Group Growth Over Time

PA2019

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I thought I would make a thread showing my group of 6 as they grow and eventually become sexable. There is such little published data on kleinmanni that I thought this might be of use to those raising hatchlings as well.

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@Tom @G-stars I think you both mentioned in previous posts that you either had or were getting some T. kleinmanni. Want to share some growth data as well? It would be nice to have a larger pool of data! I'll try to update this thread monthly.
 

G-stars

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I have a young juvenile/ subadult group that looks to be 2.5. I’ll be happy to share their growth rates. I’ll see if I can get some recent weights on them today or tomorrow.
 

Tom

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I did not get any this year, but I sure appreciate the data and the heads up.
 

TeamZissou

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Excellent looking group. Smooth growth so far. I hope to get some in April/May.

What's your current humidity and soaking protocol? Are you doing the closed chamber and the whole bit?
 

PA2019

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Excellent looking group. Smooth growth so far. I hope to get some in April/May.

What's your current humidity and soaking protocol? Are you doing the closed chamber and the whole bit?

I am using christmas tree bins for their first year and then will separate them when I have a better idea on sex.

I decided to use christmas tree bins with two holes cut out of the top because they are cheap, portable and help to keep the environment semi-humid without being a complete full chamber. I was really concerned about humidity levels being too high since I live in Florida.

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I do not spray the tank down. I have a floor water dish that is close to the basking area which evaporates throughout the day increasing humidity. I also use two humid hides that have terra cotta roofs that slowly evaporate as well. I think I got the idea from a thread by @Salspi.

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I have been soaking them every 3-4 days for 20-30 minutes but am considering increasing the soaking to every other day. I might try it for a week and see how they respond.

Here is the temperature and humidity data in the tank for the past week. Humidity is around 70%, but the ground is bone dry. I feel like that's the most difficult husbandry aspect with these guys, keeping the air moist and the ground dry.

Basking data

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Cool side data

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G-stars

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Took me a while to get some weights on my group. I don’t have an excel spreadsheet to track them but I do track them by weighting them monthly and taking pictures of them on the scale. The two males are confirmed males. The smaller one I’ve had since he was 75g and was a confirmed male. By confirmed I mean they had flashed their penis. All my “females” are unconfirmed. They look to be female but are still too young to be 100%. A couple have longer tails then the other females but do not flash. In Egyptians there are some females with a longer tail. The breeder sold them to me as juvenile females. So until they flash me I will consider them females.

Their current weights
Large male :156g
Small male : 99g
Female 1: 86g
Female 2: 81g
Female 3: 118g
Female 4: 102g
Female 5: 77g
 

PA2019

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Took me a while to get some weights on my group. I don’t have an excel spreadsheet to track them but I do track them by weighting them monthly and taking pictures of them on the scale. The two males are confirmed males. The smaller one I’ve had since he was 75g and was a confirmed male. By confirmed I mean they had flashed their penis. All my “females” are unconfirmed. They look to be female but are still too young to be 100%. A couple have longer tails then the other females but do not flash. In Egyptians there are some females with a longer tail. The breeder sold them to me as juvenile females. So until they flash me I will consider them females.

Their current weights
Large male :156g
Small male : 99g
Female 1: 86g
Female 2: 81g
Female 3: 118g
Female 4: 102g
Female 5: 77g

@G-stars Very interesting how Egyptian females can have longer tails, I had no idea. Any idea on the ages of your group? I’ve heard the 100 gram mark can take anywhere from 1-2 years depending on the diet.
 

G-stars

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@G-stars Very interesting how Egyptian females can have longer tails, I had no idea. Any idea on the ages of your group? I’ve heard the 100 gram mark can take anywhere from 1-2 years depending on the diet.

I believe they are about 2 years old. Don’t have exact hatch date on these guys. The larger male is about 5 years old.
 

TeamZissou

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How are the room temps related to their growth? Are you not reaching ~80F ambient, 90-95F basking temps? Or are the night time temps getting lower and that's what you're attributing to the slower growth rate?
 

PA2019

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How are the room temps related to their growth? Are you not reaching ~80F ambient, 90-95F basking temps? Or are the night time temps getting lower and that's what you're attributing to the slower growth rate?
The temperatures in the tortoise room are lower (low 70's) for the past month and take longer to rise to the previously normal 76-78. The enclosure they are in mirrors this as well. The tank goes from a ambient low of 71 to a high of 82 (the ambient temperature they seem to be most active with) but the total time they spend in that temperature sweet spot is less than it was earlier in the year due to it being colder in the tortoise room. The basking temperature mirrors this shorter window of "ideal" temperatures.

After talking to several very successful breeders (USA and Europe) I decided to let the group experience these "seasonal changes" as a way for priming them when they are adults. From what I was told a large component of breeding success depends mimicking temperature and humidity variations (along with photoperiods). Only time will tell how my approach works. Either way they are eating, pooping normally, just less active throughout the day.
 

ILikeTortoises

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I only have a few months of data on mine - but here is my growth chart so far. I was concerned because the two larger ones (about 1 year old) have slowed growth this month - one actually looks to have lost about 0.5g. No changes in environmental parameters and no changes in eating/pooping or activity levels. So maybe periods of slower growth can be normal? Hopeful that's the case and that I shouldn't be too concerned.
 

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PA2019

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I only have a few months of data on mine - but here is my growth chart so far. I was concerned because the two larger ones (about 1 year old) have slowed growth this month - one actually looks to have lost about 0.5g. No changes in environmental parameters and no changes in eating/pooping or activity levels. So maybe periods of slower growth can be normal? Hopeful that's the case and that I shouldn't be too concerned.

I think you bring up a good point. I have noticed periods where growth has slowed versus an earlier month with no obvious changes in husbandry, diet etc... I suspect that hydration/bowel movements are an important aspect that may be affecting weight numbers. When an animal weighs around 30 grams, even a small bowel movement, or just releasing their stored up urine before being measured can affect their recorded weight significantly.

Personally, I feel slower growth periods are fine and worry more if there is a change in their behavior. One of my 6, black, has had very slow growth for the past 2 months and has been staying hidden more than usual. I decided to split the group up into 2 enclosures with 3 each as I was concerned there was bullying going on that I could not perceive. Black responded almost immediately to the change favorably, and is eating/exploring like normal again. I hope Blacks grow rate will mirror this change in behavior this month as well.
 
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