what is a healthy weight?

[ColleenT]

so i weighed my guys today on the postal scale and i got their weights.

Ilene is a gulf coast- she weighs 688 g
Wolowitz is a male 3-toed and he weighs 376 g
Bernadette is a female 3-toed and she weighs 350 g
Rio is a larger female 3-toed and she weighs 416 g

I want to make sure they are healthy enough to be able to hibernate in a couple months. But i don't know what they should weigh. they look healthy to me, but i wonder if anyone knows what is the normal range, and what i should worry about. i am trying to feed them heavily now, and i know Bernadette is always eating, but i never see the others eating.

 

[cmacusa3]

I worry every year no matter what. Really it just comes down to that all are eating and have clear eyes prior to the point when you stop feeding. I soak all mine for 14 days straight before I place them for hibernation, just so they have empty stomachs and are hydrated.

Its hard to say if the weights are good without knowing the age, all have good solid weights though. ....... Ilene sounds like a big healthy girl

 

[PJay]

Those sound like reasonable numbers but weight is relative to size so there is no perfect weight number for all turtles. What is relevant is body mass to shell size. Look at the cavity between the head and the front leg. An obese turtle will have tissue bulging out towards the front edge of the shell. An underweight turtle will have a deep cavity between the head and leg and a turtle with a healthy weight will have a slight cavity that's in between the other two. I saw a thread somewhere that included pictures as a guideline. If I can find it again I'll provide a link. Btw, love the new hairdo!

 

[PJay]

Found it! It wasnt a thread it was a web page. Go to http://www.boxturtlefacts.org/Articles.html

Click on Box turtle diet; its a pdf file. Mid page are pictures of three different specimens showing examples of healthy, under weight and obese turtles. Thanks to Sandy Bartlett, former senior herpitologist at the Baltimore aquarium. If you are ever near Baltimore it's worth the visit to the inner harbor to see the aquarium.

 

[cmacusa3]

Good info, Thanks PJay

 

[ColleenT]

Found it! It wasnt a thread it was a web page. Go to http://www.boxturtlefacts.org/Articles.html

Click on Box turtle diet; its a pdf file. Mid page are pictures of three different specimens showing examples of healthy, under weight and obese turtles. Thanks to Sandy Bartlett, former senior herpitologist at the Baltimore aquarium. If you are ever near Baltimore it's worth the visit to the inner harbor to see the aquarium.

thanks i have seen this before but i have a difficult time figuring out if they are on a slim side or just right. I am thinking i should provide a lot of food and see how they look when the temps start to change. If i am in doubt, i will keep those in the house.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Ilene is at the stage in her recovery where she'll be safe to hibernate? What a journey with that one.

 

[lisa127]

It's hard to say since we don't know overall size. My 3 toed/gulf coast integrade fluctuates between 675 and 690 grams. She is just over 6 inches scl. My male 3 toed is about 560 grams and 5.5 inches scl.

 

[Eric Phillips]

thanks i have seen this before but i have a difficult time figuring out if they are on a slim side or just right. I am thinking i should provide a lot of food and see how they look when the temps start to change. If i am in doubt, i will keep those in the house.

I would also recommend an increase in more enriched vitamin A foods here in the next month. I also like to give them some pinkie mice to help fatten up and give them an extra boost. I do it every spring and fall. I am sure they don't like me discriminating against summer, lol! They sure do love their mice!

 

[ColleenT]

Ilene is at the stage in her recovery where she'll be safe to hibernate? What a journey with that one.

Ilene has been healed and been living outside for a while now. she does whatever she wants.

I need to try to get them to open up and come out of the shell when i hold them so i can get a good body score rating..

 

[Gillian M]

so i weighed my guys today on the postal scale and i got their weights.

Ilene is a gulf coast- she weighs 688 g
Wolowitz is a male 3-toed and he weighs 376 g
Bernadette is a female 3-toed and she weighs 350 g
Rio is a larger female 3-toed and she weighs 416 g

I want to make sure they are healthy enough to be able to hibernate in a couple months. But i don't know what they should weigh. they look healthy to me, but i wonder if anyone knows what is the normal range, and what i should worry about. i am trying to feed them heavily now, and i know Bernadette is always eating, but i never see the others eating.

An interesting thread. Thanks for posting.

 

[mark1]

Ilene has been healed and been living outside for a while now. she does whatever she wants.

I need to try to get them to open up and come out of the shell when i hold them so i can get a good body score rating..

are you going to hibernate the gulf coast box turtle ?

 

[lisa127]

are you going to hibernate the gulf coast box turtle ?

On the chance it truly is a gulf coast, i would not hibernate her personally. Not in this part of the country. Especially with her injury and rehoming being so recent.

 

[ColleenT]

yes i am. Others who live in the northeast have done it. as i stated, she is healed. Completely.