Weight?

[Miesha]

Hi, i joined yesterday and am in need of some help.
Around 8months ago (Late March/early April) i brought two Spur-Thighs from a tortoise rescue center, i was told they were 10 years old and both male.
I was just wondering what the average weight is as one is noticeably smaller than the other and doesn't seem like he will be catching up anytime soon.
ANY ADVICE/HELP IS WELCOME

 

[Yvonne G]

There really isn't any "normal", as it all depends upon conditions during the tortoise's growing period. The smaller one might not have been raised in optimum conditions, and at 10 years, he probably won't be doing much more growing. Are you sure they're both spur thigh tortoises? One might be a Russian, a smaller species. How about sharing pictures and we can tell you for sure.

 

[Tom]

Also, if they have been living as a pair all this time, the smaller one is likely suffering terribly. They should never be kept in pairs, especially as adults.

 

[Miesha]

There really isn't any "normal", as it all depends upon conditions during the tortoise's growing period. The smaller one might not have been raised in optimum conditions, and at 10 years, he probably won't be doing much more growing. Are you sure they're both spur thigh tortoises? One might be a Russian, a smaller species. How about sharing pictures and we can tell you for sure.

I was told they were both spur thighs. They seem fine, they both eat the same sort of amount and there isn't any clear differences in behavior but there is a very clear difference in size and i was just a bit worried about it as there the first tortoises Ive ever had.

Ive attached a photo, this photo was taken the day i picked them up to bring home. (The difference is'nt that clear in the image)

 

[Miesha]

Also, if they have been living as a pair all this time, the smaller one is likely suffering terribly. They should never be kept in pairs, especially as adults.

When i brought them from the shelter i was told that they have always been together and that as long as they don't fight then there is no need to separate them. They both hatched and were home raised together, although when i first got them home there was subtle signs of dominance that dominance quickly went and i haven't seen any signs since. They seem a lot more healthy especially the little one compared to when i first got them. Do you think being together is having a effect on them, whether or not i can see it?

 

[Tom]

Do you think being together is having a effect on them, whether or not i can see it?

Yes. Absolutely. They are not social animals. One of them is dominant and one of them is submissive. The dominant wants the submissive one to leave his territory and the submissive wants to leave, but can't. The dominant doesn't even have to "do" anything. This long term chronic stress can be very damaging. If I locked you in a cage with a lion, wouldn't you be stressed out even if the lion were sleeping on the other side of the cage and not even looking at you? Wouldn't you want to get out of there?

Sorry. I disagree with the shelter.

 

[Miesha]

Yes. Absolutely. They are not social animals. One of them is dominant and one of them is submissive. The dominant wants the submissive one to leave his territory and the submissive wants to leave, but can't. The dominant doesn't even have to "do" anything. This long term chronic stress can be very damaging. If I locked you in a cage with a lion, wouldn't you be stressed out even if the lion were sleeping on the other side of the cage and not even looking at you? Wouldn't you want to get out of there?

Sorry. I disagree with the shelter.

No reason to say sorry, your just giving your opinion. They have a lot of space but ill defiantly keep your advice in mind, ill get them separated asap. When I got them the shelter said they had only had them for a short time so I can only hope that before that they weren't kept in a small space together, hopefully there hasn't been any long term/serious effects. Thank you for your help!

 

[Gillian M]

Hi, i joined yesterday and am in need of some help.
Around 8months ago (Late March/early April) i brought two Spur-Thighs from a tortoise rescue center, i was told they were 10 years old and both male.
I was just wondering what the average weight is as one is noticeably smaller than the other and doesn't seem like he will be catching up anytime soon.
ANY ADVICE/HELP IS WELCOME

A very warm welcome to the forum to you and your cute torts.

 

[teresaf]

Ok, am I the only one that doesn't think those are Sulcatas? LOL. @Tom ? I don't know alot about tortoises, just the ones I have, but I've seen a lot of pictures and they don't look like Sulcatas to me
@Yvonne G

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Ok, am I the only one that doesn't think those are Sulcatas? LOL. @Tom ? I don't know alot about tortoises, just the ones I have, but I've seen a lot of pictures and they don't look like Sulcatas to me
@Yvonne G

They're Greeks, not sulcata. Spur-thigh is another name for Greeks. It sounds similar to African spurred, which is a common name for sulcatas.

 

[kyle12345w]

Ok, am I the only one that doesn't think those are Sulcatas? LOL. @Tom ? I don't know alot about tortoises, just the ones I have, but I've seen a lot of pictures and they don't look like Sulcatas to me
@Yvonne G

I was thinking the exact same thing.

 

[teresaf]

They're Greeks, not sulcata. Spur-thigh is another name for Greeks. It sounds similar to African spurred, which is a common name for sulcatas.

okay yeah that's what happened. I'm glad to see I'm getting a little better though because I was guessing Greek or Hermanns! Lol

 

[teresaf]

I was thinking the exact same thing. I am no expert but those are definitely not sulcatas.

glad it's not just me that got that wrong. now we know! lol!

 

[kyle12345w]

glad it's not just me that got that wrong. now we know! lol!

Yes, we are learning new things every day from this forum! Lol. I was just confused because I have seen sucatas referred to as spur-thigh and african spurred when I was researching their care.

 

[Miesha]

They have the 'spurs' and i was told they were spur-thighs by the shelter, you guys got me worried for a minute As a new owner i don't have much knowledge but i can happily say i am learning more and more since i joined up

 

[teresaf]

Yes, we are learning new things every day from this forum! Lol. I was just confused because I have seen sucatas referred to as spur-thigh and african spurred when I was researching their care.

I had heard of them being referred to as african spurred but, like you, I thought i had heard of sulcatas referred to as spur-thigh also. I don't remember greeks being called spurr-thigh much on this forum but maybe on others? Perhaps to cut confusion they stopped that here...a greek is a greek and a sulcatas a sulcata?

 

[kyle12345w]

I had heard of them being referred to as african spurred but, like you, I thought i had heard of sulcatas referred to as spur-thigh also. I don't remember greeks being called spurr-thigh much on this forum but maybe on others? Perhaps to cut confusion they stopped that here...a greek is a greek and a sulcatas a sulcata?

Im going to stick with sulcata and greek so there is no room for error lol.

 

[teresaf]

No reason to say sorry, your just giving your opinion. They have a lot of space but ill defiantly keep your advice in mind, ill get them separated asap. When I got them the shelter said they had only had them for a short time so I can only hope that before that they weren't kept in a small space together, hopefully there hasn't been any long term/serious effects. Thank you for your help!

I kept my two MEPS together for the first year of their life and they both had awesome weight gain and no sign of dominance issues until i was soaking them and one turned it's head and decided the other was edible! Luckily i was watching and Luckily they are sooooooooo slow(slower than an average tort) and i was able to intervene before he took a bite out of his siblings face!

 

[Yvonne G]

Im going to stick with sulcata and greek so there is no room for error lol.

Some people erroneously refer to the Sulcata as a "spur thigh." But that's not correct, and it is very confusing. A Greek tortoise is a spur thigh because of the spurs along the inside of his back legs (thighs). A Sulcata is a spurred tortoise because of all the spurs on all his legs. Both of those designations are more or less nicknames.

 

[kyle12345w]

Some people erroneously refer to the Sulcata as a "spur thigh." But that's not correct, and it is very confusing. A Greek tortoise is a spur thigh because of the spurs along the inside of his back legs (thighs). A Sulcata is a spurred tortoise because of all the spurs on all his legs. Both of those designations are more or less nicknames.

Thank you for the clarification, you have been very helpful!