Officially a year old

[diamondbp]

My 3 sulcatas from my first clutch ever last year. They have reached the year mark and are doing great. Although they aren't as smooth as I would like they still are beautiful too me.

 

[Tom]

They look good to me. While they may not be perfect in your eyes, they are a thousand times better than the year old sulcatas of yesteryear when so many of us kept them dry and on rabbit pellets.

 

[diamondbp]

Thanks Tom. You're right they are way better than the past decades of the poor sulcatas who lived in dried out enclosures. They will be moved outside next year on my property where they are sure to grow beautifully like there parents.

 

[DeanS]

What Tom said. All the new experiments with closed chambers...are producing pretty much what you have there...which is a damn sight better than what was being produced five years ago. Mom and Pop look great too!

 

[diamondbp]

Yeh Dean my female was raised by my older brother on Rabit pellets for the first few years of her life with no water available ever. But luckily once she was 7 inches in length she was set free in the yard and began to grow smoothly after that. My male was raised correctly from the beginning even though I didn't realize I was raising it correctly lol. I live in Louisiana so the humidity is always very high but he was outside from 3 inches on and is super smooth and now a STUD.

On a side note I've been wanting to mention to Tom that my male actually fertilized a female at the shell length of 12 inches. Which I know seems to strange to be true but I promise you he was still small when he first fertilized my brothers other female. Have you ever heard of a male being that small and still being able to do the job?

 

[Tom]

Yeh Dean my female was raised by my older brother on Rabit pellets for the first few years of her life with no water available ever. But luckily once she was 7 inches in length she was set free in the yard and began to grow smoothly after that. My male was raised correctly from the beginning even though I didn't realize I was raising it correctly lol. I live in Louisiana so the humidity is always very high but he was outside from 3 inches on and is super smooth and now a STUD.

On a side note I've been wanting to mention to Tom that my male actually fertilized a female at the shell length of 12 inches. Which I know seems to strange to be true but I promise you he was still small when he first fertilized my brothers other female. Have you ever heard of a male being that small and still being able to do the job?

That would be the smallest I've heard of actually successfully "completing" the job. Many try at a smaller age, but I have not seen a fertile egg result from one smaller than 13-14". Interesting.

 

[RuthJanice]

Happy Birthday to your Sullies -- my one year old looks much the same (not as smooth as I wish) so I am glad to hear that Tom and Dean think they look good -- they are beautiful.

 

[cemmons12]

Happy Birthday Sully babies! They looks just fine to me! The parents look good also, and looks like their having a good time!

 

[diamondbp]

Yeh Dean my female was raised by my older brother on Rabit pellets for the first few years of her life with no water available ever. But luckily once she was 7 inches in length she was set free in the yard and began to grow smoothly after that. My male was raised correctly from the beginning even though I didn't realize I was raising it correctly lol. I live in Louisiana so the humidity is always very high but he was outside from 3 inches on and is super smooth and now a STUD.

On a side note I've been wanting to mention to Tom that my male actually fertilized a female at the shell length of 12 inches. Which I know seems to strange to be true but I promise you he was still small when he first fertilized my brothers other female. Have you ever heard of a male being that small and still being able to do the job?

That would be the smallest I've heard of actually successfully "completing" the job. Many try at a smaller age, but I have not seen a fertile egg result from one smaller than 13-14". Interesting.

Yeh Tom he was definitely no larger than 12 inches. The female was young as well, only 16 inches in length. I will see if I can dig up the picture of the first time I saw him mount her. They were only introduced to each other for four months before she laid her first clutch. I believe I have pictures of him mounting her plus her laying, that way you could see the size he was.

A buddy of mine who also breeds sulcatas was schocked when I told him that the eggs were fertile. He thought it was impossible due to his size.

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Yeh Dean my female was raised by my older brother on Rabit pellets for the first few years of her life with no water available ever. But luckily once she was 7 inches in length she was set free in the yard and began to grow smoothly after that. My male was raised correctly from the beginning even though I didn't realize I was raising it correctly lol. I live in Louisiana so the humidity is always very high but he was outside from 3 inches on and is super smooth and now a STUD.

On a side note I've been wanting to mention to Tom that my male actually fertilized a female at the shell length of 12 inches. Which I know seems to strange to be true but I promise you he was still small when he first fertilized my brothers other female. Have you ever heard of a male being that small and still being able to do the job?

That would be the smallest I've heard of actually successfully "completing" the job. Many try at a smaller age, but I have not seen a fertile egg result from one smaller than 13-14". Interesting.

---

Those pictures I just posted were in the spring. She laid 8 eggs (two cracked in the nest) and 3 of the six eggs were fertile resulting in the 3 yearlings picture. As you can see in the picture the male was much smaller than he is now a year and half later. The picture of just the female was right after she laid the eggs. The picture of them mating was a few weeks before. I just thought it was interesting.

 

[srod]

Your yearlings look great! My Louisiana-raised sully also just turned a year and looks very similar to yours

 

[diamondbp]

Thanks! Yep Louisiana is a good state to raise sullies in.

 

[Urtle]

Nope, they are absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing btw

 

[mainey34]

Very nice..you have done well...