gozzilla
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Over the past 2 weeks I've been weighing my sulcata, the weight hasn't really changed. (I weigh him in grams) the weight has actually lowered by a gram. Is this bad? He eats constantly.
How fast should my sulcata gain weight?
- Thread starter gozzilla
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spud's_mum
Well-Known Member
Has he pooped? It can make all the difference.
If not, I've heard something about parasites stopping weight gain.
gozzilla
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He poops 1-2 times a day. (Normally 2 times a day but only once for the past couple of days) What are some of the symptoms of parasites?
Growth rates vary wildly and depend on many factors. Lack of growth in a hatchling over a period of weeks is sometimes a sign of chronic dehydration issues from the first few days and weeks before you got the tortoise.
If the kidneys or other internal organs were damaged by chronic dehydration before you got the tortoise, then there is not much you can do about it. Just offer good conditions, daily soaks, a good diet, and hope for the best.
Do you know what this baby's history is? How often was it soaked in the first few days and weeks after hatching? Did it stay in the incubator or get put into a brooder box? What was the incubation media?
If the kidneys or other internal organs were damaged by chronic dehydration before you got the tortoise, then there is not much you can do about it. Just offer good conditions, daily soaks, a good diet, and hope for the best.
Do you know what this baby's history is? How often was it soaked in the first few days and weeks after hatching? Did it stay in the incubator or get put into a brooder box? What was the incubation media?
Ugh... I hate it when this happens. I love Loren. He is a friend. But he has a lot of orders to fill and he buys babies from many different breeders to get his customers what they need. The problem is that, still, to this day, most breeders are still starting sulcata babies far too dry. Now I don't want to jump to conclusions here, but the "started-too-dry-at-the-breeder's-place" thing is usually the reason for lack of growth like this. My sulcata hatchlings are usually over 60 grams by 8 weeks and some of them are approaching 80 grams, so something is amiss somewhere.
I hate posting this thread, but you need to read it. Don't give up or assume the worst, some of them pull through.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/
Do not fall into the trap of weighing your tort any more than once a week ... Fortnightly is fine!
Your tort's weight varies from hour to hour throughout the day, just like yours does, as he eats, exercises, rests and poops.
You are looking for a trend over time. So weighing weekly or fortnightly, at roughly the same time of day each time, gives you more consistency and helps to stop you becoming neurotic
Your tort's weight varies from hour to hour throughout the day, just like yours does, as he eats, exercises, rests and poops.
You are looking for a trend over time. So weighing weekly or fortnightly, at roughly the same time of day each time, gives you more consistency and helps to stop you becoming neurotic
gozzilla
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I have been weighing him every other day... And the amount of food he eats has doubled along with his activity. The shell is also hardening up fairly quickly. And about the weight changing throughout the day, I weighed him an hour ago and then I sat him back in the enclosure and then he pooped so I weighed him again and he had lost a gram haha.
gozzilla
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And it is at 53g (the first time I posted a weight I forgot to subtract the weight of the paper towel...)
gozzilla
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so ive made a mistake, he has gained to grams in the past two weeks. the paper towel messed me up, sorry you guys.
Apologize to yourself for making you all crazy …!
LOL. I have done that before. Your profile picture is precious. Welcome!
gozzilla
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Just an update. I weighed him today and he's now at 75g.
Speedy-1
Well-Known Member
Glad to hear it , sometimes we can be worry warts !
Alaskamike
Well-Known Member
The young ones ( under 4 yrs ) that I have raised were weighed once a month on the 1 st. Mainly to insure they didn't lose wt.
My idea was that as long as they were eating , hydrated , active + sunlight I was not going to worry.
With Sulcata , my Aldabra, and leopards I found the gains varied month to month from 5% - 12%.
With an average of 7-8%.
I
My idea was that as long as they were eating , hydrated , active + sunlight I was not going to worry.
With Sulcata , my Aldabra, and leopards I found the gains varied month to month from 5% - 12%.
With an average of 7-8%.
I
Good info. I am admittedly pushing my tortoise growth. Plenty of heat and twice a day feedings.
I am averaging about 10% a month growth with young tortoises.
I give Dozer fresh food 3-4 times a day as she doesn't like it once it wilts. Heat 85+. She gets soaked 1-2x a day. Outside time daily to graze and get sunshine. She was 8 weeks old 5 days ago and weighed 90 grams. I keep a chart of her weekly weight and monthly length. Her slowest growth was one week at 8.70% growth. Her fastest week (week 4) she had a 30% increase in weight for the week!
sullygirl85
Active Member
Wow that is awesome!! I was worried about my little Rosie as she only weighed 38 grams at 2 months old, but I weighed her today, three days later and she gained 3 grams
I must be doing something right
Or she really needs a good crapping.Wow that is awesome!! I was worried about my little Rosie as she only weighed 38 grams at 2 months old, but I weighed her today, three days later and she gained 3 grams
sullygirl85
Active Member
Lol that could be too.. She's eating and drinking. I soak her everyday for 60 minutes... What could be wrong?
