how much should he gain a summer

[Bryanvh]

I wanted to get an idea of how much weight you think a 4-5 year old should gain a year, he was 13-14 lbs last summer and now he is up to 19 at the end of this year, thoughts on how that is going. He is active, has the entire yard to roam, and eats great. thanks.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Welcome to the Forum. It seems that growth and weight gain varies greatly with sulcatas so that it is difficult to toss out a number that has any merit for any given age range. How they were started and kept in the first year or so as well as their current routine influences their individual growth rates. My personal experience is that I have a single sulcata that is 3-1/2 years old and weighs 30 pounds. He has gained about a pound a month since he hit the 5 pound weight. There are other members here that have younger tortoises that weigh even more than mine and many that have older tortoises that weigh less. Currently I am keeping a friends sulcata while his house is having some work done. She is 5-1/2 years old and weighs 65 pounds. She has gained 15 pounds in the last year.

If you are concerned that your tortoise isn't gaining as much weight as you think he sould then I suggest that you have a fecal exam done. If it has pinworms then much of the nutrition is being robbed from his diet. There may be other parasites as well. If the exam is negative then you have eliminated one possible cause.

 

[wellington]

Great advice already given. As long as they are gaining, there usually isn't anything to worry about. If they aren't gaining or are loosing then I would have a fecal done and double check things.

 

[Sulcata_Sandy]

As a vet tech, I'd skip the fecal and just deworm.
There is NO SUCH THING AS A NEGATIVE FECAL. Meaning; I can do a fecal test, performed with current protocols, and find parasite eggs. Groovy, positive, deworm the animal. Repeat in 21 days to eliminate newly hatched "adults".

Ok, I do another fecal, no ova seen. That does not mean "negative" and your animal is parasite free. That means I either missed one, or maybe I should have centrifuged for 15 minute, not 12, or simply there where no ova in the sample you gave me, or your animal didn't shed one that day. So I recommend to clients if there is ANY suspicion of parasites, that they simply deworm "empirically" 2x (twice because most dewormers, and certainly those safe for Chelonians) only kill the mature worm, not the ova. So you need to repeat in 21 days to allow the eggs to hatch, then kill the adults.

My protocol at work is Fenbendazole (Panacur) 50mg/kg for three days in a row, repeat in 21d.

Safe your money on a $15-$45 fecal exam. Request a dewormer. If your DVM refuses, then that is ok, as ideal "gold standard" medicine is to perform the labs. But your seasoned DVMs will understand and most likely Rx you the Fenbendazole based on your concerns of Pinworms. Your tortoise grazes...that right there is a textbook indication for empirical deworming.




Sandy
Oregon Tortoise Rescue

 

[Dizisdalife]

Thanks Sandy. I have often wondered about the reliability of a test done once a year. It seems like it would be "hit or miss". If the ova are present then you know to treat, but if they are not what have you really learned? There is still remaining doubt, especially when symptoms such as, slowed or no weight gain, persist. I have been reluctant to deworm empirically because I have been told that the panacur also kills "good parasites" as well and that could cause other problems for the tortoise. Also, because I have no medical knowledge at all, I am afraid of improper dosing.

But I agree with what you are saying about grazing tortoises are going to get worms. The wild bird population uses my tortoise's water dish more than he does. They are in the grasses and weeds looking for bugs and seeds all day. Fun to watch them scatter when he lumbers in, but I have to believe that they leave behind worms for him to unsuspectingly ingest.

 

[Sulcata_Sandy]

You are correct that Fenbendazole will kill some good gut flora. However, the parasites are worse and need to be treated. If you have an otherwise healthy animal, the natural gut flora will return and digestion should not be affected.


Sandy
Oregon Tortoise Rescue

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

Mine are akmost 6 and are super slow grower, one is 19 pounds the orher 23 pounds...so u can see they all grow different! One is 17 inches the orther 18.5
Do they eat a lot? What do u feed them?

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[Bryanvh]

Mine are akmost 6 and are super slow grower, one is 19 pounds the orher 23 pounds...so u can see they all grow different! One is 17 inches the orther 18.5
Do they eat a lot? What do u feed them?

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he grazes on grass, I give him Dandillion greens some cauliflower and timothy grass, he eats well, and seems to be overall healthy. Glad to see there are other slow growers out there.

 

[Bryanvh]

He eats mainly dandilion greens and grazes the yard, he sometimes eats the timothy grass, and I do give him other types of greens along with cauliflower (which he loves) and he eats a good deal. Thanks for asking.

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

Good, I give mine also cucumbers tomatoes and most important nepal cactus pedal.. its very rich in calcium.
I think you're doing a good job and every tort is different, so don't be encouraged.

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here them both, eating a lunch snack carrots and apples
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Mine are like small trash cans,they eat everything,some ppl have problems because they dont want to eat some kind of veggies, i never had that,mine likes califlower too also celery and brocoli....and watermelone, any type of melon and starfriut.

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Is urs a male or a female?

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