Knobby...

[Maggie3fan]

This is what Knobby looked like when the local wild life shelter called me to come to get him.
You will notice I am holding him up with one hand...

almost 3 years later, this is Knobby...notice that all his new growth is smooth...
He is a real easy keeper and makes grand Sulcata trails in his pen...


He goes down into the box turtle pond (empty now) and grazes away keeping that grass shortened...I will put water in it when it's warmer and Knobs will go in the water...
He is such an easy keeper...he causes no trouble and just eats all day...
he's not very pretty, but I really like him...his face looks like the lion in Wizard of Oz...

His new growth is smooth, he's 38 lbs now...

 

[Yvonne G]

Aw. What a sweet face!

 

[Peggy Sue]

Oh he is beautiful! Love his face ? he sure has grown in smooth since you brought him home. I love when you post pictures of your big guys ❤️?

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

Love the face

 

[Maggie3fan]

I am amazed about Knobby on a daily basis...He has a great big personality...he knows what he wants and he's just a pleasure to keep...However...he has a dark side as well...he has 'gatedar' better than any tortoise I have known...he spends his whole day looking for trouble to get into...and generally finds it. I felt he has out grown his pen so I opened up my 'quarantine'pen as I'm not rescuing anymore...

and he has made a small pen that was full of grass and weeds into a Sulcata trail pen...in 2 days he changed the complete look of the pen.
He also became interested in the hide...he couldn't fit under it...so he's dug and dug so he can get in it...and then he decided that getting on it would be more fun
so determined...

Oh yeah! Gate was open!

oh sun...think I'll nap here...

 

[Yvonne G]

He looks very different from when you first got him.

 

[Maggie3fan]

He looks very different from when you first got him.

I know he's always going to look deformed...but I am so proud of the way he has grown...he loves to be outside all day...Big Sam comes out for a meal and spends his day inside his shed under a MVB...Knobby is active all day...rain or shine...to me he is a typical Sulcata...sort of like Pit Bulls...they forgive any wrong done to them and they simply want to be outside poopin and playing...
this is an area I just cleared of blackberries...this will be Knobby's new pen with his own doggie door...I'm working hard at it...

 

[KronksMom]

How long have you had him, Maggie? It's incredible to see how far he's come. Good care really does make all the difference!

 

[Maggie3fan]

How long have you had him, Maggie? It's incredible to see how far he's come. Good care really does make all the difference!

Thank you...I think I've had him for almost 3 years...maybe 4...I can't even remember my name most of the time...lol...but Knobs is just an easy keeper...throw him outside daily and he is active eating and getting into trouble...I can hardly wait until his new pen is finished...I'm working hard on it...

 

[KronksMom]

How old do you think he is? It's crazy how that much damage can be done in such a short time, and then so much good growth can happen so fast! 4 years seems like just a drop in the bucket for an animal that can live 70.

 

[iAmCentrochelys sulcata]

I’ve always wondered how to tortoises get smoother at that age, Pyramiding occurs when there’s low humidity levels right.
What did you do to make the upcoming growth not pyramid. Without a controlled humidity?

 

[Maggie3fan]

I’ve always wondered how to tortoises get smoother at that age, Pyramiding occurs when there’s low humidity levels right.
What did you do to make the upcoming growth not pyramid. Without a controlled humidity?

Pyramiding is caused from numerous things...incorrect diet...incorrect lighting...wrong humidity...started dry...Tom can tell you more...typing hurts my fingers...but what I did to make sure Knobby would do better is... putting him outside at every opportunity...making sure his diet is good...growing most of his food in Spring and Summer...forcing him to go in water...he's had access to the box turtle pool so I've been forcing him to swim...he must have had a very bad experience with water because he is petrified of it...I have never seen him drink...but I haven't given up yet...I say 'swim' but the water is not even up to his bridge...he's just too afraid of it...

 

[Maggie3fan]

I’ve always wondered how to tortoises get smoother at that age, Pyramiding occurs when there’s low humidity levels right.
What did you do to make the upcoming growth not pyramid. Without a controlled humidity?

And just why do you assume I can't control humidity for him? 1. I live in a state where it rains 7 months out of 12...2. I run a humidifier 5 nights a week in the tort shed...3. in the hotter weather I run sprinklers in their pens...granted I can't measure (or just don't) the humidity...but people in Oregon don't tan they rust...68 and sun yesterday...rained most of the night...gonna be 74 today...believe me...there's humidity...

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

And just why do you assume I can't control humidity for him? 1. I live in a state where it rains 7 months out of 12...2. I run a humidifier 5 nights a week in the tort shed...3. in the hotter weather I run sprinklers in their pens...granted I can't measure (or just don't) the humidity...but people in Oregon don't tan they rust...68 and sun yesterday...rained most of the night...gonna be 74 today...believe me...there's humidity...

Love his name! Knobby

 

[Yvonne G]

I know he's always going to look deformed...but I am so proud of the way he has grown...he loves to be outside all day...Big Sam comes out for a meal and spends his day inside his shed under a MVB...Knobby is active all day...rain or shine...to me he is a typical Sulcata...sort of like Pit Bulls...they forgive any wrong done to them and they simply want to be outside poopin and playing...
this is an area I just cleared of blackberries...this will be Knobby's new pen with his own doggie door...I'm working hard at it...View attachment 293560

Get down on your hands and knees (wear thick jeans) and check the bottom of that wire to make sure it's sturdy enough that he can't push under it. Many's the sulcata that went under a wire fence

 

[Maggie3fan]

Get down on your hands and knees (wear thick jeans) and check the bottom of that wire to make sure it's sturdy enough that he can't push under it. Many's the sulcata that went under a wire fence

Thanks for the advice...I am also going to line the bottom of the fence with 2X6's...so I'm hoping he can't see out...and I have some scrap plywood too...remember i was taught to save any wood...so I do...

 

[Maggie3fan]

Love his name! Knobby

To me he looks like a dirt bike tire...Knobbys

 

[Maggie3fan]

How old do you think he is? It's crazy how that much damage can be done in such a short time, and then so much good growth can happen so fast! 4 years seems like just a drop in the bucket for an animal that can live 70.

For me there is no way to know how old he is. Some guy from Portland (100 mi away) found Knobby walking in downtown Portland...so he brought him down here (he lives here) and he gave him to the local wildlife rescue and they called me....For whatever reason I think he's 8 or 9...

 

[KronksMom]

I'd trust your gut. I'd like to post some really accurate photos of Kronk and have some people guess, but for some reason I have a feeling he's around 10-15. But I know there's no real way to know for sure unless you've followed their entire life. I just wonder. I wonder about everything though. I have never ending questions, like a toddler. I also tend to put things in my mouth that I shouldn't, but that's a whole other problem... lol

 

[iAmCentrochelys sulcata]

And just why do you assume I can't control humidity for him? 1. I live in a state where it rains 7 months out of 12...2. I run a humidifier 5 nights a week in the tort shed...3. in the hotter weather I run sprinklers in their pens...granted I can't measure (or just don't) the humidity...but people in Oregon don't tan they rust...68 and sun yesterday...rained most of the night...gonna be 74 today...believe me...there's humidity...

You misunderstood me.