My "baby" torts update! :)

[HollyH8]

Hey everyone! Sorry, I haven't been on here for a while. Just wanted to let everyone know how Hercules and Hazel are doing. They are doing good and growing fast (Hercules especially). They are 7 months old and hercules is 3.5 in by 2.75 in and Hazel is 3.25 in by 2.5 in. I still don't have a good scale but they feel solid. Since my last update I have re-done their enclosure. They are in a 40 or 50 gallon aquarium with lots of new "toys" to explore, the substrate is like this: 1st layer is organic garden soil, 2nd layer is a good 2-3 inches of dirt from my yard and on top I have rainforest bedding (like coco coir). Here is a picture of their enclosure and them. Also, is it ok that Hercules is quite a bit bigger than Hazel? I know it's a dominance thing..what should I do?

 

[qixer01]

RE: My "baby" torts update!

Nice looking sulcatas!

 

[jaizei]

 

[HollyH8]

RE: My "baby" torts update!

Nice looking sulcatas!

Thank you!

 

[l0velesly]

They both look great~

 

[Snapper925]

Very cute!

 

[nicoleandrocky]

cutee, and are just going to keep getting bigger

 

[HollyH8]

RE: My "baby" torts update!

cutee, and are just going to keep getting bigger

Omg I know! I can't wait to see them both at their adult size.

 

[alben909]

They are adorable.

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I remember mybsmall sulcatas

 

[Tom]

They look great. The one will continue to outpace the other's growth. Usually hatchlings don't intentionally bully each other, but just the presence of the larger one IS intimidating to the smaller one. Their size discrepancy will increase as time goes by and the little one will not thrive as well do to the chronic stress. In the wild, the smaller one would leave the area and go make his own way somewhere else.

I think the best thing to do would be to put them into separate enclosures. If you really must have more than one, I recommend a large enclosure and a group of at least three or four. But that is an awful lot of big tortoises to take care of as they get bigger.

 

[jesst]

RE: My "baby" torts update!

They look great!!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

 

[Jacqui]

I like how you fixed their enclosure.

 

[HollyH8]

RE: My "baby" torts update!

They look great. The one will continue to outpace the other's growth. Usually hatchlings don't intentionally bully each other, but just the presence of the larger one IS intimidating to the smaller one. Their size discrepancy will increase as time goes by and the little one will not thrive as well do to the chronic stress. In the wild, the smaller one would leave the area and go make his own way somewhere else.

I think the best thing to do would be to put them into separate enclosures. If you really must have more than one, I recommend a large enclosure and a group of at least three or four. But that is an awful lot of big tortoises to take care of as they get bigger.

Hmm..I kind of figured that would be the case. The problem is I just don't have room inside the house for two enclosures or 1 really big one. I have plenty of room outside but they can't stay out there full time yet. I actually have 3 sulcata's but only 2 are babies and the other is 10". I'll see if I can work something out! Thanks for the info!

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I like how you fixed their enclosure.

Thank you!