I think my two year old Hermanns tortoise is under weight... he doesn’t eat much but he never has eaten much since I got him when he was very young! How can I get him to gain more weight?!
Gain weight
- Thread starter TiddlesTheTortoise2
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I have a two year old Hermanns tortoise and I cannot find anywhere anything about how much he should weigh at this stage! I feel like he’s under weight but I’m not sure! He’s 66 grams, is that under or over weight or is that average because I literally cannot find it anywhere!!!
KhairulTort
Member
Post some pics so we can take a look ?
don’t you think he’s a bit small considering his age?
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He seems a bit thin to me, but I am by no means an expert. What's his enclosure like? What are your temps, warm side, cool side and basking spot? What are you feeding? Are you doing any supplements? Is he living with another tort? Sometimes one will prevent the other from eating, that would be an easy explanation.
They all grow at wildly different rates and for a wide variety of reasons. There is no "normal", and an average would be pointless since the spectrum of growth is so wide spread.
Raise it warm, humid, with good hydration and more protein in the diet and it will grow fast. Put it outside in a dry climate, let it graze and whatever is in the pen and don't soak it, and it will grow very very slowly.
Raise it warm, humid, with good hydration and more protein in the diet and it will grow fast. Put it outside in a dry climate, let it graze and whatever is in the pen and don't soak it, and it will grow very very slowly.
He lives on his own and I tend to feed some weeds and some store bought veg, I give him his vitamins every 2-3 days. I’m not sure right now what the temps are because I’ve already turned off his lamp
Those ramped water bowls are literally tortoise death traps. Great for snakes and lizards, but deadly to tortoises. Get a terra cotta plant saucer instead.
The Pets-at-Home substrate is equally bad, and yours is far too dry. Encouraging a tortoise to eat its sandy substrate when it has calcium cravings is a terrible idea. I can't believe that ever went into production to be sold, and I can't believe anyone would buy it. You need to change that out ASAP. Fine grade orchid bark works best.
Dry sandy substrate, a dry enclosure with low humidity, and an unsuitable water bowl are all factors that would contribute to slower than "normal" growth.
Okay I have already ordered some terra cotta plant saucers a while back but they never turned up
in the morning I will order some better substrate and try order them terra cotta dishes again. Thanks a lot for the advice!
Other than being kept too dry, he looks okay. Size is within "normal' for a two year old.
If you can't find orchid bark, damp coco coir can work too for one this size. Once you rehydrate the blocks, put a very thick layer in the enclosure and then firmly hand pack it down. It will be very messy at first, but keep hand packing it and it will settle in over time. Coco coir is safe to use and its a good substrate, but the mess is the main reason I prefer orchid bark. You just pour in the orchid bark, wet it to preference, and put the tortoise back in. Done.
If you can't find orchid bark, damp coco coir can work too for one this size. Once you rehydrate the blocks, put a very thick layer in the enclosure and then firmly hand pack it down. It will be very messy at first, but keep hand packing it and it will settle in over time. Coco coir is safe to use and its a good substrate, but the mess is the main reason I prefer orchid bark. You just pour in the orchid bark, wet it to preference, and put the tortoise back in. Done.
Thanks you so much for all the advice
KhairulTort
Member
Yeah man as they said. Hydrate that boy. And If you think I needs to pack on more weight give him so more greens to browse on throughout the day. I’ve never heard of a tortoise eating too much. They’ll stop when they need to.
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Ignore this post... I just saw your other post.
Could you post some pictures of him showing his legs and neck area? Pictures looking between his shells at the soft skin of his body. They don't have to be super close to him.
And have you weighed him? Maybe your mom has a kitchen scale. That would be perfect.
Then we could tell if he looks skinny.
Could you post some pictures of him showing his legs and neck area? Pictures looking between his shells at the soft skin of his body. They don't have to be super close to him.
And have you weighed him? Maybe your mom has a kitchen scale. That would be perfect.
Then we could tell if he looks skinny.
I weighed him last night he was 66 grams and these are the best pictures I could get.Ignore this post... I just saw your other post.
Could you post some pictures of him showing his legs and neck area? Pictures looking between his shells at the soft skin of his body. They don't have to be super close to him.
And have you weighed him? Maybe your mom has a kitchen scale. That would be perfect.
Then we could tell if he looks skinny.
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I think he's a bit thin, but I'm not very good at judging that.
Post these 2 pics in the other thread so the members there see them.
This is the problem with 2 threads on the same subject. Someone responds here, and others respond on the other, and it gets jumbled up.
Just use the other thread, and I'll ask a mod to either close this one or merge them together.
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@Yvonne G
@wellington
@Jacqui
Would someone either close this thread, or merge into the OP's other post, "weight gain"? Thanks!
@wellington
@Jacqui
Would someone either close this thread, or merge into the OP's other post, "weight gain"? Thanks!
Hi Tiddles I think you would like Cyprus mulch which I get from swell reptiles, it’s called forest floor. I tried so many substrates when I first got Charlie, this is my favourite and you can mist it if it’s too dry.
Oh as for diet I use pre alpin a tortoise hay type food which you soak with hot water. I mix this with nutrazu which is what they call mazuri tortoise food in the UK.I feed this every third day with weeds on other days. This has definitely helped Charlie to gain weight. They don’t always take to it straight away but mine love it now. I order the baby pre alpin which is chopped up smaller.
I bought a kitchen scale on eBay for less then15.00. very easy to use. My new to me tortoise Miss. Dexter Persimmons is still a little thin however, I just check him every couple of weeks to make sure he doesn't loose weight. Thanks @Tom for reassuring me on his weight.
