Healthy Sully Weight, and smaller questions? (also picture updates!)

jiakurai

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Hey guys. Just curious to see what a healthy weight for my Oscar should be. He's a little over a year and a half and it's kinda worrying me about his weight. He's only 5oz.. Hes not very, i cant say large but i can't say small either. My buddies Sulcatas were half his size or a size and a half at this age.

I asked a bit ago about white urates. That if they have the consistency of a cottage cheese if that was good or bad. I can't find the thread but they came up last night again. But haven't been back for a while.


Also was thinking about ordering some Mazuri? I know a bunch of you guys use it. What's the pros/cons?



Here's a few pictures of Oscar! ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1412547937.112469.jpgImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1412547955.962446.jpgImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1412547970.168158.jpg
 

lismar79

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Tom

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They are normally 5 to 10 times that size at that age. It appears yours has been housed very dry, and this will contribute to the slow growth and pyramiding that is present.

The urates are to be expected with the apparent routine he's been in. Its not necessarily a bad thing, but it does indicate a too dry environment.

Do you want tips on how to fix this problem?
 

jiakurai

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That pyramiding has been there since I got him (a month before a year old). I have been keeping a tally of his pyramiding , and it hasn't gone up in the slightest since i got him.

I spray down his box every day, so it stays humid (no fans run in the room), i feed him (outside, as the pictures permit), as well as water him numerous times a day. Soaks one or two times a week. Vitamins and everything once a week, as well as eye drops. His diet is always different but consistent, no fruits (of course) varied diet.

This little guy is my world. I thought I was doing everything right, but his growth has just alarmed me. So yes, Tom. Tips would be wonderful.
 

lismar79

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Something like this would be worth investing into so you know that your humidity is right on:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Taylor-15...bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&findingMethod=p13n

Sounds like you are on the right track other than if your urates are chunky, I would increase soaks to every other day or even once a day till they become more creamy. Does he have a water dish in his enclosure, big enough for him to fit in?
Mazuri does help increase growth, but you will want to make sure the husbandry is good to promote a healthy increase. Posting pictures of the inside enclosure would help too :)
 

bouaboua

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I have a one and half years old sully too, S/he weight over 5 lb and measured 7 inches at plastron.

Closed chamber is the key.
 

Tom

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So yes, Tom. Tips would be wonderful.

Basically the goal is to simulate the African rainy season that sulcatas hatch into. Conditions during that time are hot, humid, rainy, and there are puddles, marshes and green growing food everywhere.

It is very difficult to simulate this in an open topped enclosure. All the warm humid air just rises up and into the room and you have to use ever hotter bulbs to keep the temperatures correct, but then its too dry so you add more water, but then evaporative cooling sets in, so you need even more heat... Its a vicious cycle. The electric bulbs are needed, but they are extremely desiccating, which contributes to more pyramiding. The key is to stop the warm humid air from "leaking" in the first place. This can really only be accomplished with a closed chamber. Like this: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/

Using a closed chamber is a great first step. Then I would soak daily, spray the carapace with water several times a day, use a thick substrate of damp orchid bark, and offer a humid hide or two for your tortoise to hang out in and sleep in. I would also limit his outside time to an hour or two a day until he gains some size and you see the new growth coming in smoother. That is plenty of time to meet his UV/D3 needs. Stopping the pyramiding will take months, but don't be discouraged. It takes a lot of time and effort to stop pyramiding in progress, but it can be done. My Daisy was similar to your baby. She was super pyramided when I got her, she hardly grew at all for about two years, and it seemed like the pyramiding would never stop. Now, at 7 years old, she's been growing smooth and she's nearly 50 pounds. You can see her here:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/meet-toms-sulcatas.56465/

Check out the thread that Lisa linked above, and here are some more:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
 

jiakurai

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So with the main thing being his chamber. im crafting a hinged top for his enclosure with a clear door. will update when finished
 

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