Yoda the tortoise
Member
Hi, I have an suclata tortoise which is two years old he's about 5 inches long, 3 wide, and an half an pound (the sizes may be off by an inch),thanks.
Is he an "Ok size"?
- Thread starter Yoda the tortoise
- Start date
Ben02
Well-Known Member
I’ve heard of baby sulcatas growing like a weed being at 900 grams by a year old. Was this baby raised dry? Torts that are raised dry generally grow at a slower rate
Have you had him from a hatchling??? It does seem a bit small but that doesn’t mean he isn’t ok.. can we see pictures of your tortoise and his set up? Maybe someone can help improve his quality of life... or just reassure you that everything is fine and he is a slow grower???
Yoda the tortoise
Member
If you mean dry by substrate being dry them yes, I've been trying to keep his bedding moist.
Ben02
Well-Known Member
Did the breeder keep him moist?
Yoda the tortoise
Member
I've bought him from this place and he was the size as a hatchling, about a few days of weeks old. I'm not quit sure if the breeder kept the bedding moist.
Ben02
Well-Known Member
Well if he’s gaining weight, eating, doing tort stuff than I think your fine
Yoda the tortoise
Member
Here are some pics of his setup and yoda, and he seems to be gaining weight.
Have you had him checked for parasites? Those will slow his growth.
Yoda the tortoise
Member
No, I haven't How do I know he has parasites before getting him checked?
Yoda the tortoise
Member
Yoda weighs 202 grams, at 2 years old.
Ben02
Well-Known Member
Diarrhoea is a symptom of having parasites, along with lack of appetite and activity. 202 grams is very small for a two year old sulcata, have you checked your scales to see if they give correct results?
How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0
https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...ealthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/
For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata...
https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/For-Those-Who-Have-a-Young-Sulcata....76744/
If you haven’t found the care sheets on Sulcatas yet, here is a couple links to get you going. I can’t tell a whole lot from your pics, but his enclosure looks way too small. Proper Temperature and humidity are essential for a healthy and thriving tortoise and you’ll have to create a good environment to achieve that. I hope this info helps a little.
https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...ealthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/
For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata...
https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/For-Those-Who-Have-a-Young-Sulcata....76744/
If you haven’t found the care sheets on Sulcatas yet, here is a couple links to get you going. I can’t tell a whole lot from your pics, but his enclosure looks way too small. Proper Temperature and humidity are essential for a healthy and thriving tortoise and you’ll have to create a good environment to achieve that. I hope this info helps a little.
Yoda the tortoise
Member
His enclosure is a 4 by 2. It will also be hard to expand because I have my bearded dragons cage under his. He hasn't had diarrhea, he only poops when I put him in some warm water for a while.(When I got him i didn't do my research like I should've, but I'm glad I stepped up my game and started doing it) thanks for all of yalls help. Is there any way that I can up my humidity easier in his cage, he has an open top enclosure. can I put something like a clear shower curtain over his cage to keep the humidity in? Yes it's 202/ about half a pound.
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Yoda the tortoise
Member
hes about the size of cozmo robot, he is still acting like a healthy tortoise, vet said he is healthy
There are lots of ways to rig an enclosure for a temporary fix. I have used the Christmas tree totes for my babies and it worked well..... BUT.... what’s your long term plans? Tortoises that get BIG require BIGGER spaces... there is a whole section on enclosures that you can get some ideas from... good luck!
Yoda the tortoise
Member
Yea, I'm not going to keep him when inside when he gets big,I'm just going to let him roam around the back yard. I also plan to build him a outdoor cage soon , and keep him outdoor about all day and keep him indoor while it's storming, at night, or too cold.
Ben02
Well-Known Member
Sulcatas are very, very messy when big so that may be a problem if he lives indoors.
Yoda the tortoise
Member
Sorry I didn't explain it right, I ment keep him indoors while he is little and not too big.
Sometimes the only symptom to having parasites is that they don't grow quickly. You might check a fresh poop to see if it has tiny white worms in it. The proof positive way is to take a fresh poop to the vet for a fecal float.
