Tortoise weight

NurseJ

New Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2019
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17
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Pennsylvania
Hello everyone,

I am looking for some advice. I got a baby Sulcata in March 2019. From a breeder that i feel certain do not start their babies correctly. Regardless mine got mycoplasma and had to have injections right off the bat of me having it. It did pull through.
I know there is no one “correct” weight for a Sulcata at a given age but mine seems very small. Looks healthy, eats, drinks, poops, pees. Naps. Active most of the day.
I have it in a glass tank right now due to its small size it’s easier to control heat and humidity. Upper 90s for basking area, non basking side is 80°. Humidity overnight is around 80. During the day 60. I do soak every other day in warm water.
Feeding mixed greens (no iceberg or spinach). I do mix in grass and clover but winter is here so it’s getting sparse. I have Mazuri i offer. I offer small teaspoon of butternut squash which i mix in calcium or vitamin supplements three times a week.
So everything seems good? Tortoise looks happy and healthy. But after 8mo it only weighed 2.2oz. Hasn’t gained a drop of weight.
The vet prefers we don’t bring him out unless absolutely necessary in the cold. Any suggestions? Is this normal?
 

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Maro2Bear

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Greetings...

That weight of roughly 63 grams for at least an 8 month old Sully does seem very low. How old was the tort when you purchased it?

I’m sure @Tom or @Yvonne G will provide additional info, but if your tort was started and kept wrong from the very beginning, it might have some internal organ damage and never really get growing.

It sounds like you are doing all the right things, maybe try to soak more often (daily) if you can.

Best of Luck
 

Yvonne G

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Lack of weight gain is probably due to the treatment for mycoplasma. Just treat him like a hatchling - 80- 85F day and night, humidity 80% all the time, lots of hiding places, daily warm soaks, plenty of food. He'll catch up and take off eventually.
 

NurseJ

New Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2019
Messages
17
Location (City and/or State)
Pennsylvania
Thank you both. I’m unsure of the exact age when i got the tort. He still has the little mark where the yolk is though, which has since gone away. We are on a pretty steady routine and the tort likes routine. Eats at the same time every day etc.

Yvonne- does the antibiotic hinder growth or the infection ? I’ve been wondering but haven’t found much info. I had a lengthy go around with the “breeder” aka mass producer of torts and they blamed the mycoplasma on everything i was doing with the increased humidity etc. i still think without what I’ve read on the forum that little guy/gal would not have made it this far.
 
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