Comments and help needed on size and weight

[Mantissa3]

i have a redfoot baby that is only around 2 1/2 years old, but he weighs 5 pounds, 5 ounces.

Has anybody ever seen a baby redfoot this big at this age? His sibling from the same clutch of eggs is only 1pound, 3 ounces but he's unusually small and frail from being very ill nearly his entire short life.

So I have one massive baby and one teeny baby and I can't tell what "normal" is, please help?

Thank you!

 

[wellington]

@N2TORTS might be able to give you an idea of "normal" size for age.
Just remember, they all grow at their own pace.
Also are you sure there is no bullying going on that would make the small one so small?

 

[allegraf]

i have a redfoot baby that is only around 2 1/2 years old, but he weighs 5 pounds, 5 ounces.

Has anybody ever seen a baby redfoot this big at this age? His sibling from the same clutch of eggs is only 1pound, 3 ounces but he's unusually small and frail from being very ill nearly his entire short life.

So I have one massive baby and one teeny baby and I can't tell what "normal" is, please help?

Thank you!

I think @pfara is best suited to help you with XL babies. Not all grow that fast or heavy in such a short time. Alma has a big baby like you. She would be the best one to give you some guidance on the issue.

 

[Mantissa3]

@N2TORTS might be able to give you an idea of "normal" size for age.
Just remember, they all grow at their own pace.
Also are you sure there is no bullying going on that would make the small one so small?

Yes, they don't live together and never physically interact with one another. When they were very small and both were very sick, we housed them together, but the one that is littlest now was the biggest back then, and the most dominating personality. When we realized s/he had pneumonia, we separated them and they both got antibiotics shots. The largest one now was the sickest, and he did the antibiotics regime and never looked back- now he's more than 5 pounds.

The littlest one now still struggles with recurring nictitating membrane swelling, and we take him to the vet every 3 months or so just to be sure we are not missing something. He had recurring RI's, worms, and general "failure to thrive" until a wonderful lady I met in the local area told me to give him probiotics for reptiles...

She said some need the probiotics after the antibiotic treatments because their gut flora just never bounces back for some reason, while others like our largest just get well and rock on- which is exactly what happened.

a 30+ year reptile and bird only vet told me they give a pinch of Benebac for birds and reptiles every day on a favourite piece of food during all antibiotic regimes, then they give their healthy torts a pinch about 2-3 times per week just for maintenance. Once I started doing that, my littlest started putting on weight and thriving...

He's gaining now and very active and seems pretty healthy, but the real tell will be during growing season in summer 2016.

 

[Mantissa3]

I think @pfara is best suited to help you with XL babies. Not all grow that fast or heavy in such a short time. Alma has a big baby like you. She would be the best one to give you some guidance on the issue.

Thanks so much! I will contact her and see if she shares the same concerns I have. Thanks!

 

[pfara]

I think @pfara is best suited to help you with XL babies. Not all grow that fast or heavy in such a short time. Alma has a big baby like you. She would be the best one to give you some guidance on the issue.

There she is again.. accusing me of lacing chicken nuggets with steroids! I have yet to create the perfect serum to make my army of 20 foot tall tortoises. Alas, one of my reds is still 6" scl at almost 3 years of age. One day though.. one day...

 

[Mantissa3]

There she is again.. accusing me of lacing chicken nuggets with steroids! I have yet to create the perfect serum to make my army of 20 foot tall tortoises. Alas, one of my reds is still 6" scl at almost 3 years of age. One day though.. one day...

Oh, that's a comfort- my littlest is about that size and will be turning 3 years old in a couple of months. The biggest, however, he's wonderful, mellow, affectionate, and weights over 5 pounds- from the same clutch of eggs as the littlest... Good grief. I'm glad the biggest doesn't throw fits and try to boss me around like the littlest. LOL He could do some serious damage if he acted like the little 1-pound baby.

 

[MPRC]

My supposed 2 year old is 6 inches and under 16oz still. I'm pretty sure she wasn't started very well as she has more than doubled in size in the 9 months I have had her.

 

[Mantissa3]

My supposed 2 year old is 6 inches and under 16oz still. I'm pretty sure she wasn't started very well as she has more than doubled in size in the 9 months I have had her.

Thank you for ringing in! I only have rescues, and none of my 3 started life well. They were denied needed humidity, housed in 100F degree heat on pelleted (rodent-keeping) substrate, with yearling sulcatas and full-grown box turtles that took all the food before they could get any, and scampered over them like they were rocks to play on.

I literally rescued the last 2 from dying within a couple of days, as they were housed as above, and given food and fresh water once per week. Of course the littlest one has had recurring nightmares of health problems for the past couple of years. They were laying splayed out on the substrate, dry and flaky, and when I got them home they didn't even have the strength lift their heads or bodies- just kind of drug themselves across the floor while I prepared their first soak. They stunk so bad of baked-on feces it took me 3 days of multiple warm soaks to get all the crud off their little shells and legs.

Breaks my heart to think about these little angels being neglected, abused, laughed at when they flipped over in the intense heat, and they would've been thrown out with the trash when they died... horrific, but they KNOW they are valued and loved now!!!

My largest one now, was the smallest when I rescued them, and he had a very bad RI, but got over it with one regime of antibiotics and never looked back- he weights 5 pounds, 5 ounces and isn't even 3 years old... He's the one I'm most concerend about because he's just so incredibly LARGE...

 

[christinaland128]

Wowee that's big! Mine are exactly two yrs old, I weighed them today...