What Age Are My Leos???

[davy89]

My two Leo's are just under 4 inches SCL and weigh 115 and 123 grams, but I have no idea how old they are as I bought them from a reptile shop and not a breeder. It's very frustrating not knowing how old they are, could anybody please give me an idea of their age roughly?

Thanks in advance

 

[Az tortoise compound]

I would guess right around 3 years old. Depending on how it was kept and what it was fed.

 

[coreyc]

Can you post some pic's?

 

[davy89]

pics wont post at all mate sorry. Could they be 3 years old? I've seen Leo's roughly the same size and they're about 1 1/2years. 3 seems too old as they fit in the palm of my hand still?

 

[Tom]

They can grow at wildly different rates. Even clutchmates that grow up in the same enclosure can be very different in size. Yours could be anywhere from one to three years old. In an exceptional case they might even be 4 years old.
Try to use http://tinypic.com/ to post pics. Upload any size pic and then copy/paste the IMG code into your forum post.

 

[Seiryu]

No idea on the age. Pics help though.

They sound to be underweight though if they are close to 4 inches and only 110-120 grams. That is really small for their length. While obviously every Leo is different, that seems exceptionally underweight to me.

My 7 month old weighs about 100g and is 2.75". She gains roughly 1-3 grams a week.

My 18 month old is close to 200g and is just over 3".

Mine are both Babcocki.

 

[davy89]

No idea on the age. Pics help though.

They sound to be underweight though if they are close to 4 inches and only 110-120 grams. That is really small for their length. While obviously every Leo is different, that seems exceptionally underweight to me.

My 7 month old weighs about 100g and is 2.75". She gains roughly 1-3 grams a week.

My 18 month old is close to 200g and is just over 3".

Mine are both Babcocki.

Sorry Rob, I was meant to say just under 3 inches, not 4. If that makes their weight seem a bit more normal?

The smaller one, Missy, is 115 grams, and Roberta is slightly longer, she's 123 grams. They're currently on a 6 week course of Panacur to treat parasites, but still gaining about 2 grams a week.

Do these measurements seem a bit more normal in your experience?

Thanks for the advice
Dave

 

[yagyujubei]

I wiuld have to say that their weight is right in the ball park, given the corrected weight. My guess is that they were hatched last year. I am curious about 6 weeks of panacur. My vet's recommendation (for me) was panacur three days in a row, three week wait, and repeat.

 

[Seiryu]

Yes, them being close to 3" versus 4" makes a big difference. That seems right on for their length now! Maybe even a little chunky

For Panacur for torts. It's usually 1 dose and then repeat again in 2 weeks. Or 3 smaller doses of like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and repeat in 2 weeks the same.

I have never heard of 6 weeks in between for worms. Or are you treating every 2 weeks, for 6 weeks?

 

[davy89]

Thanks guys,

The vet told me once a week for 6 weeks, she said that Missy had a pretty severe infestation so she wanted them on a 6 week course. I didn't argue or anything because what would I know about medically treating an animal ya know? Each dose is 0.15mls, I don't know if thats a large dose or what? From your experience, does the Panacur be successful in getting rid of the worms?

 

[Yvonne G]

Your vet is probably treating with a smaller-than-usual dosage because the infestation was so large. Sometimes if you kill off the whole batch of parasites when there's a heavy load, it could cause an impaction of all the dead bodies. So small doses at regular intervals to kill them a bit at a time.

 

[davy89]

Your vet is probably treating with a smaller-than-usual dosage because the infestation was so large. Sometimes if you kill off the whole batch of parasites when there's a heavy load, it could cause an impaction of all the dead bodies. So small doses at regular intervals to kill them a bit at a time.

Very good point Yvonne, but when you kill them a bit at a time is there not the risk that they can reproduce when the tortoises aren't taking the medication?

 

[Yvonne G]

Once the tortoise is clean, then you dose again in 10 days with the regular dosage.

 

[Seiryu]

They don't have enough time to reproduce, that's why you wait another 10-14 days. The first dose kills off the worms, it doesn't get the eggs. Then the eggs hatch and the 10-14 days (for the next dose) isn't enough time for them to reproduce.

I agree, your vet is probably making sure they are gone.

I had to treat my green basilisk last year. My vet recommended the treat and wait 2 weeks, but mentioned we could go every week as Panacur is pretty hard to overdose on. They no longer have them. They went from not eating and being lethargic to eating anything that moves!

Edit: I guess I should say, Panacur doesn't actually kill the worms itself. It makes it so the worms do not want to stay attached and drop off in the feces. That is why cleaning up as soon as they go is very important.