Dexters 2 year update

Blakem

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I'm happy to say that Dexter is now two years of age. It's been a wonderful experience with this species and I am looking forward to the rest of my life with him/her. Here's the stats as of now. 10 inches long (25.4 centimeters) and is just under 6 pounds. He eats like a champ as any sulcata and is getting acclimated to the new outside area. I have also posted the stats from October of 2012. I received in June. Enjoy! ImageUploadedByTortForum1395027351.108934.jpgImageUploadedByTortForum1395027385.493637.jpgImageUploadedByTortForum1395027415.212632.jpgImageUploadedByTortForum1395027441.096578.jpgImageUploadedByTortForum1395027467.570700.jpg
 
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diamondbp

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Fantastic job! What a gorgeous sulcata. If you post some plastron shots maybe we could determine if dexter is a he or she. At that length it may already be apparent .
 

laramill

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What a face-- You have an adorable young fellah there. (I love the way you put an exclamation point on your "Dexter's Growth!" record. It's like you knew it would need an exclamation point. Ha ha.)
 

Levi the Leopard

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He looks great.

When you post the plastron pics, post one or 2 of you holding him, too. It helps me gauge the size better :D
 

Blakem

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ImageUploadedByTortForum1395079152.170640.jpg
I have an average size hand, 6.5 inches long.
ImageUploadedByTortForum1395079209.594426.jpgImageUploadedByTortForum1395079242.336221.jpgImageUploadedByTortForum1395079285.648301.jpgImageUploadedByTortForum1395079326.580425.jpgImageUploadedByTortForum1395079341.904988.jpg


Forgive my messy tortoise, Dexter is difficult to keep clean as I use a smooth toothbrush to scrub and Dexter hates to be cleaned. Along with poop, Dexter doesn't mind sitting in it over night.


I'm guessing girl, based on the tiny tail, and spilt part of the plastron. I don't see any indentations of the plastron for mounting.
 
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diamondbp

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I'm thinking it looks very female so far. Regardless it's one picture perfect sulcata :)
 

Blakem

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Thank you for the compliments guys. It's always appreciated when I work for my sulcata to have a plentiful life.


There's been a debate in the past that Dexter may be a Sudan sulcata, but I'm not sure I that anymore. It may just be the slow growth from a change of environment, or just growth itself.
 

Levi the Leopard

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thanks for the photos.

Dexter looks so good!! Is "she" going to get a new name if Dexter is in fact a female? :shy: Dixie? Dexie?? lol
 

Blakem

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Definitely something close to the sound of Decter! Thsnks, she's quite the beaut!
 

Tom

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What a great success story. I smiled when I saw what you were feeding Dex in the last pic of the first post.

I think female too at this point. Shell concavity in males often doesn't develop until they are quite a bit larger than this, and growth rate variations have nothing to do with whether it is, or is not, of Sudan bloodlines. Also, ALL of my tortoises slow way down on their growth when they move outside. At least initially. There seems to be some sort of adjustment period, but it makes no sense why that would be. I can't figure it out. When they live inside over night and on cold days, but spend all day outside, they continue growing at the rate they did when they were smaller. I set their night box temps the same as the indoors temps when I finally move them outside full time, so it doesn't seem like its temperature related. My best guess right now is that its humidity and hydration related because it is much drier outside full time in my climate here. I'm experimenting with humidity levels in the night boxes right now to see how much difference it makes.
 

Dizisdalife

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Dexter continues to have beautiful and healthy growth. Very good job. I know it has taken a lot of effort. I see he is eating mallow. I guess it's mallow time of the year all over California. My 4-year old sulcata walks away from a pile of Mazuri to go back to grazing on the "miracle mallow".
 

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