How fast can red foot tortoises grow in best weather & environments?

willee638

Active Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2020
Messages
283
Location (City and/or State)
HK
Hi, I recently saw an IG post of someone weighing their red foot tortoise on a digital scale & a comparison photo purportedly to be the same tortoise only one month later but has doubled the size & weight, I would like to know if under the best circumstances & environment can this fast rate of growth be possible? I'm a first time red foot tortoise pet owner & I fed her a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, some meats & tortoise feeds & takes her 4-5 days per week outdoors to grass fields for 1 hour each time for natural sunlight. But my tort was only able to double it's size & weight in 4 months which if compared to the IG post it should be initially from 250+g to 1 kilograms in just 4 months period.
 

Toddrickfl1

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 7, 2018
Messages
7,103
Location (City and/or State)
Ga
My youngest Redfoot gained about 25-40 grams a month. The only way I think a Redfoot would double in size in one months is maybe the first month after it hatches.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
I absolutely do believe that different environments and differences in nutrition and hydration can and do change the growing rates of a Redfoot.
So do circumstances in the same location. such as stress.
There are many variables in how quickly one will grow.
And Ive seen with my own eyes how one in an ideal environment will grow twice as fast as one that is not.
However, doubling in size and weight in one month is very unbelievable.
Regardless.
Always weigh before a soak. That alone can change the weight dramatically. Especially in a baby.
 

willee638

Active Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2020
Messages
283
Location (City and/or State)
HK
Thanks all for the insights, I think all of the above mentioned possibilities are a factor in the tortoise's growth rates. But I believe the post on IG was most probably a hoax, I doubt even the happiest tortoises can't manage to eat it's way to double it's size in a month. I can't even if I wanted to force my red foot to eat an extra bite if she doesn't want to, My red foot often ignore & refuses to eat if the same foods is offered to her more than once in a short period of time in the next few days....
 

New Posts

Top