George and his? 4th year with us! (question at the end!)

Paranub

Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2015
Messages
77
I honestly never thought i could love something like a tortoise as much as i do! He's got such a little personality and it's all down to my wife and her 10 years of "pestering" for a tortoise! I thought i'd share a few snaps of him with you all, as well as take this as a chance for a "review" of sorts into how he is growing and if we are doing it right!

I do have a few concerns about his shell growth, the wife says i worry too much, which i probably do!
He's constantly active and inquisitive, greets you with a little head raise and tilt to the side and comes rushing over to his slate whenever you get near it thinking "FOOD!" Even if he's just eaten..

3 may 2015.jpg
This was G the day we brought him home. 3rd of may 2015. Weighing a whopping 25 Grams!

3 may 2015 (2).jpg
He instantly took to this spot, and still to this day, he sleeps in this corner, with the same right leg stuck out to the side. We joke that if he ever got stolen, we could prove it was him by a picture of a sleeping tortose with the leg outstretched.

1 oct 2015.jpg
1st October 2015. The day he finally made it to the top of his log. Subsequently, proceeding to nose dive off the other side.. again, and again, and again.. Scary to think he climbs this log now, in almost one step.

3 nov 2015.jpg
3rd november 2015, one of the first times we saw him sleep with his head out and not pressed into the wall. he looked so calm and the wife says "because he feels safe around us"

10 dec 2015.jpg
10th december 2015, We let him out on the carpet for one of the first times, this was 2 seconds before... "poop" time.. Thanks G!

2nd july 2016.jpg
2nd july 2016 Outside time! it was a really warm summer and we felt safe to have him outside this year at the ripe old age of 1!

28 aug 2016.jpg
28th august 2016, no leaf was safe, he always likes to drag them off the slate and prefers them in the dirt.. Strange, but expect a nip to the fingers if you get in his way :p

21 sep 2016.jpg
21st September 2016, The day we saw his jaw injury. We think he slipped and caught his beak on the log, poor kid couldn't eat properly for weeks. the scab would form and he couldn't open his jaw, broke my heart every time i saw him try to yawn or take bites.

21 oct 2016.jpg
21st october 2016, looking angry that we woke him up. (we actually didnt wake him, he just blames us for everything.. always!) he jaw was beginning to heal, though he still broke the scab every now and then.

13 nov 2016.jpg
13th nov 2016, Never took to his cuttlefish, at all.

13 jan 2017.jpg
13th jan 2017, neck ache isnt a thing for torts, i dont think..

8 jun 2017.jpg
8th june 2017, Just chilling in my bath, how about you? (he had an eye irritation for a week or so here. he scratched it constantly..)

27 dec 2017.jpg
27th december 2017, We came home to this one day.. He still eats like this, it cant be comfy, but i dont think they really care!

5 may 2018.jpg
5th may 2018, 3 years after we first brought him home and in his usual dandy patch!

9 jan 2019.jpg
9th jan 2019, you can see how much he's grown when you compare the same hole from 2017.

11 apr 2019.jpg 11 apr 2019 (2).jpg 11 apr 2019 (3).jpg
11th april 2019, Present day. And now a whooping 4 years old! You dont realise how much they grow until you start looking back! hes a right character!
Well i keep saying "he" but we still dont know! we joke that even if we found out hes a she, his name wont change, its been tool long now :p

Well that's a short insight into the 4 short years we have had G. seeing him change from a little baby into a toddler! The million dollar question though. Does he look well? anything anyone might pick up on? For me, my only concern is that he isn't as "round" as he was, the last photo in the bath shows the ledge as i call it towards the rear of his shell. he's never been smooth, even as a 5 week old.
(This is the area im talking about if you were wondering)
Untitled.jpg

Have a great day Everyone!
 

Paranub

Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2015
Messages
77
Nice chronology of your little guy. Interesting to note how your enclosure changed as well over the years.
Thank you, we kept testing and changing things based on how he reacted to placements of items.
We at first had a rubbish substrate that came with the table (that white stuff you see in the first photos) we quickly changed to a top soil that he much prefers and can dig into at pleasure.
every time we do a soil change, i like to move things around, take out and add in rocks and slate. I feel it keeps him more interested and inquisitive.
We then had to cover the glass front with a sticker as he continued to claw at the glass, this put a stop to it, mostly.

its been a learning curve for us both!
 

Gillian M

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2014
Messages
15,417
Location (City and/or State)
Jordan
No problem :p
Any thoughts into the shell growth? should i be concerned or is it just him growing older and bigger?

I believe it is your cute tort growing bigger. However, let's ask the experts to confirm so as to be on the safe side.

@Yvonne G
@Maro2Bear
@Tom

would you please help here.

Thanks very much.
 

Paranub

Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2015
Messages
77
IMG_20190411_184620.jpg
Heres another shot from behind him, if it helps to get more angles!
(cant edit this into the original post it seems.)
 

Ray--Opo

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Oct 14, 2017
Messages
7,018
Location (City and/or State)
Palm Bay Fl
Welcome! G looks healthy. What are your concerns about the shell? Pyramiding looks very minimal for 4 years old.
 

Paranub

Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2015
Messages
77
Welcome! G looks healthy. What are your concerns about the shell? Pyramiding looks very minimal for 4 years old.
it was just the last picture really, how it goes from a slope into a sort of "dome" at the top. He was rather round as a baby and i guess its just how he's growing.
being our first tortoise and reading so much about MBD with poor care, i wanted to make sure we were going down the right path. :p
A reassurance from more seasoned carers if you will.
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
I cant get the pics too work for me. It's my phone I'm sure. For what I can see, I think the problem your concerned about is due too pyramiding. Russians don't pyramid easy like some species. He was raised too dry. Not bad pyramiding but it is there. Try to give a humid hide or humid enclosure to help keep it from getting worse. 30-50% humidity. Otherwise I think he looks good.
 

Ray--Opo

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Oct 14, 2017
Messages
7,018
Location (City and/or State)
Palm Bay Fl
I cant get the pics too work for me. It's my phone I'm sure. For what I can see, I think the problem your concerned about is due too pyramiding. Russians don't pyramid easy like some species. He was raised too dry. Not bad pyramiding but it is there. Try to give a humid hide or humid enclosure to help keep it from getting worse. 30-50% humidity. Otherwise I think he looks good.
Thanks for the reply. I thought the same thing but I don't feel knowledgeable enough yet to give advice on that.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
I see what you are talking about in the last pic. I myself are not a seasoned member. Let's try @Yvonne G , @wellington @ZEROPILOT maybe we can get some info.
The photos stay tiny on my phone.
I'm unable to really see anything. So I don't have a theory besides improper nutrition. Lack of UV or humidity.
There are a few reasons why a shell would not form correctly. But like I said, I really can't tell.
 

Ray--Opo

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Oct 14, 2017
Messages
7,018
Location (City and/or State)
Palm Bay Fl
The photos stay tiny on my phone.
I'm unable to really see anything. So I don't have a theory besides improper nutrition. Lack of UV or humidity.
There are a few reasons why a shell would not form correctly. But like I said, I really can't tell.
Thanks for the reply. Did you see my PM to you?
 

Paranub

Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2015
Messages
77
Thank you all for your input, i'll try to get him more humid, along with even more regular bath's to keep his shell hydrated!
he has constant access to a uvb bulb and a varied diet of the recommended greens / leaves and multi vitamin calcium powder.
i realise its "minimal" pyramiding, he had that rather early as someone said on some of the first ever photos we shared of him. just want to keep it minimal for the future too!
 

New Posts

Top