Tortoise age!?!

Tom pike

Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2014
Messages
61
When I bought my sulcata a month ago I was told he was 1 year old but After seeing some photos on here it doesn't look like Walter is 1, would anyone be able to give me a rough estimate? Here is Walter ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1416930993.371012.jpgImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1416931076.361028.jpg
 

lismar79

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2013
Messages
2,995
Location (City and/or State)
Ohio USA
Hard to tell with out a hatch date and if he was started dry that would slow growth down a lot....I would guess a few months
 

Tom pike

Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2014
Messages
61
Alright thanks what do you mean when you say started off dry? Is that dry food? Sorry I'm still learning all the things about tortoises
 

tortdad

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2014
Messages
5,567
Location (City and/or State)
NW Houston TX
Dry conditions. No soaks, no water dish and no humidity in the tank.
 

mitsymoo0309

New Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2014
Messages
10
He is very small with only, from what I can see, 1 new scute so I am guessing about 4-6 months! Could you send a pic from above of his shell x
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
He is small for a year, and doesn't show much growth between the scutes, but this could be because he hasn't been kept in the correct conditions. Now that YOU have him, and can set him up according to the way we suggest in the 'pinned' threads at the top of the Sulcata section, he's going to take of and grow to be the monster that we all know and love!!
 

bouaboua

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Dec 7, 2013
Messages
11,809
Location (City and/or State)
San Jose CA
Really need the hatchling date to tell the age. Otherwise only a estimate. Sibling can grow in different rate under the same condition also.
 

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
19,695
Location (City and/or State)
CA
Agreed, you don't know without the hatch date. He could have grown slower or faster based on how much food access he had. But he is kind of small, though keep him humid and well fed, and that will change.
 

Gillian M

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2014
Messages
15,417
Location (City and/or State)
Jordan
Welcome to the forum! Your tortoise is really cute....take good care of it and good luck.
 

Tom pike

Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2014
Messages
61
Just had an email back from the pet shop and he is 4 months old! Thanks everyone for the help
 

johnsonnboswell

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2012
Messages
2,238
Just had an email back from the pet shop and he is 4 months old! Thanks everyone for the help
Unless they know the hatching date, they don't know either. Maybe they do have it, but I would not assume that any pet store information was accurate.
 

Gillian M

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2014
Messages
15,417
Location (City and/or State)
Jordan
Unless they know the hatching date, they don't know either. Maybe they do have it, but I would not assume that any pet store information was accurate.
Do you mean that theirs (pet shops) is guess work in such cases?
 

johnsonnboswell

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2012
Messages
2,238
Do you mean that theirs (pet shops) is guess work in such cases?
Sometimes they lie rather than say they don't know. There have been many instances of pet stores telling people that the RTs they sell are captive bred hatchlings when they are adult and wild caught. Seems to be a stock answer or script. No one can do anything but guess at age unless the hatching date is known. Growth rates vary.
 
Top