Hi again. My russian tortoise hatchling seems to finally be thriving after he's been home for 2 weeks. When I got him he weighed 34 grams, and now he's 40 grams (his first week he gained 1 gram and this week he gained 5). Some explanation could be that he didn't eat much the first week and was a tad constipated. Today he is 54 mm SCL and I didn't get too accurate a measurement two weeks ago. He is just about right on the Jackson Ratio curve. The vet's opinion was that he was small for his age (that we were told) and may not have been given a lot of food so he could "stay cute" to be sold.
We're letting him eat as much as he wants right now as he won't even get close to finishing what we put out most of the time (I wouldn't describe him as a piggy tortoise as he leaves food and doesn't run to get it when we put it out). He tends to pick at it, starting a couple hours after we put it out. He'll bask, eat a bit, bask again, nap, etc. We feed him a varied little pile of stuff every morning and take it away when it looks icky at the end of the day or he's gone to bed for the night.
What would steady growth be defined as? I'm not sure how many grams a week might be "good" for him to be gaining as he's growing up, but I know he shouldn't be growing too fast. Should we be limiting his food? I definitely can't follow the 20 minute rule with him because he'd starve...any ideas about what to feed him in terms of comparison to his size or ex. 1/4 cup of greens?
I am happy he's gaining weight. I just don't want him to overdo it. =)
We're letting him eat as much as he wants right now as he won't even get close to finishing what we put out most of the time (I wouldn't describe him as a piggy tortoise as he leaves food and doesn't run to get it when we put it out). He tends to pick at it, starting a couple hours after we put it out. He'll bask, eat a bit, bask again, nap, etc. We feed him a varied little pile of stuff every morning and take it away when it looks icky at the end of the day or he's gone to bed for the night.
What would steady growth be defined as? I'm not sure how many grams a week might be "good" for him to be gaining as he's growing up, but I know he shouldn't be growing too fast. Should we be limiting his food? I definitely can't follow the 20 minute rule with him because he'd starve...any ideas about what to feed him in terms of comparison to his size or ex. 1/4 cup of greens?
I am happy he's gaining weight. I just don't want him to overdo it. =)
