She's not growing...

[russianhenry]

So since I have had Lola (3 years now), she has not grown a bit. When I got her she had some shell issues and was housed with hardly any light, and fed rabbit food. But I've had her in an enclosure with a UVA/UVB bulb since I took her home. Is it just her, am I doing something wrong? She will (finally!) be in an outdoor enclosure at the end of next month. She is on coco coir/ sand mix, sometimes repti bark/ soil mix. She is fed ale vera, mustard and collard greens, dandelions, and I used to feed kale but stopped. She also gets calcium sprinkled on her food 4x a week.

PS sorry the pic stinks, she is sleeping

 

[ascott]

Well, how large is the tort? Is the tort eating and acting business as usual?

 

[JoesMum]

What species is the tort and how big is it? Sorry, it is impossible to tell from your picture on my tablet.

 

[russianhenry]

Russian tortoise, acts the same as always. Loves to eat, hates to soak, super active, runs around yard for most of the day.

 

[russianhenry]

She is 5 in long and has been that exact same size for 3 years now, is that normal??

 

[lismar79]

I thought I read that Russians were slow growers & do not reach more than 6" or so. I would just say that you do need more varity in your diet.

 

[JoesMum]

Could be that she is full grown. She is small for an adult, but if she is wild caught, she could be any age.

If she is eating, pooping and generally active and happy then I really wouldn't be concerned.

 

[hannahshiers]

she could already be fully grown?

 

[TortoiseRN]

Are you weighing your tort or does s/he just look the same? The biggest female in my herd is about ten years old and is still slowly gaining weight/showing new growth. Give her time.

 

[biochemnerd808]

If 'she' is truly a 'she' then I bet she will still grow some. Females end up growing to be 8-10 inches. However, maybe you have a male? They grow much slower, and end up staying smaller, since they don't have to hold eggs inside their bellies. 4.5-6 inches is a perfectly respectable size for a male RT. If s/he is eating and pooping normally, is active and alert, I wouldn't be too worried. Also, as my rescue friend reminds me: "In reptiles everything happens slowly" - if your tortoise was kept incorrectly before, it can take several years for his/her system to recuperate and start growing normally. I would just watch and see, and in the meantime, provide healthy food, good calcium, good lighting, lots of outdoor time, and plenty of exercise.

 

[dmmj]

Females grow between 8 to 12 inches, If she is a she, and not a crying game tortoise ( older movie reference). She still has some to grow, some just grow slow, I wouldn't worry, the time to worry is when they start shrinking.

 

[TortoiseRN]

Man I hate it when my tortoises shrink!!

 

[johnsonnboswell]

I've read that aloe Vera has a laxative effect on tortoises, so try cutting way back on it. It should be part of a richly varied diet, not the mainstay. Bring back the kale, and add other foods. Go foraging for good pesticide/herbicide-free weeds and flowers.

 

[yillt]

She'll grow. Don't worry.

 

[WillTort2]

I would strive to get her some outdoor time. Adding more variety of food as suggested earlier is also good.

For days that the tort cannot get outside, I would advise a larger enclosure that is elevated above floor level.

For substrate, I would suggest eliminating the sand from your substrate due to the impaction possibility.

For easy food variety, add cactus, radicchio, romaine lettuce, green and red leaf lettuce, mulberry leaves (plant a tree), grape vine leaves, and loads of different weeds (buy a seed package online or learn to identify your local safe weeds).

I would also check your enclosure temperatures. And if your bulb is over 6 months old replace it with a new bulb because the bulbs loose most of the UV output at about the 90 day mark.

 

[Courtney Joy]

Russian tortoise, acts the same as always. Loves to eat, hates to soak, super active, runs around yard for most of the day.

I'm sure your tort loves the dandelions!! Have you tried endive or watermelon? Both are great sources of moisture and easy to entice them with. Also very excited for your new outdoor enclosure, send us pictures hopefully.