Donald's Thread

[Len B]

Donald reached 4 pounds today. He is a couple weeks shy of one year old. I didn't know what to expect with what I planned on doing to raise him smooth and quick. Basically I followed what at @Tom has been promoting for some time now. But with the feeding a little different. Not the food items, but watching what he preferred to eat and what he passed by and didn't want at the moment when active and grazing during the day. I probably should start a thread in the debatable topic section to continue this.

 

[Tom]

Donald reached 4 pounds today. He is a couple weeks shy of one year old. I didn't know what to expect with what I planned on doing to raise him smooth and quick. Basically I followed what at @Tom has been promoting for some time now. But with the feeding a little different. Not the food items, but watching what he preferred to eat and what he passed by and didn't want at the moment when active and grazing during the day. I probably should start a thread in the debatable topic section to continue this.

Had to do the conversion... That's 2000 grams at less than a year old! That's even bigger than what Dean used to get out of them. That's huge! Mine are usually 800-1000 grams at that age eating mostly weeds, leaves, opuntia and grass.

 

[Len B]

Had to do the conversion... That's 2000 grams at less than a year old! That's even bigger than what Dean used to get out of them. That's huge! Mine are usually 800-1000 grams at that age eating mostly weeds, leaves, opuntia and grass.

The difference may be in how I have been feeding. Like everyone else I have always fed what I thought was good for them as a good varied diet. But after watching Walker graze for years and noticing that it's not really random grazing, he is picking out certain plants and bypassing others. So with Donald after he got past the hatchling stage I have offered small hand fulls of several separated items to see what he was interested in to start the day. After he gets his fill of what he senses his body needs or wants he will pick at and eat other things throughout the day. Some days there are food offerings he that he never touches. Kinda like cuttle bone, They may set some time untouched before they will chew on it. Donald's pen has ROS growing in it that drop blooms daily but he doesn't eat them everyday. Today he ate everyone that was on the ground so I gave him some more. There is nothing scientific about this just something I observed and thought I would try it. It's seems to be working with Donald he is almost 5 pounds today.

 

[Len B]

Donald passed 5 pounds this week

 

[Yvonne G]

"She's" almost bigger than the scale! Time to upgrade

 

[Len B]

Donald is coming along fine5 pounds 10 oz

 

[Len B]

Donald is 13 months old this week and has reached 6 pounds.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

That’s one damn beautiful sulcata!

Could you provide some plastron pics?

 

[Len B]

That’s one damn beautiful sulcata!

Could you provide some plastron pics?

Thank You, and yes I can and will do after the sun comes up later.

 

[Len B]

That’s one damn beautiful sulcata!

Could you provide some plastron pics?

I cleaned him up for the pics, This is Fred, He used to live a few houses from me. But he took to getting in their swimming pool with no way to get out. There's a good chance that he hatched in my yard and made the great escape years ago.

 

[Krista S]

Donald is one handsome fellow! Thanks for the pics. Little Fred is pretty cute too and has a good story. Does he mostly live outside too?

 

[Len B]

Donald is one handsome fellow! Thanks for the pics. Little Fred is pretty cute too and has a good story. Does he mostly live outside too?

Yes, everybody stays outside full time this time of year except Thomas my youngest sulcata.

 

[Len B]

Donald is doing good and gained 6 oz this past week.

 

[Lokkje]

Donald is doing good and gained 6 oz this past week.View attachment 306073

That is one nice looking Sulcata.

 

[Len B]

That is one nice looking Sulcata.

Thank You.

 

[Len B]

Donald got a housing upgrade today. I repaired an older heated house that has been setting unused for several years. It's one of those rain barrels that has a flat side so it can set close to the wall. The heat source is from my home made heated ceramic tiles. It's insulated with 2 inches of armaflex air cell insulation. Weather proofed with embossed aluminum. The crock in the foreground is where he has been spending his nights all summer.

 

[Len B]

Donald is 15 months old this week and doing fine. I weighed him this morning and he has reached the 8 and a half pound mark.

 

[Len B]

Yesterday I started working on a better house for Donald. The inside measurements are 3ft x 5ft. The floor is insulated with 3 inches of urethane with poly vapor barriers on top and bottom. It's setting on landscaping timbers to keep it off the ground. The walls are going to be insulated with 2 layers of 1 1/2 inch heavy density fiberglass board. Whats in the pics are the inside walls on the insulated base. all material used so far from a tortoise house that I dismantled several years ago and has just been stacked in the yard. I haven't decided where to put the door or what type of roof to use, flat, peak or angel. Here's a few pics from today.He is 11 inches and a little over 9 pounds

 

[Sarah2020]

Thanks for the updates nice to read and see the growth progress . This thread is great for new and existing Sulcata owners to know what is ahead of them and get care ideas.

 

[Len B]

Thanks for the updates nice to read and see the growth progress . This thread is great for new and existing Sulcata owners to know what is ahead of them and get care ideas.

Your Welcome, I have noticed members on the forum in colder climates with young sulcatas that when the tortoise starts getting some size to it they want to re-home it to someone in a warmer climate. It is doable in colder areas if they really want to keep them. And they don't need to be locked in the basement, or a large shed all through the cold months. Walker has lived outside for many years with free range without problems and even as young as Donald is, he comes out to eat and drink during the day several times and goes back in to warm up and then in the evening he puts himself to bed every day.