Any ideas of what his age may be.

[Scooter]

Ok so we have had Thor for a week now. I know he is too young to tell sex but we just say its a him.

I am curious about his age. The guy at the reptile store was unsure. He no longer has his egg tooth but his plastron is still a little soft right in the middle where the egg sac is absorbed. The rest of his shell is nice and hard. He is just under 3 inches long. I know he has slight pyramiding starting but I am doing everything I can to stop it from continuing.

 

[Meg90]

He's young yet. His baby scutes still touch, (or nearly so) and there is no growth between them. But he should not be soft at all. Make sure to supplement Ca at EVERY feeding so he stays nice and hard.

However, underfeeding can keep a tort very small. My 8 month old Greek is nearly 4 inches already, and there are other babies on the forum twice her age, and half her size. She eats once a day, as much as she wants, and sometimes another pile later in the afternoon.

He's probably between 3-6 months. That's my guess.

Make sure you keep humidity high, so he doesn't pyramid.

 

[Tom]

All of what Meg said is true. He shouldn't have soft spots at that age and size. Get him some sunshine ASAP. If its too cold where you are, use a MVB and a calcium supplement right away. I'd guess he's about a year and I'd bet money that he's a male.

 

[Dane]

Well I would hope he's male...his name is Thor after all!

I love his face! He looks so old and wise.

 

[Scooter]

The rest of his shell is hard except for that one spot. He gets supplements everyday and has a UV light. He eats as much as he wants everyday. I feed him a mix of spring mix, Mazuri, prickly pear cactus, Christmas cactus, pansy, and petunia. I mist his enclosure at least once a day usually more. He is on cypress mulch and I soak him once a day (before is morning feeding). He is very active and strong and is a great eater. He feels heavy for his size though I do not have a scale that will register him.

It has been to cold lately though today he got to go outside for a little while.

 

[Meg90]

UV lights, or UVB? There is a difference. How much did your bulb cost?

 

[Scooter]

It is from ZooMed its a basking spot lamp with UVA. Do I also need UVB. This is the first time I have housed a tortoise indoors so the lights are new to me. This afternoon should be warm enough for him to go outside for a little while.

 

[Tom]

If you are getting regular sunshine, at least a couple of times a week for an hour or more, you shouldn't need to worry about artificial UVB. However, using a MVB for the indoor times is a good safeguard and won't hurt anything, except your wallet. Mine will sometimes go two or three weeks in the winter with no sun and its no problem as they get daily sunshine most of the rest of the year.

Be careful with the supplements. Too much can be bad. This is a matter of debate, but some keepers recommend none at all. Most people agree a moderate amount is a good rule of thumb. I use a little sprinkle of calcium with no D3, twice a week when they are getting sun. I'll use the one WITH D3, in the winter, if they aren't getting enough sun. I use a reptile vitamin supplement once a week.

 

[Scooter]

He is outside right now roaming all over, though it is not sunny out is it warm enough for him to go out. I live in Florida and so my adult hingeback stays outside all summer and goes out on the warm days during the winter so I don't have an uv light for her. He only has one soft spot on his plastron the rest of his shell is hard so that is why I thought maybe it was from the sac absorption. Other than that spot he seems very healthy and happy. I will keep everyone updated on him. I appreciate all the advise.

 

[motero]

My Sulcata is the exact same length, @ 8 months. Mine has not been on the best diet, before I got him.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Motero:

to the forum!!