Meet Dozer

[Chantel]

Good Morning. I thought I would start a thread for Dozer, much like the ones for Sully and Bowser. We purchased Dozer on 7/3, on a whim. I thought it would be easy.... I set up a 20 gal tank with Timothy hay, a heat lamp, screen top, flagstone for basking and a saucer for water. 7/4, I found this site, and went shopping. I also weighed and measured her. 2" and 29 grams. I changed her substrate to coco coir, and covered the tank. On 7/5 I noticed her umbilical was still open. With Tom's help, we came to the conclusion she should still be in a brooder. I set up a makeshift brooder in her tank. Yesterday her umbilical was closed, and she has been a lot more active. She has pooped, and is eating well. I also went shopping again and upgraded her to a 40 gallon breeder. I know it's still too small, but I plan on upgrading again shortly, depending on hubbys time (to build) or what becomes available on craigslist. 65-100 gallons would be the only sizes I would consider an upgrade. 55 gallons are too narrow.

Anyways, Dozer is growing. She weighs 32 grams and is very active and healthy. I am amazed at her strength difference over just 2-3 days ago. Watching her walk around on the lawn is not nearly the struggle it was 2 days ago.

Here is Dozer saying good morning to you akk

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Boy, he IS tiny......For now.
Nice.

 

[Chantel]

Yes he/she is tiny. Hopefully not for long. She was started dry I guess. It was just a few days I am assuming as her umbilical wasn't even closed. So hopefully we can catch up on growth!

 

[THEELEG]

Did you order him off line??

 

[Chantel]

@THEELEG Found her on craigslist. The breeders were a sweet older couple. I knew nothing prior to picking her up. She/he was the last one, so there was nothing to compare her to. I didn't learn about the umbilicus until reading here. So a lot of it is just lack of knowledge on my part and tge breeders as well.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Good luck with your little Dozer! We've really enjoyed watching our wee one grow and grow and grow. Now there are weeks when he will GAIN 100 grams from Sunday to Sunday. We still pull out the container that he was shipped in and can't believe that he was EVER that small. Follow Tom's instructions, watch your temps, humidity, lighting and soaking.

Regards from our Sully to your Dozer.

 

[THEELEG]

I'm a new tortoise owner as well, ive read a bunch about the humidity and temp so keep that up and the lil one should be fine

 

[THEELEG]

This is OZZY getting down on some dinner last night, we can't wait to get another and name her Sharron lol

 

[bouaboua]

Hello Dozer.

Nice to have you here. you do look very cute.

 

[Chantel]

Dozer took a break from dinner last night to check out my daughter. She looks like she is smiling!

As of this morning, she weighs 33 grams

 

[THEELEG]

Dozer took a break from dinner lastnight to check out my daughter. She looks like she is smiling!

He's getting down lol

 

[Tortoisefanatic88]

Dozer took a break from dinner last night to check out my daughter. She looks like she is smiling!

As of this morning, she weighs 33 grams

Very cute. You'll be surprised how fast he'll grow.

 

[Chantel]

We are heading to Vegas for a few days, and I am very worried about my tort! My daughter and daughter in law will be taking care good care of her I am sure, but she's a baby... LOL. I won't be able to update her growth until Mon or Tuesday. We should see a big growth difference then!

 

[Chantel]

We are home from Vegas and Dozer is doing good. She weighs 37 grams and is still 2" long. Up 8 grams in 10 days. In the 5 days we have been gone, her head and her tail have gotten really dark. Her tail got wider too. I thought it was poop for a while, but then she wiggled it! Lol. Oh and speaking of poop I can't believe how much bigger her poops have gotten too! Nothing compared to what is to come, but a huge difference over last week! I am happy to report she does not eat it either!

 

[kirsty Johnston]

Aww s/he is lovely! Very tiny and cute. When I go on holiday my beastie is all I think about too! Not too sure if it gets any easier but I'm nearly 3 years on and don't hold much hope

 

[Chantel]

10 days ago Dozer was 33 grams. She was 29g when I got her, and today she weighs a whopping 41grams, and is eating everything in sight! She has been up since 7am when I soaked her, and has only taken a quick nap. The rest of the morning she has been eating 90% of the time and exploring the rest of it. She is not shy at all. She doesn't hide from me anymore, and just does her own thing when she wants. I have found a neighbor with a bunch of Oputina Cactus, which is not treated with chemicals. Their plant is HUGE, probably 16' wide and 4 feet deep. It's basically a fence. So I can take as much as I want! Dozer is in heaven. She is now eating fescue grass, wheat grass, dandelion, plantain (when I can find it), she loves clover and I found a patch of bermuda grass growing in the yard as well. Yesterday I gave her a piece of cuttle bone, and although she gets supplemented with calcium, you would have never guessed. She went to town on that thing and ate it from the size of a quarter, down to the size of a nickle. Nothing compared to the larger torts, but considering she isn't even a month old yet... That is a lot! All my pics are on my phone, so I will have to transfer some soon. She has to be one of the most photographed torts out there!

 

[Chantel]

Oh, and I changed out some of her coco coir with some organic garden soil. Hopefully this reduces the amount of staining she has. Her head and tail are both really dark orange, and even her shell appears a bit orange. She loves to dig and burrow.

 

[Chantel]

Quick question.... can a sulcata over eat? Dozer went crazy today eating. I am not sure if it's a growth spurt or what... but she just kept eating and eating to the point her shell was noticeably rounder, especially on the bottom. I totally expect a big weight gain tomorrow, once I quit worrying about her over eating.

 

[Chantel]

Here is a picture after her giant pig out!

 

[Chantel]

She weighed 42g this morning, then tonight after she ate, I took her out for a soak, and some sun. Of course she pooped. Then I came in and weighed her 45g!!! Take note I soak her 2x a day. I weigh after breakfast and morning soak. So she wasn't dehydrated this morning.