Still new

[mons4bz]

We've had her a lil over a year, Im constantly worrying as to whether she is growing well, I mean she looks fine to me, she loves to have her head rubbed and enjoys her lil cotton ball baths, always leaves her plate empty but I worry nonetheless, any input would be appreciated.t

 

[Yvonne G]

I hope I'm not going to sound ignorant, but what kind of tortoise is this?

 

[wellington]

Looks like a sulcata, but hard to tell.

 

[mons4bz]

Oh yes sulcata!!

 

[Yvonne G]

That doesn't look like the same tortoise that's in the enclosure in the other thread.

The tortoise in this thread is very small for a yearling. It also looks very thin, as you can see in the upper front legs.

Does this tortoise have a good appetite? You might take a stool sample to a vet and have them check it for worms.

 

[mons4bz]

It is, only some time has passed. And yes she eats very well

 

[mons4bz]

How would she get worms? I say she even though I'm not really sure of her gender

 

[crimson_lotus]

I'm no expert, but her legs do look super tiny. Wouldn't hurt to just check for worms just to be sure

 

[Yvonne G]

Ok...I know I'm being picky, however, you asked if your tortoise looks ok, then you post an old picture of the tortoise. If you want us to give you good info, you need to post good pictures. Post a current picture of the tortoise please. Sulcata tortoises do an awful lot of growing in that first year. I'm thinking the picture in this thread is of a brand new, and tiny hatchling, not a yearling like you've said your sulcata is. So naturally, we can't give you a good answer. All hatchlings look good (except your hatchling looks thin).

 

[mons4bz]

So sorry for the misunderstanding..
The picture above is from this morning.. I dont know what I was thinking.. The picture I was referring to was of her in her enclosure which was not as recent. And I'm not even sure which she is a yearling or a hatchling, we've had her just over a year my son just brought her home one day, but nonetheless we fell in love with her at first sight

 

[mons4bz]

Did that make sense??

 

[Yvonne G]

Lol! Yes, very sensible. So you've had the tortoise for a year. It was probably a hatchling when you got it so we can assume its a little over a year of age. I'd say the tortoise has something lacking in its care. It's very small for a yearling. In order to grow properly a baby tortoise needs (in order of importance): a humid environment, the correct temperature, the right food and a nice variety of it, and exercise.

Please tell us the temperatures all over the floor of the habitat - directly under the light, at one end and then at the other end. Also tell us what you feed the tortoise. And then I'd like to know the type of light you have over the habitat - brand name, etc.

 

[mons4bz]

Ive feed her spinach, kale,parsley, carrots,squash, tomatoes, some rose petals, we put her on the grass a lot as well, I'm looking for the box for light

 

[mons4bz]

I've never taken the temp of her floor we leave the light on that we picked up at a pet store, we keep a section where she burrows down under a rock.. And half of the enclosure is periodically covered depending on the weather, she always has a shade spot to retreat too..

 

[Yvonne G]

I think a change is indicated in the variety of foods you offer. Spinach binds calcium so it gets excreted and not available inside the tortoise an should be fed sparingly. Kale is a goitrogen and should only be fed occasionally. Parsley is high in oxalates and if fed too much with not enough water/hydration can lead to bladder stones. Carrots have a lot of sugar. Squash is a fruit and should be fed sparingly. Same with tomatoes. Here's a link to a nice list of foods you can choose from for a better variety:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sulcata-diet-sheet.52677/

 

[mons4bz]

thank you!

 

[mons4bz]

Ok so I wasn't able to open link but nonetheless, it seems natural vegetation is what's best for her...hope its not to much but I'm posting pics of our backyard hoping someone can tell me what's good, cause I have no idea what the name of any of our plants are...

 

[mons4bz]

Oops here are the rest

 

[Yvonne G]

Ok so I wasn't able to open link but nonetheless, it seems natural vegetation is what's best for her...hope its not to much but I'm posting pics of our backyard hoping someone can tell me what's good, cause I have no idea what the name of any of our plants are...

Oh, man o man...that looks like my sister's front porch. The only thing I see there that's tortoise food is the spider plant.

 

[Yvonne G]

In the second group of pix, the only thing I see that's edible is the grass.