Question on Size.

[DozersMom]

Okay so i am new here. I have had Dozer for 3 years. I rescued Dozer at 3 or 4 months after Dozers previous owners stabbed her in the head 3 times with a sewing needle. I treated her with antibiotics and nasal flushes etc for over 6 months. She was on routine check ups and after care specialized diet etc for an additional 7 months. About 3 months after she became a "normal" tortoise my vet moved. No other vets here know anything about sulcatas only desert tortoises. So I discussed with my vet who moved, before he moved, about her size and weight gain etc. He said because she was so sick her body was fighting off the infection and was unable to grow so she would be smaller. Well last year i rescued a 6 week old that was thrown into a trash can after the owners who bought him for their 2 year old found out they carry salmonella. He is now a year old and i am just worried that i am not doing something right. I dont know exactly how the growth goes but here are some pictures of them. Please tell me what you think. I grow all their food myself except their treats, and only certain things i have found grow in my area. they go outside during the day and are indoors at night.

Their diet consist of:
Sheep fescue
Bermuda grass
Orchard Grass
Dandilion
Arizona fescue
Tall lawn fescue
Prickly pear cactus
Hibiscus

the grasses they graze on daily and i allow they to free eat the hibiscus and dandilion, and i cut up the cactus.

So my main question i guess is. At 3 years of age. What size should she be and how much should she weight?!

 

[tasena]

I rescued my Sulcata in August this year we were told he was between 5 and 7 years old. He was kept in a 12in x 24in glass fish tank. He weighs 2lbs 14oz and is about 8in long.There is some pyramiding and it took him about 6 weeks to have normal stools and not cry when he pooped. He eats well, no signs of infection, drinks well, & he is gaining weight alittle. Now reading about everybodys "giant" sullys I either have a "pygmy" sulcata or because of the probably very inadequate care he got before he is stunted and will always be small. So I guess my point is they can be any size and still be healthy.

 

[DozersMom]

Thank you. He is so cute. My dozer has a funky head from the healing. She loves her chin and underside of her neck to be scratched. She makes a wierd noise everytime i rub her chin. It reminds me of a cow in labor. lol. I have always been worried about Dozer pyramiding, But i look at her and she looks good to me especially for what she went through. She eats a good diet and gets her supplement daily, and her pumpkin each week to keep her free of parasites.

 

[tasena]

sounds like she has a very good, loving home. She is a lucky girl in many ways

 

[egyptiandan]

Hi,
Are you supplementing with calcium? In your enclosure you should either have a dish of calcium or a few cuttlebones. Your diet is just fine.
They will both grow on a good diet (which you have) and plenty of calcium.

Tereasa you will be in for a suprise once he's been eating a good diet to make up for the bad diet he had before. This might take up to a year before you see any new growth, but after that watch out.

Danny

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Okay so i am new here. I have had Dozer for 3 years. I rescued Dozer at 3 or 4 months after Dozers previous owners stabbed her in the head 3 times with a sewing needle. I treated her with antibiotics and nasal flushes etc for over 6 months. She was on routine check ups and after care specialized diet etc for an additional 7 months. About 3 months after she became a "normal" tortoise my vet moved. No other vets here know anything about sulcatas only desert tortoises. So I discussed with my vet who moved, before he moved, about her size and weight gain etc. He said because she was so sick her body was fighting off the infection and was unable to grow so she would be smaller. Well last year i rescued a 6 week old that was thrown into a trash can after the owners who bought him for their 2 year old found out they carry salmonella. He is now a year old and i am just worried that i am not doing something right. I dont know exactly how the growth goes but here are some pictures of them. Please tell me what you think. I grow all their food myself except their treats, and only certain things i have found grow in my area. they go outside during the day and are indoors at night.

Their diet consist of:
Sheep fescue
Bermuda grass
Orchard Grass
Dandilion
Arizona fescue
Tall lawn fescue
Prickly pear cactus
Hibiscus

the grasses they graze on daily and i allow they to free eat the hibiscus and dandilion, and i cut up the cactus.

So my main question i guess is. At 3 years of age. What size should she be and how much should she weight?!

Every tortoise is different so you can't really compare them. I have a 3 year old named Tony. His eyes were damaged as a hatchling so he is blind in one eye and has diminished sight in the other, so he is not normal....and he weighs 14 pounds and is 13 inches long.
He grazes and gets supplement feedings of grocery store greens and orchard grass hay.
So now that I've told you about Tony don't go getting all upset if your tort isn't that big...or bigger. All tortoises grow at different rates. My sis taught me that when you pick your tortoise up he should feel like a rock, you should be able to feel the weight...HTH

---

I rescued my Sulcata in August this year we were told he was between 5 and 7 years old. He was kept in a 12in x 24in glass fish tank. He weighs 2lbs 14oz and is about 8in long.There is some pyramiding and it took him about 6 weeks to have normal stools and not cry when he pooped. He eats well, no signs of infection, drinks well, & he is gaining weight alittle. Now reading about everybodys "giant" sullys I either have a "pygmy" sulcata or because of the probably very inadequate care he got before he is stunted and will always be small. So I guess my point is they can be any size and still be healthy.

I sure wish the new people wouldn't say "sully". it just sounds and feels disrespectful or something...I have had others say the same thing. Us oldtimers don't like the made-up word 'sully'...<g> I am NOT trying to start a fight...just telling what a group of us feel...

---

Okay so i am new here. I have had Dozer for 3 years. I rescued Dozer at 3 or 4 months after Dozers previous owners stabbed her in the head 3 times with a sewing needle. I treated her with antibiotics and nasal flushes etc for over 6 months. She was on routine check ups and after care specialized diet etc for an additional 7 months. About 3 months after she became a "normal" tortoise my vet moved. No other vets here know anything about sulcatas only desert tortoises. So I discussed with my vet who moved, before he moved, about her size and weight gain etc. He said because she was so sick her body was fighting off the infection and was unable to grow so she would be smaller. Well last year i rescued a 6 week old that was thrown into a trash can after the owners who bought him for their 2 year old found out they carry salmonella. He is now a year old and i am just worried that i am not doing something right. I dont know exactly how the growth goes but here are some pictures of them. Please tell me what you think. I grow all their food myself except their treats, and only certain things i have found grow in my area. they go outside during the day and are indoors at night.

Their diet consist of:
Sheep fescue
Bermuda grass
Orchard Grass
Dandilion
Arizona fescue
Tall lawn fescue
Prickly pear cactus
Hibiscus

the grasses they graze on daily and i allow they to free eat the hibiscus and dandilion, and i cut up the cactus.

So my main question i guess is. At 3 years of age. What size should she be and how much should she weight?!

Every tortoise is different so you can't really compare them. I have a 3 year old named Tony. His eyes were damaged as a hatchling so he is blind in one eye and has diminished sight in the other, so he is not normal....and he weighs 14 pounds and is 13 inches long.
He grazes and gets supplement feedings of grocery store greens and orchard grass hay.
So now that I've told you about Tony don't go getting all upset if your tort isn't that big...or bigger. All tortoises grow at different rates. My sis taught me that when you pick your tortoise up he should feel like a rock, you should be able to feel the weight...HTH

---

I rescued my Sulcata in August this year we were told he was between 5 and 7 years old. He was kept in a 12in x 24in glass fish tank. He weighs 2lbs 14oz and is about 8in long.There is some pyramiding and it took him about 6 weeks to have normal stools and not cry when he pooped. He eats well, no signs of infection, drinks well, & he is gaining weight alittle. Now reading about everybodys "giant" sullys I either have a "pygmy" sulcata or because of the probably very inadequate care he got before he is stunted and will always be small. So I guess my point is they can be any size and still be healthy.

I sure wish the new people wouldn't say "sully". it just sounds and feels disrespectful or something...I have had others say the same thing. Us oldtimers don't like the made-up word 'sully'...<g> I am NOT trying to start a fight...just telling what a group of us feel...

---

I forgot to say that you have a beautiful looking tortoise, I especially like the face shot...a really pretty face...

 

[DozersMom]

Thanks.
Yes she has been on a good diet since just before she turned a year. She gets a calcium supplement Daily. They both do. She does feel like a rock, i guess i was just worried that she was too small. I am a worry wart with my Sulcatas.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

='DozersMom' pid='37803' dateline='1223740142']
Thanks.
Yes she has been on a good diet since just before she turned a year. She gets a calcium supplement Daily. They both do. She does feel like a rock, i guess i was just worried that she was too small. I am a worry wart with my Sulcatas.

I have 2 Sulcata and 11 other grazing tortoises but I just love Sulcata for their goof ball outgoing personalities.
I bought Bob (65 lbs) a vollyball sized red rubber ball for his entertainment because the weather has turned here and he will have to be inside for the next 6 or 7 months...anyhow; watching Bob will that ball cracks me up. He is so funny trying to bully and intimidate the ball. I'll take it out today tho so he doesn't get too used to it. Anybody else have suggestions on entertaining a couple of shedbound Sulcata?