Tiny Russian tortoise!?

[mila.d]

Hey everyone! I've had my tortoise puka since March. At the time i was under the impression she was only about three months old but i found out she hatched back in late August/ early September. Once i found out i immediately took her to the vet which was in April and was told she is very tiny for her age. She was also a bit squishy which meant that her breeder didn't care for her as well as i thought. Since then I've been focusing on feeding her more filling food and such and feeding her supplements such as her daily calcium and weekly multivitamin as the vet recommended. She also has an outdoor enclosure at the moment with the appropriate temps and when she is inside i have the appropriate lighting. Quite honestly i don't think we are getting much progress. She has only gained about 30 grams since her visit and she is still slightly squishy. Any tips???? I just want to make sure she is healthy.

 

[mila.d]

View attachment 345821

Hey everyone! I've had my tortoise puka since March. At the time i was under the impression she was only about three months old but i found out she hatched back in late August/ early September. Once i found out i immediately took her to the vet which was in April and was told she is very tiny for her age. She was also a bit squishy which meant that her breeder didn't care for her as well as i thought. Since then I've been focusing on feeding her more filling food and such and feeding her supplements such as her daily calcium and weekly multivitamin as the vet recommended. She also has an outdoor enclosure at the moment with the appropriate temps and when she is inside i have the appropriate lighting. Quite honestly i don't think we are getting much progress. She has only gained about 30 grams since her visit and she is still slightly squishy. Any tips???? I just want to make sure she is healthy.

Also I am referring to Puka as a her because the vet said even though it's too early to tell she thinks puka might be a girl.

 

[Grace-Sophia]

How long have you had the tort?
Can we please see photos of her enclosure?
Can we get her weight in grams and her size in inches?
How old is she now?
And what lighting is being used?

 

[mila.d]

How long have you had the tort?
Can we please see photos of her enclosure?
Can we get her weight in grams and her size in inches?
How old is she now?
And what lighting is being used?

I've had her since March 2nd, when i weighed her she was 61 grams (before bed) and when i measured her i only did it in cm and she's about 6.5 cm (i measured just the bottom of her shell). She is about 9 months old now. She's pretty much outside all day until it gets dark but when she is inside i have a uvb/uva heat bulb 100 watts if I'm not mistaken. I usually don't turn it on because she's inside only at night unless the weather is bad. this is her main enclosure. I do have a chicken wire lid that i made this was just when i first made the enclosure before i made the lid. I checked on the tortoise table and everything i have is more than safe. Her "bedtime" enclosure is a plastic tub that's about 2x1 ft. I know it's small but she's literally only in there at night. For her basking spot i have a che bulb.

 

[Sarah2020]

They like to sleep. I would put more cover in that enclosure maybe a few rocks as well to hide and burrow near. . Like humans sleep can help growth. Mine is falling asleep around 15.00 and waking up about 07.00 . Do you soak in shallow warm water regularly for hydration? Ensure fresh water is availablex24 x7 in a shallow flower pot dish.
Minor changes can help, keep persevering as it is worth it.

 

[mila.d]

They like to sleep. I would put more cover in that enclosure maybe a few rocks as well to hide and burrow near. . Like humans sleep can help growth. Mine is falling asleep around 15.00 and waking up about 07.00 . Do you soak in shallow warm water regularly for hydration? Ensure fresh water is availablex24 x7 in a shallow flower pot dish.
Minor changes can help, keep persevering as it is worth it.

I do have a 6 inch flower pot dish that i keep with water, as well as a basking rock, and i have three hideouts that i put in after i took that picture. She's always burrowed somewhere or hiding in the plants or hideouts napping. She does sleep quite a bit

 

[Grace-Sophia]

I've had her since March 2nd, when i weighed her she was 61 grams (before bed) and when i measured her i only did it in cm and she's about 6.5 cm (i measured just the bottom of her shell). She is about 9 months old now. She's pretty much outside all day until it gets dark but when she is inside i have a uvb/uva heat bulb 100 watts if I'm not mistaken. I usually don't turn it on because she's inside only at night unless the weather is bad. this is her main enclosure. I do have a chicken wire lid that i made this was just when i first made the enclosure before i made the lid. I checked on the tortoise table and everything i have is more than safe. Her "bedtime" enclosure is a plastic tub that's about 2x1 ft. I know it's small but she's literally only in there at night. For her basking spot i have a che bulb.View attachment 345822

That enclosure is fantastic! So what it looks like to me is that either your tort is younger than originally thought, or she’s just a slow growing tort. All tortoises grow at different rates, and this might just be the case! What does her diet look like?

 

[mila.d]

That enclosure is fantastic! So what it looks like to me is that either your tort is younger than originally thought, or she’s just a slow growing tort. All tortoises grow at different rates, and this might just be the case! What does her diet look like?

Thank you! I feed her spring mix with Mazuri small tortoise diet, dried flower/weed mix that i soak before adding it to her food, and every other day i give her butternut squash which she absolutely goes crazy for. I will also add some kale from our garden and she nibbles on the plants in her enclosure. I'll also add hibiscus leaves in her food every now and then. I add repti cal calcium powder almost daily and a multi vitamin every few days

 

[Grace-Sophia]

Thank you! I feed her spring mix with Mazuri small tortoise diet, dried flower/weed mix that i soak before adding it to her food, and every other day i give her butternut squash which she absolutely goes crazy for. I will also add some kale from our garden and she nibbles on the plants in her enclosure. I'll also add hibiscus leaves in her food every now and then. I add repti cal calcium powder almost daily and a multi vitamin every few days

While some of those things are good, your baby needs a much more varied diet to thrive. Here’s a post by @Tom with a few Links-

@Tom

Broadleaf weeds (of the right kind), certain leaves, certain flowers, squash plant leaves, spineless opuntia cactus once in a while, round it all out with some mazuri...
Here is a care sheet with a section on diet:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

Here are some more specific suggestions:
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food

 

[Grace-Sophia]

Once again, torts thrive with a wide variety of food, but all torts grow at different rates. I have a 19 year old Russian that is only about 4 inches in shell length. He’s a rescue, and was not taken care of properly, but again, with the right diet and husbandry, you could have an amazing little tort!

Here’s my little Felix

 

[mila.d]

While some of those things are good, your baby needs a much more varied diet to thrive. Here’s a post by @Tom with a few Links-

@Tom

Broadleaf weeds (of the right kind), certain leaves, certain flowers, squash plant leaves, spineless opuntia cactus once in a while, round it all out with some mazuri...
Here is a care sheet with a section on diet:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

Here are some more specific suggestions:
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food

 

[mila.d]

While some of those things are good, your baby needs a much more varied diet to thrive. Here’s a post by @Tom with a few Links-

@Tom

Broadleaf weeds (of the right kind), certain leaves, certain flowers, squash plant leaves, spineless opuntia cactus once in a while, round it all out with some mazuri...
Here is a care sheet with a section on diet:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

Here are some more specific suggestions:
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food

I do have the testudo seed mix but have been hesitant to plant it because when i plant seeds half of them don't grow and I don't want them to go to waste. I have tried to feed her dandelion and other weeds in my yard but she simply doesn't like to eat it. I'll try other things but thank you for the information!

 

[mila.d]

Once again, torts thrive with a wide variety of food, but all torts grow at different rates. I have a 19 year old Russian that is only about 4 inches in shell length. He’s a rescue, and was not taken care of properly, but again, with the right diet and husbandry, you could have an amazing little tort!

Here’s my little Felix

You're tort is absolutely adorable by the way

 

[Grace-Sophia]

You're tort is absolutely adorable by the way

Awe, thank you