Figgy's soak late August about 3 weeks from hatching. Notice the front center scutes 1+2.
Notice scutes 1+2 here taken this evening a little over 2 months later. I'm sooo happy that the first growth ring is coming in on the bottom.
Little Stump's deplorable conditions 2 weeks after I got HIM. Notice that he was at the same stage of growth or beyond in 2 weeks and Figgy is growing slow which is quite welcome. Stump weighed 17.9lbs Tuesday evening. @ 1yr and 8months. At 2 years he will be a big boy. I've ordered a bunch of food for the winter from Will @ Kapidolo Farms and both Stump and Figgy are eating it well. Stump not only eats primarily grass by volume now but recently has discovered hay and will eat dried leaves that he likes as well. This guy eats everything. Fortunately over the past week I have found no less than 1 dozen dandelions daily and one day after it rained there were 5 dozen that I found and fed to Stump. He was outside today for 3 hours and sunned himself for 45 minutes by the house - carapace temp 104.5deg.
Figgy eats perfectly. Habitat is about 80% humidity, basking about 102, 84deg low and 87deg ambient in the enclosure. I watch him drink fresh water every day, poop is not dry or runny/perfect, regular and he eats 2 or 3 times his shell size in volume of chopped up mixed greens and mazuri mixed in every day. Miner-all is added and as I said, some of the supplements from Will are mixed in. All is well on the husbandry and diet, etc. He has artificial UVB 4 hours per day or was outside for no more than 30 minutes when appropriate.
I understand now how every one of these wonderful creatures is unique and I would bet Figgy is now at the point of growing well if it weren't for this scute issue. I got it so soon after hatching that it was not in someone else's care very long and came to me like a demon. Like it had crack in the yolk. Made me tired watching it. Every day there is still plenty of activity, eating, UVB, outside time, etc. I pour the very warm soak water over the shell during the soaks and use tortoise shell saver on both Stump and Figgy after every soak and it seems to keep the scutes hydrated. Definitely no sign of sickness. Eyes bright, looking for his food dish every morning.
My questions are about the scutes that appear stuck together.
Has anyone had an animal with this issue that can share their experience?
Should I have a vet surgically separate the last little bit?
Should I wait patiently based on someone assuring me that this type of thing takes care of itself?
I now understand why people ask how fast they grow and my first two tortoises may be opposite ends of the spectrum. That's cool though.
Thanks in advance all.
