So I've had my tortoise for about three years and he's only ever grown maybe an inch in his shell in the past 3 years. I saw on facebook someone post their tortoise at their three year age mark and he was about 10 pounds. What's wrong with my tortoise and what can i do to better my care to help aid in growth?
Tortoise is still really small?? please help!!
- Thread starter analeaf
- Start date
Hi, and welcome.
We need to know what species your tort is and some pictures of his enclosure and lamps .
Also what is his usual diet and the temperatures you keep him in.
Once we have those members can give you the best advice on any changes you need to make to help your tort thrive.
Forget FB and other websites where old and incorrect information is being passed around, this website will give the you best up to date information from very experienced and well respected keepers.
We need to know what species your tort is and some pictures of his enclosure and lamps .
Also what is his usual diet and the temperatures you keep him in.
Once we have those members can give you the best advice on any changes you need to make to help your tort thrive.
Forget FB and other websites where old and incorrect information is being passed around, this website will give the you best up to date information from very experienced and well respected keepers.
What kind of tortoise?
leopard tortoise
You are going to need to provide more information than that. Pics too.
Sorry, I'm new to this using forums thing i didn't see your reply at first. Here's his enclosure currently. And pictures of him from a few days ago.
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At first when my parents him for me as a gift for christmas three years ago I was told he was a hermann's and we mostly fed him the grassland tortoise pellets for most of that and I read that i also had to incorporate calcium into their diet so i would also mix in calcium powder once a week and also giving him veggies every so often then i moved into dorms for college and left him in the care of my parents. When i came back and got my own apartment i took him back and started giving him more of a variety diet like store bought greens such as mustard greens, kale, collard greens, and carrots along with trying different tortoise foods like fluker's (which he wouldn't even touch). Then more recently I started joining groups and reading more into first hand owners instead of websites and found out he was actually a leopard tortoise. And i was told to incorporate more hays and grasses into his diet. I tried last night giving him timothy hay but he wouldn't eat it.
Hello and welcome to the forum. I have a 3 year old Leopard that I adopted last April ( so not from hatchling. She needed to be re-homed). She is just under 9 inches and last month weighed 3lbs 13 oz.
Have you had a chance to read any of the care guides for leopards on this forum? They are very helpful. This one is very helpful:
The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise
Your Leopard is very pretty.
Thank you, both for the compliment and the forum! I haven't seen that one but when I was looking around earlier I found helpful info about dietary needs but this has it all!
I hope it's able to at least help you find some areas that might need changing in your husbandry. Your leopard does look pretty good, but I agree seems small. I know they grow at different rates, but compared to mine, yours does look more like a hatchling. The smooth growth is great. We did get our girl with quite a lot of pyramiding.
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Omg, most definitely he's got alot of growing to do. She's beautiful and looks so healthy!
Thank you! There is so much helpful info on this forum and great members. Once you are able to figure out what changes your tort needs, he’ll be growing in no time. Hopefully some more experienced keepers will add and answer any questions you have.
My leopard won't eat dried hay or pellets either. In the summer his main diet is weeds, like dandelions ribwort and broadleaf plantains, clover etc but in the winter because of our climate I have to use shop bought leaves like salad bags, with added variety in the form of lambs lettuce, pak choy, romaine, kale, spring greens, plus other good things, but I add fibre by finely grinding Readigrass and sprinkling that on wet leaves, He's quite happy with that but if I just give him a pile of Readigrass he wouldn't touch it.
have a look at the caresheet for ideas for diet and www.thetortosietable.org.uk is a good guide to tort safe plants.
You're enclosure looks pretty good but I would change that water dish for a terracota plant saucer which you could sink level with the substrate to make it easier for him to access and get out of safely. The one you have looks a bit steep and awkward for him.
What lamps are you using there for UVB and basking?
Do you use night heat?
And what are his temps - basking, cool side warm side and ambient?
Sorry for all the questions but it will help members work out why he's so small.
