Marginated tortoise growth

[Shellybob3]

Hi everyone, just wondering if my marginated tortoise who is 18 month old is a reasonable weight of 185g. It seems to be happy but see so many random weight charts, I'm not sure which ones to follow TIA guys

 

[MarginatedMooney]

They all grow at different rates, so a healthy weight for your tortoise may be different than someone else's. 185g sounds good to me for an 18 month old. My nearly 10 month old Marginated just hit 100g.

One thing I've been using is the Donaghue ratio, but I'm not sure how useful it is for Marginateds. It's meant to tell you roughly how much your tortoise should weigh based on its straight carapace length (SCL). It's expressed as SCL^3 × 0.191.

 

[Shellybob3]

They all grow at different rates, so a healthy weight for your tortoise may be different than someone else's. 185g sounds good to me for an 18 month old. My nearly 10 month old Marginated just hit 100g.

One thing I've been using is the Donaghue ratio, but I'm not sure how useful it is for Marginateds. It's meant to tell you roughly how much your tortoise should weigh based on its straight carapace length (SCL). It's expressed as SCL^3 × 0.191.

Thankyou, really appreciate your advice

 

[Posiewosie1]

Is my young marginated tortoise pyramiding. Age 11 months. Underside of belly is a bit like a plastic lid so I think that's correct. Any advice is helpful.

 

[MarginatedMooney]

It's hard for me to tell from the picture. It could have some slight pyramiding but the new growth is smooth. Could you take a picture on the level of the tortoise, not from above? Also, a picture from the front could help.

At that size, soaking every day for 30 minutes, keeping the enclosure humid (~60%+ around the basking lamp, rising to high 80s to 90s at night), and having a humid hide available will help with smooth growth.

Are there two tortoises being housed together, or is that a reflection? It's best to keep them separately because there will always be one that's dominant and it puts stress on them both.
 

 

[zovick]

Is my young marginated tortoise pyramiding. Age 11 months. Underside of belly is a bit like a plastic lid so I think that's correct. Any advice is helpful.

Yes, it is pyramiding. You will need to provide a more humid environment in a closed chamber to stop the process.

 

[Posiewosie1]

It's hard for me to tell from the picture. It could have some slight pyramiding but the new growth is smooth. Could you take a picture on the level of the tortoise, not from above? Also, a picture from the front could help.

At that size, soaking every day for 30 minutes, keeping the enclosure humid (~60%+ around the basking lamp, rising to high 80s to 90s at night), and having a humid hide available will help with smooth growth.

Are there two tortoises being housed together, or is that a reflection? It's best to keep them separately because there will always be one that's dominant and it puts stress on them both.
 

Thanks so much for the reply. I am seperating them tomorrow just waiting on supplies as I only found out today that it would be stressful for them together
I will attach photos of them now. I have only had them for month so feel really concerned that they may have started to pyramid. Thanks.

 

[zovick]

Thanks so much for the reply. I am seperating them tomorrow just waiting on supplies as I only found out today that it would be stressful for them together
I will attach photos of them now. I have only had them for month so feel really concerned that they may have started to pyramid. Thanks.

They are beginning to pyramid, but if you correct their environment so that they have the proper humidity and lighting, etc., you can keep it from continuing to occur.

 

[Posiewosie1]

They are beginning to pyramid, but if you correct their environment so that they have the proper humidity and lighting, etc., you can keep it from continuing to occur.

Not sure if you seen the new pictures can you have a little look at them as been told that the pyramiding isn't too bad on them. I have an arcadia bulb but been advised to change that and will look at making both enclosures so they can be similar to a closed chamber. Thanks.

 

[zovick]

Not sure if you seen the new pictures can you have a little look at them as been told that the pyramiding isn't too bad on them. I have an arcadia bulb but been advised to change that and will look at making both enclosures so they can be similar to a closed chamber. Thanks.

Yes, I saw the pictures. The pyramiding is minimal so far, which is good.

Making their environment(s) more humid will keep their future growth from being pyramided. If you make the proper corrections now, over time the pyramiding they have now should become less and less noticeable.