Sulcata 1 year weight

[Iruhaku]

My Sulcata tortoise is coming up for 1 year old and she is still fairly small. Currently she’s around 3.5 inches long and 150 grams. I’m wondering if this is an ok weight as most places say she’s underweight and got me a little worried but she always has a variety of fresh weeds available to her with regular calcium and reptivite every so often. Her temperatures remain the same as was advised on the forum at 39-41C basking and 27-28C cold end with lower night temps 27-28C and high humidity typically ranging from 70-85% I will be taking her to the exotic vets in the coming week or two but wondered if I should move the date forward,

To me she seems in good health, her pee is the correct consistency kinda like a jelly toothpaste and white, she is bathed for 30 mins every day in 33–35C water and her shell feels smooth. She has UVB (Arcadia T5 tube desert) which is on for 5 hours per day at 11AM to 4PM and Arcadia solar basking floodlight from 8-8

Any help appreciated.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

She is small for her age. How long have you had her? It's possible before you got her, the care was not optimal and her growth slowed down.

How are you checking the temperature and humidity? you don't need a high end thermometer but you also can't rely on those round ones you see in the pet store tanks.

If indeed your temps are accurate she just needs more time to catch up.

 

[Tom]

I agree with Megatron's Mom. Most people don't start them correctly, and it slows their growth tremendously at first. Most of them catch up in time once they are in the correct conditions for a while and receiving the proper care as yours is now.

Try offering some original Mazuri a couple of times per week. The 5M21 type. That will put size and weight on a tortoise.

 

[Iruhaku]

She is small for her age. How long have you had her? It's possible before you got her, the care was not optimal and her growth slowed down.

How are you checking the temperature and humidity? you don't need a high end thermometer but you also can't rely on those round ones you see in the pet store tanks.

If indeed your temps are accurate she just needs more time to catch up.

I use 3 thermopro digital temperature and humidity devices (pictured) with 1 at hot end (under lamp) , middle and cold end. I also have a evo3 smart thermostat system which monitors temperature at basking, UVB (middle) and cold end. I got her at around 10 weeks old so I’ve had her just short of 10 months and she was fairly small when we got her at around 30 grams.

 

[Iruhaku]

I agree with Megatron's Mom. Most people don't start them correctly, and it slows their growth tremendously at first. Most of them catch up in time once they are in the correct conditions for a while and receiving the proper care as yours is now.

Try offering some original Mazuri a couple of times per week. The 5M21 type. That will put size and weight on a tortoise.

I’ve tired to source this Mizuri at some exotic pet shops and others but it’s fairly difficult to find in Scotland. The tortoise shop owner has let me down a lot but I keep harassing to see if he can source.

 

[Tom]

I got her at around 10 weeks old so I’ve had her just short of 10 months and she was fairly small when we got her at around 30 grams.

This detail right here tells the story. This baby was not started correctly. They hatch at around 35 grams. My unusually small hatchlings would be 30-33 grams, normal was 35-40 grams, and my largest hatchings were 40-44 grams. This is on day one out of the egg.

They double their hatch weights by about 4-6 weeks, and by 10 weeks they are all approaching 100 grams.

The size of your baby at 10 weeks old indicates an incorrect start, unless it was some sort of runt before that point. This is common as very few breeders start them correctly anywhere in the world.

If you can't find Mazuri there, try increasing the protein intake a bit by adding more legumes to the diet occasionally. Peas, green beans, fresh grown alfalfa, clover, etc... If you do this, be sure to be doing daily soaks in warm water for 30-40 minutes to maintain excellent hydration.

 

[2wgasa]

I’ve tired to source this Mizuri at some exotic pet shops and others but it’s fairly difficult to find in Scotland. The tortoise shop owner has let me down a lot but I keep harassing to see if he can source.

Thought I had an answer from an old post (https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-can-i-get-mazuri-in-england.55448/) but sadly says out of stock. It does have a notify when available (expensive stuff in UK!)

https://www.tortoisehut.co.uk/product-page/sack-of-mazuri-nutrazu-tortoise-diet

 

[Megatron's Mom]

I use 3 thermopro digital temperature and humidity devices (pictured) with 1 at hot end (under lamp) , middle and cold end. I also have a evo3 smart thermostat system which monitors temperature at basking, UVB (middle) and cold end. I got her at around 10 weeks old so I’ve had her just short of 10 months and she was fairly small when we got her at around 30 grams.

She was just started wrong. Follow Tom's advice to help increase her protein. I'm sure members from your neck of the woods will be able to help find a suitable replacement for Mazuri.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

She was just started wrong. Follow Tom's advice to help increase her protein. I'm sure members from your neck of the woods will be able to help find a suitable replacement for Mazuri.

I wonder if @Littleredfootbigredheart can suggest a pellet?

 

[Iruhaku]

This detail right here tells the story. This baby was not started correctly. They hatch at around 35 grams. My unusually small hatchlings would be 30-33 grams, normal was 35-40 grams, and my largest hatchings were 40-44 grams. This is on day one out of the egg.

They double their hatch weights by about 4-6 weeks, and by 10 weeks they are all approaching 100 grams.

The size of your baby at 10 weeks old indicates an incorrect start, unless it was some sort of runt before that point. This is common as very few breeders start them correctly anywhere in the world.

If you can't find Mazuri there, try increasing the protein intake a bit by adding more legumes to the diet occasionally. Peas, green beans, fresh grown alfalfa, clover, etc... If you do this, be sure to be doing daily soaks in warm water for 30-40 minutes to maintain excellent hydration.

Thanks for the advice. I’ve managed to source some of the mazuri finally and it comes in a few days. I will introduce the legum’s over the coming week and monitor her.

 

[Iruhaku]

She was just started wrong. Follow Tom's advice to help increase her protein. I'm sure members from your neck of the woods will be able to help find a suitable replacement for Mazuri.

I did feel this at the start too when I compared weights. I’ve managed to source the mazuri finally but it does take a while to come. I’ll introduce the legum’s and monitor her. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Iruhaku]

This detail right here tells the story. This baby was not started correctly. They hatch at around 35 grams. My unusually small hatchlings would be 30-33 grams, normal was 35-40 grams, and my largest hatchings were 40-44 grams. This is on day one out of the egg.

They double their hatch weights by about 4-6 weeks, and by 10 weeks they are all approaching 100 grams.

The size of your baby at 10 weeks old indicates an incorrect start, unless it was some sort of runt before that point. This is common as very few breeders start them correctly anywhere in the world.

If you can't find Mazuri there, try increasing the protein intake a bit by adding more legumes to the diet occasionally. Peas, green beans, fresh grown alfalfa, clover, etc... If you do this, be sure to be doing daily soaks in warm water for 30-40 minutes to maintain excellent hydration.

Just like to thank you again, she’s been on the mazuri for around 8 days now and she has went from 150>190 grams. I am trying to keep her diet to around 30-40% mazuri atm with the rest from weeds and others but she absolutely loves the stuff.


Thanks