Sulcata doesn't seem to be growing

[demjor19]

Hello all!

We have a Sulcata male... had him form for roughly 9 years now. We rescued him from a pet store in pretty bad condition. As long as we have had him, he seems healthy and happy, just doesn't seem to grow.

He was maybe 8" long (plastron length) when we got him and is maybe 10-12 inches long now. His indoor (winter) enclosure is 6x8 foot with a power sun bulb and a modified cat litter pan for his water bowl. Outside home is roughly 200 square feet with the same water pan being used.

His diet consists of dandelions, collards, turnip greens, kale, Timothy hay, mizzouri tortoise diet and occasional fruits mixed in as treats. Also any grazing that he does while in his enclosure.

Please help me correct anything I may be doing wrong. I want what's best for him!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Alaskamike]

HI. In my experience , when they don't grow somthing is wrong. There are only a few possibilities.
- It could be genetic. Most species have members that are unusually small, stunted from an early environmental damage, or a genetic flaw.
- you said you rescued him in bad condition. Damage done to skeletal structures can stunt growth. I have a Sulcata " Tiny" who was 2 yo & only a bit over 2 lbs when I got him. He is now 4 & 1/2 yo & 17 lbs but compared to many that's small for his age.
- Metabolic needs not being met. This one is a bit tricky. Your variety & diet sounds good. How is the shell growth ? He may have difficulty with absorption of nutrients. I would expand variety as much as possible. A boiled egg once in awhile, bell peppers, calcium powder sprinkled over Spring Mix , squash... ( I might get yelled at for the egg suggestion , too much protine some will say , but in the wild they eat stuff like that when they can find it. I give the egg shell & all. )
- worms. Internal parasites can go unnoticed by us , but will consume nutrients from the tort. I'd have his stool checked.

Finally - hey , if he's otherwise moble, curious , bright eyed & active, eating well , getting sun & good temps. You might just have a runt who needs no more than what you already provide.
He might surprise you at any time & put on a huge growth spurt. Or he may always be a slow steady grower. Either way he can be happy in your care
Good fortune to you .



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[Tom]

I like what Mike had to say, but I'll add a couple few things:
1. I think both of those enclosures are too small. Locomotion helps with gut motility. When they are housed in small enclosures, it can slow things down.
2. Your diet isn't bad, but I would stop all the fruit, and add a lot more weeds and leaves. Mallow, sow thistle, prickly lettuce, filaree, mulberry leaves, hibiscus leaves, rose of sharon leaves, lavatera leaves, grape vine leaves, spineless opuntia pads, and real live grass. Also, timothy hay is very stemmy and tough for little ones to eat. Bermuda or orchard grass hay will serve you better.
3. How often do you soak the tortoise. Soaking 2 or 3 times a week will add some much needed hydration and this frequently makes them grow better if you keep it going for months or years. It also helps avoid all sorts of problems. Adding humidity to the enclosure helps with this too.
4. You didn't mention your temperatures, but this tropical species needs it warm all the time. Day, night and winter, they need it no lower than 80 and up into the 90s during the day when possible. Most people keep them too cool in my experience and they do better when kept warmer.

 

[demjor19]

Thanks for the great info guys! Funny... we've had some random mulberry trees popping up and they've been driving me crazy. Now I am welcoming them and have a use for them! I may actually transplant one the their enclosure... as well as expand it. My wife and I both agreed that we will building them a new indoor enclosed as well. Probably start that pretty soon. And advice is here appreciated!

Funny... I did measure and weigh him the other day and didn't he decide to finally grow! And a good bit actually. Must have done it while I wasn't looking!? End of last summer he was 7.5"... as of Monday he was 10"!!! Happy tortoise daddy here!