Frank update and bad news

[krh11b23]

Ok so I weighed my tort today and he is still at 140g. So it hasn't gained anything in 3 weeks. This is getting very frustrating! He is clean of parasites. I'm doing everything right temps are right on humidity is high, he gets lots of time outside, well balanced correct diet, been feeding mazuri too. It's very concerning that he is now 2 years old and only 140g. The vet says he's fine, he's very active poops everyday. Shouldn't he have grown a little in 3 weeks since he's now parasite free? I'm wondering if something else is wrong with him.

---

Also wondering has anyone experienced this?

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Patience, little grasshopper. It could be little Frank's body has to catch up metabolically ... plus I think I heard that fast growth in tortoises isn't always the best thing. If he eats and poops and you are doing all the good things then you will notice good growth in good time. : )

 

[Baoh]

Is his food access and amount unlimited? If not, make it so, numbah wuhn.

 

[Tom]

Take me back and remind me where you got him. Was he a victim of the dry routine before he came to you? Sometimes these guys just stall for a while. Keep doing everything right, and they will often grow out of it. Takes time though. My Daisy went through something like this. She hardly grew at all for two years. Then one day, seemingly suddenly, she just started sprouting. Now at 5 years old she's around 35-40 pounds. Not a giant by any means, but pretty good size for a five year old female.

I speculate that her internal organs were damaged by the chronic dehydration. Those damaged cells will never repair. She had enough functioning liver and kidney to survive, but not enough to thrive and grow. In time, NEW liver and kidney cells grow and she "made it over the hump" so to speak. Dead cells won't repair, but eventually new cells will grow. The kidney on a 35,000 gram adult is significantly larger and contains a lot more cells than the kidney of a 35 gram hatchling.

Did you worm him? Sometimes the worming medicines take a toll too. Might take him some time to recover from the medicine. Daily soaks might help and won't hurt a thing.

 

[krh11b23]

Yes he has unlimited food

---

Ya he was raised dry for the first year. I am soaking everyday and normally twice a day. I guess only time will tell.

---

Also I did worm him with panacur

 

[Tom]

If they hit 50-60 grams and stall, they are nearly always a goner. If they make it over 100, they usually make it long term, even if they stall for a while. I think you are safe man. Breathe easy. It might take a while, but I would bet money that in 5 years you will have a normal sized sulcata. This is exactly what I went through with Daisy. Things that I believe helped her were the high humidity, humid hide box for sleeping at night, warm temps, daily soaks, lots of exercise in a huge outdoor enclosure, a good diet, including Mazuri, and time.

I wish you the best of luck.

 

[krh11b23]

OK thanks Tom. I would never give up it just worries me