How quickly do they grow?

[Cksnffr]

I got a Hermann's tortoise about four months ago. At the time, he was about 8 months old, so he's about a year now. I'm going to guess he was about 2 inches long when I got him and he's about 2.25 inches long now. At most he probably has grown half an inch in the four months that I've had him.

Is this normal? I don't really know what to expect in terms of growth rate.

He (or she) arrived pretty well hooked on Mazuri. I've been trying to get him to eat spring mix and timothy hay, but I have to mix wet Mazuri into those. He does like dandelions a lot.

 

[diamondbp]

Sounds normal. They grow slower than other species. Mine are roughly a year old

 

[reatrocity]

Oh wow diamond! For some reason I was under the impression they grow so much faster. Yours don't look much different at all from my baby tort, and mine was born Mid-July. Puts me a bit at ease about growth. Your babies look beautiful.

 

[Tom]

There are many factors that determine the growth rate. Temperatures, diet and hydration, being a few big ones. Yours sounds pretty normal, but its hard to say with just length estimates. Get a kitchen gram scale from Walmart or Target and weigh your baby weekly to keep track of trends.

Your tortoise is not likely to eat grass hay unless its finely blended and mix with the other food, even then Testudo are not really grass eaters. Your baby needs broadleaf weeds, and certain leaves like mulberry, hibiscus or grape. Most people grow their own. For grocery store foods try endive and escarole.