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I'm just curious if anyone knows the average growth rate wild tort vs captive. I know there are exceptions ,, but is there a norm?. If this is anywhere on the forum already,,, I apologize,,but I have not found such!
Average growth for sulcata? Wild vs captive.
- Thread starter morloch
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I'm not sure but I've heard that they grow much slower in the wild due to severe drought conditions during the dry season. It is believed they stay underground for many months at a time during this period. So I would think growth would slow a lot which would also leave me to believe they may live much longer in the wild. This is just my assumption I am no expert.
No one knows growth rates for wild ones. As far as I know its never been studied. The closest thing that I know of are Tomas Diagne's captive raised subadults that he raises for release. He hatches them himself and raises them in very naturalistic enclosures that mimic the wild release area. He showed some pics of some 6 year old subadults that were about the same size as most captive 6 year olds that I've seen.
The assumption that they starve during the dry season is common, and I used to share it. I was wrong. Apparently they drag large amounts of vegetation down into their burrows toward the end of the rainy season and subsist upon it until the rains return.
Mine hit 6-8" their first year, about 10" by the second and 12-14" by their third.
The assumption that they starve during the dry season is common, and I used to share it. I was wrong. Apparently they drag large amounts of vegetation down into their burrows toward the end of the rainy season and subsist upon it until the rains return.
Mine hit 6-8" their first year, about 10" by the second and 12-14" by their third.
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Hmmm, good point. But in the wild there's also a varied diet,, I'm thinking different than what we can provide,, all though we try.
Re: RE: Average growth for sulcata? Wild vs captive.
This is why I love this forum! I never new this and it's "my" species!! Love learning new things in my own area of "expertise". Thanks Tom! Fascinating.
Tom said:
This is why I love this forum! I never new this and it's "my" species!! Love learning new things in my own area of "expertise". Thanks Tom! Fascinating.
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I'm always learning gnome thing new on here, I always appreciate the answers!! But Tom ,, either I completely missed your reply or you bumped above me! Lol
Some not knome.. iPhone's argh
Some not knome.. iPhone's argh
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I guess we may never know for sure. Tom makes a great point. With that said it just seems hard to believe a tort could grow just as fast in the wild since the rainy lush season is so short even if they drag food into their burrows. One thing I am very familiar with is box turtles and I know without a doubt that they grow much faster in captivity, even if u allow them to hibernate.
As a matter of fact in my experience, and everyone has different experiences. All reptiles that I have raised which include box turtles, snapping turtles, soft shells, many species of snakes. It seems to me that all reptiles grow and mature much faster in captivity. I would love to hear other people on here's experience.
As a matter of fact in my experience, and everyone has different experiences. All reptiles that I have raised which include box turtles, snapping turtles, soft shells, many species of snakes. It seems to me that all reptiles grow and mature much faster in captivity. I would love to hear other people on here's experience.
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krh11b23 said:
I know gopher tortoises grow pretty slow in the wild. I work with a rehaber of gopher torts and we got one in that was attacked by a dog. He looked pretty small from my perspective as a captive keeper, so I figured he was about a yearling, weighing a little more than 100 grams. The rehaber said that he was probably 3 years old.
EKLC said:
"... probably..."
It does make sense that on average a captive tortoise is going to grow faster than a wild one. They always have perfect weather and conditions. No parasites, or treatment for any parasites that do show up. Good nutritious food all the time without having to expend a lot of energy to get it. No predators to hide from and miss grazing opportunities.
In the case of sulcatas, I don't know of any research to show one way or the other. In CDTs and some Testudo sp., research has been done and the captives grew faster.
So what are the implications of this? Should we intentionally inflict hardships of inclement weather, predators or parasites, droughts and food shortages to slow their growth down? I think not.
Tom said:
I totally agree with you! Let them be happy that everyday isn't a risk and they can actually survive, not be threaten with death.
-Lilyloveslettuse
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Tom said:
I would believe that young gophers grow pretty slowly. A lot of their range is pretty much just sandy soil and wiregrass. Not many supple young weeds which are easy for small tortoises to eat, especially in the Florida scrub.
Of course I don't support depriving tortoises of favorable conditions...unless we start seeing tortoise heart attacks
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