Hi new to all this and was wondering what the average weight is for a 3/4 week spur thigh tortoise is ? What happened was I was working on a job in a empty house house and these little babies was in the back garden so iv took them on so need as much input and help as I can get Iv had them checked over by a vet and he’s told me they are fine just very cold !! I’m in the uk so at this time of year it’s cold and windy ! Iv got all the uva uvb and ir light for them but they are so small and weak any help would be appreciated thanks
Spur thigh tortoise
- Thread starter daveg0099
- Start date
Hello & Welcome! Can you post some pictures of the babies and their set up! It will help to give you detailed and accurate info or advice! Plus, we love to see torts anyways
Hello & Welcome! Can you post some pictures of the babies and their set up! It will help to give you detailed and accurate info or advice! Plus, we love to see torts anyways
I’m at work at the moment but can when I get home my profile picture is of one of them it’s the same size as a grape !!
SweetGreekTorts
Well-Known Member
Can you also post a photo of the plastron (belly)? With the Mediterranean species, the Hermann's, Greeks, and Marginated all look very similar as babies because of their shells, but their stomach patterns are different and distinct. Then we can confirm a species identity.
Where are you physically located? It's possible these tortoises are wild in your area.
Where are you physically located? It's possible these tortoises are wild in your area.
The vet has already confirmed the species identity for me and has said they are 100 % spur thigh !! No I’m in the uk we don’t get wild tortoises over here it’s to cold I’m 99 % sure someone dumped because they didn’t want them
The vet has already confirmed the species identity for me and has said they are 100 % spur thigh !! No I’m in the uk we don’t get wild tortoises over here it’s to cold I’m 99 % sure someone dumped because they didn’t want them
Hello and welcome from the UK. I have kept a Greek (spur-thighed) for well over 40 years.
The care of the Mediterranean species (Herman ‘s, Greek, Russian, etc) is broadly similar regardless.
There is no average rate of growth or weight for any tortoise as, like humans, they all grow at different rates and their start in life, their genes and their ongoing care make a massive difference.
What you are looking for is steady increase in weight over time. Like humans, some torts turn out to grow in spurts and some put on weight steadily. Do remember that, with very tiny torts, a poop or a pee can make a massive difference to weight. It takes a while to achieve the 3.4kg of my Joe... and he was exceptionally large for a Greek.
Try to be consistent about when you weigh your tort. Doing it at roughly the same time of day each time helps. I suggest straight after an early morning soak. Weighing weekly is plenty otherwise you get neurotic about every gramme gained or lost!
Babies like this need to be kept in the warm and humid environment of a closed chamber (vivarium)
The care of the Mediterranean species (Herman ‘s, Greek, Russian, etc) is broadly similar regardless.
There is no average rate of growth or weight for any tortoise as, like humans, they all grow at different rates and their start in life, their genes and their ongoing care make a massive difference.
What you are looking for is steady increase in weight over time. Like humans, some torts turn out to grow in spurts and some put on weight steadily. Do remember that, with very tiny torts, a poop or a pee can make a massive difference to weight. It takes a while to achieve the 3.4kg of my Joe... and he was exceptionally large for a Greek.
Try to be consistent about when you weigh your tort. Doing it at roughly the same time of day each time helps. I suggest straight after an early morning soak. Weighing weekly is plenty otherwise you get neurotic about every gramme gained or lost!
Babies like this need to be kept in the warm and humid environment of a closed chamber (vivarium)
Getting the temperature and humidity correct is essential for tiny torts. I recommend you read these care guides for your babies. They’re written by species experts working hard to correct the outdated information widely available on the internet and from pet stores and, sadly, from some breeders and vets too.
Beginner Mistakes
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/#post-436227
Care of baby Testudo (written about Russians, but applies to yours)
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/b...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/
Beginner Mistakes
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/#post-436227
Care of baby Testudo (written about Russians, but applies to yours)
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/b...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/
Thank you I will have a good read when I get home from work [emoji3]
