Rhino's weight

[scottishscott]

Hello folks. I just read a post by Cttortoisemom that said their little guy is 27 weeks and 290 grams. Rhino is 28 weeks and 83 grams. Is there something wrong? My wife keeps saying his light not staying on longer then 12 hours is the problem. He is fed everyday and he eats his fill. I feed him a varied diet of spring mix, turnip greens, squash, his favorite blackberries, dandelions, geraniums and what ever I chose for the day I mix with Zoomed grassland. I soak him everyday. The humidity stays between 60 - 85% always. His basking area stays around 102 and night time temps are 85. Again his light stays on for 12 hours. Am I just worrying over nothing?

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I would cut the black berries. The sugar is not needed and can actually cause imbalances in the gut providing a wonderful breeding ground for a parasite bloom.
Little Ricky, the tortoise CTMom posted about is my little fella. He gets store bought maybe once a week if that. I feed lots of dandelion and plantain as well as other weeds growing here on my property. Blackberry leaves are a very nutritious plant. I cut the center vein of thorns out though. I also feed Mazuri tortoise chow soaked to mush 2-3 times a week. I always have food available for him to eat. Always. I would suggest cutting back on your store bought greens and maybe make little green houses out of the tubs the salad greens come in and grow weeds in a sunny window. My light is on a 12 day cycle. You mentioned a temp of 85. Is this the coldest it gets overnight? How are you measuring your temps. Hope this helps you and yours out.

 

[Dizisdalife]

They do vary greatly in weight and growth, especially when they are that young. My sulcata was about 80 - 90 grams at that age. To ease your mind you could take a fecal sample to your Vet for testing. Your tortoise may have a parasite. From what you have described his husbandry sounds okay.

 

[scottishscott]

Re: RE: Rhino's weight

I would cut the black berries. The sugar is not needed and can actually cause imbalances in the gut providing a wonderful breeding ground for a parasite bloom.
Little Ricky, the tortoise CTMom posted about is my little fella. He gets store bought maybe once a week if that. I feed lots of dandelion and plantain as well as other weeds growing here on my property. Blackberry leaves are a very nutritious plant. I cut the center vein of thorns out though. I also feed Mazuri tortoise chow soaked to mush 2-3 times a week. I always have food available for him to eat. Always. I would suggest cutting back on your store bought greens and maybe make little green houses out of the tubs the salad greens come in and grow weeds in a sunny window. My light is on a 12 day cycle. You mentioned a temp of 85. Is this the coldest it gets overnight? How are you measuring your temps. Hope this helps you and yours out.

The only the I buy store bought is sppring mix. The greens and everything else comes from my own yard. The blackberries I only feed like 1 a month. Plus he's got his own lawn growing in his enclosure. Yes, 85 is the coldest it gets at night and I measure all temps with infared temp gun. I keep a daily log of temps and humidity. It's updated every 2 hours everyday.

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They do vary greatly in weight and growth, especially when they are that young. My sulcata was about 80 - 90 grams at that age. To ease your mind you could take a fecal sample to your Vet for testing. Your tortoise may have a parasite. From what you have described his husbandry sounds okay.

Thanks. Tom said I was doing great at the start and I really haven't changed a thing.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Sounds as if you're doing things good. I don't soak as often as you but the shouldn't changes anything on your end. I still would cut the spring mix and focus less on human grade food items and more on the yard weeds.

 

[scottishscott]

Re: RE: Rhino's weight

Sounds as if you're doing things good. I don't soak as often as you but the shouldn't changes anything on your end. I still would cut the spring mix and focus less on human grade food items and more on the yard weeds.

Sounds good. Thanks.