Hatchling Growth Rate

[CandyAss]

Is there a percent weight gain range that I should be trying to meet for my three desert tortoises? I'm more experienced raising birds, which grow much faster than tortoises, and always use a min - max range of how much weight they should be gaining per day. I'm only weighing the tortoises once a week, and they're all gaining weight, I'm curious if there's any data about proper growth rates so I don't over/under feed.

 

[jsheffield]

Interested in this question as well ....

Jamie

 

[drew54]

I could be wrong in this but from everything I understand there is not really an average weight because each Sulcata will much like all tortoises will grow at different rates. This is due to genetics, space, habitat, temps, etc. there are a lot of factors that account for growth. I have read that if a hatchling is gaining 4-6g a week that is really good. A lot of dry breeders will feed them Romain and mazuri every single day in order to pack on weight. The bigger and more active the tort the better it will sell in person. I have read some owners torts have gained up to 2g a day for a while then stop growing for a while and then pick back up. Torts grow at different rates and some grow super fast and then some grow slow. @Tom explained to me that a hatchling brought up in a dry environment will grow very slow as opposed to a hatchling growing in a wet environment. I don’t really believe you can “over feed “ your torts as they are grazers and spend most of their time eating much like a cow, horse, etc. they will eat when hungry and they will stop when they are full. Base your judgements of how much food based on your torts. If you put a pile in there and it is all gone that was too little . If there is a little left then you have them the right amount. I wouldn’t suggest limiting their food each day. Make sure they have a variety of grasses,greens,and weeds. Put enough food in their so they can graze on it all day. Once you get to know your hatchlings over time you will be able to see what their normal and average growth rate will be. As long as they are gaining weight that is good. It’s not really what you asked for, but I don’t really know of any “average” growth charts. However, their are members that have charted the growths of their hatchlings that you could review and get kind of an idea. I think if you search the forum for growth charts or weights you will find those threads.

 

[drew54]

Also, measure your hatchlings straight carapace length. That’s from the nuchal to the supracaudal and you can keep track of growth with both measurements pretty well.

 

[Tom]

They grow at vastly different rates and for a wide variety of reasons. Any sort of "average" is meaningless because of this.

Something as simple as offering moderate humidity and keeping them hydrated will make them grow at a much faster rate, all other variables equal.

As long as they are all steadily gaining, I would not worry too much about the rate of growth.

 

[EllieMay]

I have two clutch mates that I got very small back in May. They live in separate but identical closed chambers and their diet is widely varied but identical as well. The one who was smaller is now 1/2x bigger than the other. They are shaped differently now and colored differently. It has been amazing watching them grow and change though all of their conditions are the same!