Growth Rate of Red Foots

[Zergy]

From what I read, you don't want a tort to get big too fast. So is there a chart to show you a normal weight gain they should have? Probably not is my guess... But how do I know if my tort is growing too fast?

My Dexter is 3.5 months old. He arrived this month on the 3rd. I weighed him at 1.6 oz. Today he weighed in at 1.8 oz. So he has gained 0.2 oz in half a week. I am logging his weight gain weekly and his SCL monthly (plus tracking what he eats daily...) Again how do I know if he is gaining good or not?

Anyone else want to compare their baby RFT weight and SCL? Anyone else as obsessive as I am on charts and numbers?

 

[ascott]

I do not know of an exact chart...somewhere on this forum is a thread that gives a formula to use that would give you at least an aid.....I am sorry but don't know the thread name...and I can not remember if Gbtortoise or if Madkins initiated the post...hopefully after my post bumping your thread someone else will recall the thread....

 

[allegraf]

I think it was Mark Adkins, check out his site tortoiselibrary.com. He may have posted it there.

 

[Zergy]

I think it was Mark Adkins, check out his site tortoiselibrary.com. He may have posted it there.

Thanks.

I did locate a post with a formula there and when I used my numbers he was close to target weight for his SCL. Interesting. How else can you tell if your tort is underweight or overweight? I can't feel his ribs...lol

And how do I know if he is a good size for his age?

 

[Kasper2reds]

Anyone else want to compare their baby RFT weight and SCL? Anyone else as obsessive as I am on charts and numbers?

Hey zergy,
I have a baby cherry head that will be one year old on April 20. He currently weighs 4oz and is 3 1/4 inch length down his plastron.

 

[bigred]

Anyone else want to compare their baby RFT weight and SCL? Anyone else as obsessive as I am on charts and numbers?

Hey zergy,
I have a baby cherry head that will be one year old on April 20. He currently weighs 4oz and is 3 1/4 inch length down his plastron.

Great picture

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Nice picture, he looks great!

 

[Zergy]

Kasper2reds: Thanks for the numbers. And that is one cute tort you got there. He stole the show.

 

[Madkins007]

There are some growth rate charts scattered here and there, but they are so vague that they don't help a lot.

The chart in Dr. Mader's "Reptile Medicine and Surgery" is used mostly to show the sigmoidal (S-shaped) growth pattern (weights are approximate, the chart is too small to get good numbers off of):
1 year- 900gr.
2 years- 1500gr.
3 years- 2100gr.
4 years- 2700gr.
5 years- 3300gr.
6-10 years- roughly 3900gr.

Again- the chart's purpose was to show the overall pattern, not the 'target weight/age' ratio or anything.

The weight/length formula in the Library is good tool for determining if your tort is dehydrated or a healthy weight, but is not quite what you are looking for, I know.

 

[Zergy]

There are some growth rate charts scattered here and there, but they are so vague that they don't help a lot.
.
.
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The weight/length formula in the Library is good tool for determining if your tort is dehydrated or a healthy weight, but is not quite what you are looking for, I know.

I figured I ask to see if anyone had such a chart, but I didn't expect anyone would. But at least the formula from the Library is a nice tool I didn't learn about until now. So for now I will just keep a record of Dexter's weight and length as he grows up. Maybe such a record will help me in the future should I get another tort. I just don't want to go wrong with Dexter...

 

[Kasper2reds]

Kasper2reds: Thanks for the numbers. And that is one cute tort you got there. He stole the show.

No problem zergy, thanks for the nice comments all!