is only one listed for San Antonio and its the opposite end of the city from me but I'll go to him if he's good. I've never taken her in for a check up (she's appeared to have been great so far) but I think I will just because I guess.

I'll attach some photos. Thanks. ImageUploadedByTortForum1369686264.521035.jpgImageUploadedByTortForum1369686288.666496.jpgImageUploadedByTortForum1369686348.266823.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using TortoiseForum mobile app
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Zabbi0

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2012
Messages
284
Location (City and/or State)
San Antonio, TX
Yeah I hadn't seen that one. I just spent a lot of time doing this and I'm not getting a good reading at all. Every time I think I finally have it right.....
This is so frustrating. I'm going to get her to a vet just for a check up. I don't have one of those stupid scales that count in grams so I can't be sure but I don't know. I've tried so so hard for two and a half years to get this right. It doesn't appear to be happening. It may be time to come to terms with placing her with a better family. Thanks for the article.


Sent from my iPhone using TortoiseForum mobile app
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Looks male to me. I don't know what "BMI" means.

If you're anywhere near Beaumont, Dr. Weston is a member here and has tortoises of his own. I recommend him.
 

jaizei

Unknown Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Joined
Feb 5, 2011
Messages
9,054
Location (City and/or State)
Earth
How big was she when you got her? Heavy is good, don't worry about not having a scale.
 

Zabbi0

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2012
Messages
284
Location (City and/or State)
San Antonio, TX
I'm nearly 5 hours from Beaumont so that definitely won't work.

I feed her twice daily. I don't think there's any possible way she's underfed? Possibly a little dehydrated since this is south Texas. I'm going to continue 45min weekly soaks since I haven't seen her use her bath outside yet.

I thought she's been okay for a while. I'm really worried now.

But does anyone have any idea of age?





Sent from my iPhone using TortoiseForum mobile app


Oh and she was about 2/3 smaller than the size she is now when I first got her. Something like that. I mean she has definitely been growing but I'm not sure at what rate compared to other torts.


Sent from my iPhone using TortoiseForum mobile app
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
1. No way to know the age. When they are raised the dry way, they tend to grow much slower. I have some 12 month old ones that size right now, but I've seen six year olds smaller than that.
2. They should feel heavy of rather size. Like a rock. They should not feel hollow or light. You really ought to get yourself a scale and track weights.
3. I don't see any reason to take a healthy animal to the vet. If you do, don't let them inject her with vitamins or anything. They always seem to want to do this...
 

Zabbi0

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2012
Messages
284
Location (City and/or State)
San Antonio, TX
Yeah I ordered a scale tonight along with the temp gun you recommended. This Accurite just doesn't seem to be reading 100%. I'll keep it just to watch humidity levels.
She feels pretty heavy to me. I would say 1-2lbs. but it doesn't read on the scale. We will see when it comes in.

And I definitely will not let a vet inject her with something unless its a cure to something already diagnosed by some test. Even then I would probably send a quick consult to you guys in the waiting area while waiting for the doc to come back haha. I read this forum all the time so I think I have a firm grasp on the 'what not to do's' at least. :)

Thanks much all.


Sent from my iPhone using TortoiseForum mobile app
 

IRTehDuckie

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 2, 2011
Messages
271
Location (City and/or State)
Utica. MI
wow, not to freak you out or anything, but mine is 2 and a half years old, and about 3x bigger.. if anything this kinda freaks me out, maybe mine really isnt 2 and a half then? I know the breeder, and i got her when she was a baby, but every tort grows different.. plus mine was in CA for a year, sunshine all the time, perfect growing conditions for lil torts. Anyways. she is beaitufl!! or he is handsome!! haha
 

Zabbi0

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2012
Messages
284
Location (City and/or State)
San Antonio, TX
Moved: Aging/BMI of a sulcata

Yeah. See. I've seen some much bigger and some smaller. I think it really just depends. It took me a while to move her outside so I'm sure that slowed it down a bit. Plus south Texas is just so dry. Oh and also I just received a lot of bad info in the beginning and had the wrong bulbs on her so that definitely didnt help but I had corrected that. I give her weekly soaks still along with her water bowl outside and she has been totally and completely healthy, active, happy as far as I can tell. I think she just got a slow start. :)


Sent from my iPhone using TortoiseForum mobile app
 

IRTehDuckie

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 2, 2011
Messages
271
Location (City and/or State)
Utica. MI
Zabbi0 said:
Yeah. See. I've seen some much bigger and some smaller. I think it really just depends. It took me a while to move her outside so I'm sure that slowed it down a bit. Plus south Texas is just so dry. Oh and also I just received a lot of bad info in the beginning and had the wrong bulbs on her so that definitely didnt help but I had corrected that. I give her weekly soaks still along with her water bowl outside and she has been totally and completely healthy, active, happy as far as I can tell. I think she just got a slow start. :)


Sent from my iPhone using TortoiseForum mobile app

sorry to hear you had bad info from the start =[ ive always been a reptile fanatic, so i cant say the same lol and yeah i started putting them outside from the start, with me watching over them always of course, except now, my tort is pretty big to be carried away by anything lol

anyways.. gook luck! and you've got a beautiful tort there =]
 

BK-JAY

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2012
Messages
111
Location (City and/or State)
Brooklyn New York
Well Im far from a expert on tortoise but I think you need to soak it every day to try an smooth that shell out some. Good luck
 

Zabbi0

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2012
Messages
284
Location (City and/or State)
San Antonio, TX
I got her like this. I her weekly soaks and she had access to her own bath. She's been great. The new growth has been coming in nice.


Sent from my iPhone using TortoiseForum mobile app
 

sibi

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 23, 2012
Messages
6,486
Location (City and/or State)
Florida, USA
Good for you Lizzi. Your soaks are producing smoother growth. Eventually, over the years, she'll still have the pyramiding that is there, but all the new growth will be smoother. As far as weighing her, you can stand on a scale, note your weight, then pick up your baby, and weigh yourself again. The difference is what your baby weighs. I don't calculate grams; if it can't give me ounces and pounds, I just don't use it, period. I have a baby like yours and I weighted him on a food scale because he was only 4 ounces when I got him. Also, he was 3 years old! Just focus on his care and don't worry about what you can't change. No matter how old he is, if he's eating, drinking, peeing, pooping, and active, all is good. He'll get big enough in no time. Any help you need, that's what we're here for.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top