How much should my tortoises weigh?

Status
Not open for further replies.

HollyH8

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2011
Messages
130
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
I just weighed my sulcata tortoise hatchlings and they both weighed about 25 grams. They are 3 months old today and both are 2in by 2 in. Is that a normal weight for this age? I feel like it's really small. Thanks for your time! :)
 

dmarcus

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2011
Messages
9,036
Location (City and/or State)
Las Vegas, NV
What did you use to weigh your sulcata? I have a hatching box turtle thats 25 grams and your sulcatas are bigger than him..
 
B

byerssusan

Guest
I am not for sure the proper weight I think it differs from each tortoise if I am getting my info right. Or rather understanding the info I get.. I have a 2 month old Sulcata and she is 3 3/4 inches long and 4 inches wide. And weighs 89 grams. I know there are others here who can tell yo a lot more about it. Do you have pics? I love looking at all the pics everyone has
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Holly, are you sure your scale is accurate? That's pretty small. My hatchlings are almost always 34-35 grams. I've had two small ones that were 31 and 32, and one entire clutch that were all 39-41.

I'd love to know why yours are so small and it will be interesting to see how fast they catch up. Do you have any history on the parents?
 

HollyH8

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2011
Messages
130
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
I just used a food scale that I had..I'm not sure how accurate it is but I made sure it was set on zero. I have no history of the parents at all. I'm making sure they're well hydrated by spraying them with a spray bottle 3-4 times a day and soaking them once a day for about 10 minutes so I don't think they are dehydrated. I also let them "run" around outside everyday for about 30 min. I've only had them a week and I have no idea how they were being cared for before I got them.
 
B

byerssusan

Guest
Tom said:
Holly, are you sure your scale is accurate? That's pretty small. My hatchlings are almost always 34-35 grams. I've had two small ones that were 31 and 32, and one entire clutch that were all 39-41.

I'd love to know why yours are so small and it will be interesting to see how fast they catch up. Do you have any history on the parents?

Well since we are on the subject of what is being used to weigh with. I am, going to make sure what I am weighing Phoenix with is okay and is pretty accurate for weighing her. I also measure her with a regular measuring tape
 

Attachments

  • 102_4610.JPG
    102_4610.JPG
    223 KB · Views: 56

jesst

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2011
Messages
602
Location (City and/or State)
Florida
That seems pretty small although I am no expert. I got a gram scale from Walmart for $20 and that is what I use to weigh Morla, which I do weekly to make sure she is gaining and to monitor how much she is gaining. She is we think 6 months and 89 grams
 

HollyH8

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2011
Messages
130
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
I may be reading the scale wrong because I'm not positive on how to read a food scale that isn't digital. My scale measures in oz, grams and pounds. And it showed they were almost 1 oz which I figured was about 25 grams. Please help! I want to make sure they aren't abnormally slow growing. Also another question, does every hatchling have what kinda looks like a spine on their shell? Thanks!
 

sulcatababies1402

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2011
Messages
319
Location (City and/or State)
Georgetown/Hutto/Austin,Tx
jesst said:
That seems pretty small although I am no expert. I got a gram scale from Walmart for $20 and that is what I use to weigh Morla, which I do weekly to make sure she is gaining and to monitor how much she is gaining. She is we think 6 months and 89 grams

Wow Bowser is around 3months maybe and he weighs in at 89 grams lol but he is a porker :p Peach isn't too far behind weighing in at 67 grams and is 2months about.Guess I'm raising the giants lol :p
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
HollyH8 said:
I may be reading the scale wrong because I'm not positive on how to read a food scale that isn't digital. My scale measures in oz, grams and pounds. And it showed they were almost 1 oz which I figured was about 25 grams. Please help! I want to make sure they aren't abnormally slow growing. Also another question, does every hatchling have what kinda looks like a spine on their shell? Thanks!

1 ounce = 28.3 grams, but that would be very small even for a brand new hatchling.

Take a picture of the "spine" and let us check it out. I use tinypic.com to post pics. Very easy. Where is the spine? Is it sort of a raised ridge on the carapace on the scute just above the head?
 

HollyH8

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2011
Messages
130
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
Tom said:
1 ounce = 28.3 grams, but that would be very small even for a brand new hatchling.

Take a picture of the "spine" and let us check it out. I use tinypic.com to post pics. Very easy. Where is the spine? Is it sort of a raised ridge on the carapace on the scute just above the head?

It's really hard to tell from a picture but it's directly in the middle of the carapace it goes from head to tail kinda like a persons. You can feel it. I have no idea if that's normal in tortoises or if mine are "special"?

image-2891033757.png
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
That looks normal to me.

Does your tortoise still have an egg tooth? A little sharp point at the tip of his snout?
How long have you had him and how do you know the age?

He looks good, but he doesn't look three months old to me.
 

cemmons12

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 1, 2011
Messages
2,801
Location (City and/or State)
Greenfield, In.
At 2 months Cooper was around 70 grams, now at 11 months he is 808 grams. I don't see where there is a correct weight for Sulcata's. I think as long as they eat good and poop good, and put on some weight, then that's a healthy Sully weight. Altho I am still pretty new to the tortoise world so my opinion my just be worthless. But I am happy with Coopers weight gain. Have a great day! :)
 

HollyH8

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2011
Messages
130
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
Tom said:
That looks normal to me.

Does your tortoise still have an egg tooth? A little sharp point at the tip of his snout?
How long have you had him and how do you know the age?

He looks good, but he doesn't look three months old to me.

I have two and they both seem to have their egg tooth. A lady was selling a bunch of hatchlings at a garage sale that I just happened to stop at and she said they were roughly 2 months old..I then went on craigslist and noticed she had an ad that stated they were 11 weeks 2 weeks before I got them so that would have been about 3 months that is if they are the same tortoises since she had a lot. I have had them both for 4 weeks now. How old do you think they are roughly? Thanks!

First pic is when I first got them:

image-2665890030.png

And now:

image-3523977236.png


View attachment 13322


View attachment 13323
 

jesst

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2011
Messages
602
Location (City and/or State)
Florida
As long as they are looking healthy and eating the weight will start to pour on. I have had my morla for 7 weeks tomorrow and she has only gained 30 grams since we have had her. She eats 2 times a day and always finishes everything. I soak her every day and spray her as much as possible, but she seems to go through little patches of weight gain. She doesnt have any parasites, I work in an animal hospital so I check them whenever I feel it is needed. So getting back to yoir little guys, they look great just remember that they all gain weight at different rates. I find that using prepackaged food make them gain weight faster. I only use them 1-2 times per week. Good luck and they will start to grow before you know it
 

HollyH8

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2011
Messages
130
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
jesst said:
As long as they are looking healthy and eating the weight will start to pour on. I have had my morla for 7 weeks tomorrow and she has only gained 30 grams since we have had her. She eats 2 times a day and always finishes everything. I soak her every day and spray her as much as possible, but she seems to go through little patches of weight gain. She doesnt have any parasites, I work in an animal hospital so I check them whenever I feel it is needed. So getting back to yoir little guys, they look great just remember that they all gain weight at different rates. I find that using prepackaged food make them gain weight faster. I only use them 1-2 times per week. Good luck and they will start to grow before you know it

Thank You! :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top