My Tortoise Spoke Again

[Sally Franklin Christie]

I mentioned the other day that my tortoise squeaked the other day.

I do not know how big or how fast she is supposed to be growing. She is a 2 year old. I will celebrate a year with her on 4 October.

She is quite the chow hound and heavy. I could weigh and measure her if someone can use the info to tell me if I am feeding her into obesity.

Anyway, today, I gave her 2 Musuri kibbles soaked in water. She chowed. Then I heard the little squeak noise again.

She was at the glass looking right at me. I soaked a third kibble and it appeared to satisfy her.

I think she was begging for food. I also think she recognizes me. I know torts have got to be smart. I had a box turtle who got away from us in our East Yard. We looked everywhere, in the high grass, under the trees. When we gave up we found her waiting at our front door. She made it all the way across the yard and up the ramp!

Anyway, if I give her weight, should I just measure her bottom shell from stem to stern or would I measure or try from her nose to her tail? Should I measure across? Do I measure how high she is?

Sally thanks you...

 

[ascott]

measure from end to end of the shell....lay down a ruler/tape measure and then place the tort on it and you will find your length

Squeaking noise unto itself is not that uncommon....also, perhaps she almost has you trained...lol

 

[Sally Franklin Christie]

Hello again.

It was a circus, minus the elephants.

I tried to measure her, she kept moving. I tried to weigh and take a photo and she backed off the scale right after I clicked and tumbled tail over teakettle with the scale onto the floor.

She is okay.

I'll try to attach a photo or two. She is about 5 1/2 inches and 11 ounces.

 

[Moozillion]

I would try putting an empty plastic bowl on the scale, and weigh it. Then put your tort in the bowl and weigh it again. If you subtract the weight of the empty bowl from the weight of the tortoise + bowl, that should be her weight. I would never be able to weigh Elsa if she wasn't confined! Amazing how strong those little legs are!!!

 

[laney]

I dont like to see them struggle but i know some people will quickly weigh them on their backs so the cant scramble off.
On a side note she could be a he judging by that second pic!?

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

I dont like to see them struggle but i know some people will quickly weigh them on their backs so the cant scramble off.
On a side note she could be a he judging by that second pic!?

That's how I weigh mine...upside down on the scale. Takes about 20 seconds per tortoise.

And, yeah, Sally Franklin Christie, you should think of a good masculine name for him...definitely a male!

 

[nate.mann]

well look at the tail on that fellow. haha. no way of mistaking that one, certainly a little man there.


0.1.0 Russian tortoise
0.1.0 Sonoran Desert Tortoise
1.0.0 Bluenose Pit/American Bulldog