Growth Rate

[x-sully-x]

Hi everyone,

I have a 5 and half year old sulcata and I suspect she is on the small side :S She is kept in a table at the moment as we are making arrangements for her to go outside in the summer at the moment. She is very active and chases us around the flat

These were taken about 3 weeks ago - I will take them again tonight
Weight: 2.6kg
Length of plastron: 10inches
Width of plastron: 7inches
Length of shell: 11.5inches

She is under the vet at the moment for another problem which I will post again about as I would like peoples opinions.

Thank you

 

[tyguy35]

It may just be my phone but I don't see any pics?

 

[x-sully-x]

I will post some when I get home if that would be of a benefit along with updated stats.

 

[x-sully-x]

I hope these help I will post more if need be

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Slightly concerned about her weight as she doesn't seem to be putting any on- will have to monitor and mention to the vet

 

[x-sully-x]

If anyone could tell me if she is small for her age it would be very mug appreciated

 

[mattgrizzlybear]

For 5 and a half years, it can be considered small but she might just be naturally small. She might also be a runt. Did you have her since she was a baby?

 

[Tom]

Yes she is small for five, but certainly not the worse I've seen. I have an almost three year old about her size.

What concerns me is the severe pyramiding. Looks like you were advised to keep her in dry desert like conditions. So sorry you didn't find us years ago. Don't feel bad. In years past I took the same advice you did, and accomplished the same thing many times. From this point forward, just try to keep her hydrated with regular soaks and as much outside time as the weather will allow. Spraying the shell with water a few times a day won't hurt either.

 

[x-sully-x]

Thank you so much for them helpful tips Tom- I am currently making changes to her living area at the moment, but as she eats everything in site we have to be careful with substrate! She made herself very ill with sphagnum moss a few weeks ago! Little devil. We were trying to create a moisture area but that's on hold till we find an alternative.
Hoping to make her an outdoor area once the weather gets better.
We have got her temperatures much better now after questioning it on here and she has been very active kind of a slow process due to money and working.

I am so upset about her pyramiding it makes me sad every time I look at her shell I have asked for advice before but only now have I started to really get to grips with it all. I am so annoyed with myself... I just want the best for her. Trying to turn things around and ensure the growth she has now is better. I found the forum just under a year ago but at the time was so poorly with impaction that everything else went by the wayside... It's only been since January that we have now been really taking the humidity changes so serioulsy and fully understanding it's importance.
It's good to know her size isn't out the ordinary.
For mattgrizzlybear I've had her since she was 3. She was already pyramided then I will post a picture of what she was like when we had her.
Sorry for the long message

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December 2010 when we got her

 

[x-sully-x]

What do you make of her in 2010?