growing too fast??

[DonaTello's-Mom]

Our new sulcata is 4 inches long. We have had him for only 3 weeks. I changed his diet to the grasses and weeds. The previous owners said he is only 1yrs old. Is that too big, too soon for a sulcata? I'm know they were not feeding and housing him properly. I know they get REALLY big but..lord that's big.

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Maybe they have his age wrong? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Tom]

I've always grown my slow, so that's a little bigger than mine were at that age, but I think its pretty normal. The question is, how is his shell? Pyramided or not? Good and hard or a little squishy? I'd love to see a pic. Tell us how you are housing him and what your routine is.

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

Thanks for the reply. I'm getting the pics, just give this old a minute to get them loaded up here.

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I meant "old lady"..

 

[Tom]

Thanks for the reply. I'm getting the pics, just give this old a minute to get them loaded up here.

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I meant "old lady"..

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No rush. He'll probably live well over a hundred years...

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

Sorry I can't get the pic's on here, but here are the links to the them.
(Right click the link and click "Open link in new tab" then you go to your new tab to see the picture link.)




http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb129/tessablue_2007/Photo0762.jpg


http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb129/tessablue_2007/Photo0763.jpg



http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb129/tessablue_2007/Photo0764.jpg


http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb129/tessablue_2007/Photo0765.jpg


http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb129/tessablue_2007/Photo0766.jpg


http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb129/tessablue_2007/Photo0767.jpg

 

[Yvonne G]

Or...just click on the link!

Is the white book case going to be his tort table? He has a split scute! I always like the ones with a slightly different look from the norm. His scutes are starting to raise a bit, but with a little humidity you should be able to arrest that.

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

Yes the book case is going to be his new home. I took the pic with the computer in the background to show how big it will be. I've been really good about keeping his old home humid (his hide box). I use "bed a beast" mixed with 'organic" top soil. Spag moss and timothy hay for his bedding. I have the 100watt zoo-med powersun UVB/heat bulb.And then the heat lamp at night.He's fed grass and weeds from my yard with vitamins and calicum added there's always a dish full of fresh weeds and grass to eat with.He's soaked 4 times a week and put outside to graze when the weathers nice.His shell feels semi hard.Will the split scute ever close?And is it a problem?And how do you think the scute split?Does everything I'm doing sound OK?

 

[Yvonne G]

There's nothing wrong with a split scute. Its purely cosmetic. It hasn't actually split into the body of the tortoise. The word just means that instead of one whole-looking scute, it has split into two. It makes him "different"...not ordinary...not run-of-the-mill...you know, special!!

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Wow, you are on it, girl! Totally impressive that you are getting him set up so well, so fast!

I think that scute pattern on his back is very art-deco; gives him an air of mystery, just as you would suspect for a tortoise named Donatello...

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

How do I help the shell to harden? Will it get harder as he grows?

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[DeanS]

I think some breeders put so much time, effort and attention to their hatchlings that they lose track of time...mine are all 9 months and between 2.5 (Jimmy and Snowflake) and 2.75 inches (Jimmy and Eggroll).

 

[Tom]

What a cool pic! You have a little dandelion destroying tortoise armada there. They must leave a dandelion patch of destruction in their wake.

Why is the one on the left a little pyramided while the others are not? Did they get different care early on? Sorry to be so personal, its just that learning everything there is to know about pyramiding is kind of my thing right now.

 

[DeanS]

Yeah! Eggroll is a little pyramided...but solid as hell...that's the way I got him and I'm busting my *** to see that it doesn't develop any further...i.e. humid den box...another thing I do is soak these guys daily...basically I take a Little Tikes wading pool and fill it to about plastron height (no higher) and let them stroll around in it for an hour or so...and they love it! Since the pool warps somewhat...there are dry areas for them to retreat to, but they rarely do. Snowflake in the foreground will drink like this...it's hilarious! I'm just grateful she's still with us...more about that in another post...later!

 

[-EJ]

I hope you don't mind but to post images cut and past this with the links in the middle...

What are you feeding the tortoise and what are the temperatures?

Sorry I can't get the pic's on here, but here are the links to the them.
(Right click the link and click "Open link in new tab" then you go to your new tab to see the picture link.)

 

[Tom]

How do I help the shell to harden? Will it get harder as he grows?

If conditions are right, yes it will. Best thing you can do is get him out in the sun as much as you can. This coupled with a varied diet and some calcium supplementation will, over time, do the trick. BTW, if he's getting regular sunshine, at least 2 or 3 times a week, I don't think you should use a calcium supplement with D3.

To post pics, go here: http://tinypic.com/
Click on choose file.
Click on the photo you want to upload and then click "choose".
Click the big green upload button.
When its done uploading, a little grid with all sorts of computer numbers and letters will pop up. Click on the one that starts with IMG. Once its uploaded to tinypic.com all you have to do is copy and paste that little IMG code in to your post. You don't need to click on the pic at all.

Its easier than it sounds. You'll see, once you go there.