Updates on Chief

[mctlong]

Our little Chief is now 3 months old!!!

She's still eating well and is very active. Her weight gain has slowed down a bit, I suspect due to the weather, but she's still steadily gaining. She weighed in at 97 grams this morning. Here are her most recent pics.

Breakfast.

She loves her soaking time.

 

[Tom]

...

 

[Momof4]

I'm in love!!!

 

[mctlong]

So, Chief is just under 4" now at almost 6 months old.

When I was soaking him this morning, I noticed the growth of his gulars. They're still teensy weensy baby gulars, but I can see some definite develop on that part of the plaston. Waaaaaaaay too premature to read too much into this, but I will anyways . Until I'm proven wrong (and there's a good chance I will be in three or so years from now. LOL!), I will be referring to Chief as a "he." Overall, he's just looking a wee bit more masculine than feminine. Here's a close-up of his gulars. I'll take some cute overview shots later this afternoon if I have time. For the record, he did not appreciate me flipping him to take this picture and pee'd everywhere.

Thoughts?

 

[Tom]

Show me the vent. Gulars in an immature animal are not a good indicator. Remember seeing Bert, Scooter's brother? He had tiny gulars until he was around 9 years old, and even today at almost 15 years old they are still half the size of Scooters, and only slightly more noticeable than a females.

Incubation temp was 88.3 F. That "should" produce mostly females, but it is certainly possible that you got a boy. I love that I will eventually get to find out!

I didn't hold back any from this bunch, but there are a few around. Some other members have them and post pics and weights from time to time. I leave it to them to chime in if they wish.

 

[mctlong]

I don't think I saw Bert while I was there. Most of the adults were underground. Bert is Chief's father, right? He's the one kept with Chewy and the other ladies? I do remember seeing Scooter. That ones got a good personality.

The tail pic is attached, but it doesn't reveal much. Too young. Chief will be a "he" to me until he's older and sex becomes clear. I've been told that a long, skinny tail in hatchlings may indicate male, but I don't put much credence in that either. There's no sure-fire way for me to know at this age, but its fun to guess and make inferences. Then in a few years, we can check and see how wrong our guesses were. Lol!

I'd love to know who his siblings went to. Hopefully the owners will reveal themselves. It'll be interesting to see the similarities and differences.

---

Oops, the pic didn't post. I'm trying to do this on my phone and its not working. I'll try again from my Mac when I get home.

---

Here we go, butt shot:

 

[sibi]

Looks male to me.

 

[lovelyrosepetal]

Just to be contrary and that it is still so little, I am going with female. When was its hatch date? I have two of Tom's experiment babies and they are big. The oldest was hatched in June and the younger one was hatched on July 4. The oldest is a little over a pound and is over five inches the younger one is around three hundred and forty grams and is around four and a half inches. Eventually I will post pics and do an update with exact measurements but that day will have to wait. I love your chief and think Tom's babies are perfect! Keep us updated they are wonderful!

 

[mctlong]

Chief was hatched the first week of September, so they're not clutchmates. Do you know who your hatchlings mamas are? Mine came out of the Chewy brooder box.

Can't wait to see the update threads of your little sullies.

 

[Weda737]

Awww I remember when mine was so small that a blade of grass was like a tree to him. The exercise is good and all, but I still like to take him for "walks" on flat surfaces. And thanks to your adorable little one, if I ever do get another sulcata, not sure if I can handle another but if I did, I'd get one from Tom. That little face is just priceless.

 

[mctlong]

A few pics of Chief enjoying some early St. Patty's day treats.

6 months old, 3.875" SCL, 170g

 

[mctlong]

My husband and I are taking bets on how long its going to take Chief to realize he's outgrown his soaking dish. He can literally walk over the edge and out of the bowl at any time, but never tries.

 

[Tom]

Chief looks awesome.

I'm going with female. Even if I didn't know the incubation temps, the anal scutes that are shaped like that usually turn into female. I first learned this on Daisy. I predicted female for her when she was 3 months old. She's now 5 and a half. I predicted her brother would be male, based on his anal scutes and was right about him too. Some of them them show it, like Cheif, and some don't, like Tuck and Trey. Almost three years old and I'm still not sure on either one. Daisy showed it and so did her brother, but lots of them don't.

 

[Godcomplex]

Very cute , how old is he?

 

[mctlong]

Chief looks awesome.

I'm going with female. Even if I didn't know the incubation temps, the anal scutes that are shaped like that usually turn into female. I first learned this on Daisy. I predicted female for her when she was 3 months old. She's now 5 and a half. I predicted her brother would be male, based on his anal scutes and was right about him too. Some of them them show it, like Cheif, and some don't, like Tuck and Trey. Almost three years old and I'm still not sure on either one. Daisy showed it and so did her brother, but lots of them don't.

I wouldn't be surprised either way. We may be changing his/her name to Chieftess down the line.

Very cute , how old is he?

Between 7 and 8 months.

 

[Tortoise]

Beautiful tortoise and great photography!

 

[shanu303]

the first pics dating back to 2012 are "THE BEST TORTOISE HATCHLING PICS" i've ever seen!!! purity and divinity just drips from the pics of the hatchling in white background......... and the latter pics just make this thread even better.... CHIEF is really Handsome !!!

 

[mctlong]

Thanks Shanu and Tortoise.

 

[KingInCulver]

My husband and I are taking bets on how long its going to take Chief to realize he's outgrown his soaking dish. He can literally walk over the edge and out of the bowl at any time, but never tries.

He seems very comfortable in his soak. What temps do you keep it at?

 

[mctlong]

He seems very comfortable in his soak. What temps do you keep it at?

I'm not sure of the exact temps since I've never measured it with a thermometer. Its just warmer than room temperature.