The sun & the fresh air do get them more active.
He does seem small for his age. Of course, we don't know what size he was when he hatched. Anyway, the important thing is that he's eating well and healthy, and that does seem to be the case.
from the Arizona game and Fish website on desert tortoise hatchlings:
The hatchling diet should contain about twice the protein and half the fiber content of the adult diet until the third year. A tortoise that does not receive adequate protein will develop a thin shell, become stunted, and have a greatly reduced life expectancy. Good sources of protein for young tortoises include natural forages like mallows, primroses, and rock hibiscus, cultivated plants like clover and dichondra, and produce like kale, collards, turnip greens, beet greens, mustard greens, spinach, bok choy, dandelion greens, parsley and cilantro. Chopped Timothy or Bermuda grass hay is another good option.
See the full info:
http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/tortoise/hatchling.shtml
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum has excellent info compiled by reptile specialist veterinarian who has cared for the museum's desert tortoises for 35 years, and is well known here among tortoise keepers:
http://www.desertmuseum.org/programs/tap_tortcare.php
This care sheet doesn't address how often to soak a hatchling desert tortoise. I prefer to have water constantly available, as you are doing.
This is a brochure listing lots of really healthy foods for desert tortoises:
http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/tortoise/documents/NativePlantsforDesertTortoises_2008.pdf
a good source of seeds (they even have a desert tortoise wildflower mix):
http://shop.nativeseeds.org/pages/seeds
Hope this helps.
He does seem small for his age. Of course, we don't know what size he was when he hatched. Anyway, the important thing is that he's eating well and healthy, and that does seem to be the case.
from the Arizona game and Fish website on desert tortoise hatchlings:
The hatchling diet should contain about twice the protein and half the fiber content of the adult diet until the third year. A tortoise that does not receive adequate protein will develop a thin shell, become stunted, and have a greatly reduced life expectancy. Good sources of protein for young tortoises include natural forages like mallows, primroses, and rock hibiscus, cultivated plants like clover and dichondra, and produce like kale, collards, turnip greens, beet greens, mustard greens, spinach, bok choy, dandelion greens, parsley and cilantro. Chopped Timothy or Bermuda grass hay is another good option.
See the full info:
http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/tortoise/hatchling.shtml
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum has excellent info compiled by reptile specialist veterinarian who has cared for the museum's desert tortoises for 35 years, and is well known here among tortoise keepers:
http://www.desertmuseum.org/programs/tap_tortcare.php
This care sheet doesn't address how often to soak a hatchling desert tortoise. I prefer to have water constantly available, as you are doing.
This is a brochure listing lots of really healthy foods for desert tortoises:
http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/tortoise/documents/NativePlantsforDesertTortoises_2008.pdf
a good source of seeds (they even have a desert tortoise wildflower mix):
http://shop.nativeseeds.org/pages/seeds
Hope this helps.
