Weights good? And Pyxis don't seem to be slowing down???

[bigbeaks]

This is the first winter I've had Pyxis, and my two don't really seem to be slowing down like I've read. Just like this morning they were both sitting on their rock waiting for food. Has anyone else had this experience with theirs?

Also, I got them at the end of May this year. They weighed 22 grams and 31 grams. Now they weigh 55 grams and 65. Does this look like normal weight gain for this amount of time to you all?

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

i would ask @Anthony P he owns some.

 

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bigbeaks, i have 7 myself, and the gain shows they are doing well. aestivating from feedback from Will Ahrens is different with each animal. The young ones 6-8 months old are aestivating since beginning of december , i got them around april, but the 2 older ones 4 years and 6 years. well i have them since 2 weeks were never aestivated, so they still come out. lower the temps in the 70 es and see what they do. I like to let them do what is necessary for them, they are mostly instinctual. Tim, Will and Anthony are other people to help. Yours look though very nice. Annette

 

[Anthony P]

They look great and seem to be doing well! I've never had an obese arachnoides, so my take on them is to encourage and welcome any growth spurt. What are your temperatures and humidity like? Where in the world are you located and in what part of your home are the tortoises?

 

[bigbeaks]

I'm in Ga. The temps in the room are between 70 and 74 during the day and drop to 66 to 68 at night. Humidity is normally 50 to 60 % this time of year for us, but their enclosure gets sprayed daily. I wasn't "worried" about them so to speak. I was just wondering if this was normal for everyone or not. They really haven't changed since I've had them, and expected them to. I do soak them every other day.

 

[Anthony P]

I personally would say this growth is on the faster side. Your winter temps and humidity are higher than mine. Obviously, temps are higher under their bulbs, but the temps and humidity in the room mine have been in are less than yours have been exposed to. Seems to be working.

Have they slowed down behaviorally at all? Mine still wake up from time to time, but overall they slow down a bunch.

 

[bigbeaks]

I personally would say this growth is on the faster side. Your winter temps and humidity are higher than mine. Obviously, temps are higher under their bulbs, but the temps and humidity in the room mine have been in are less than yours have been exposed to. Seems to be working.

Have they slowed down behaviorally at all? Mine still wake up from time to time, but overall they slow down a bunch.

Hi Anthony, no not really. They come out every morning and go to the area where I feed them. I just keep expecting them to stop doing that and they haven't. I'm not complaining by any means. Just curious.

 

[Anthony P]

Very interesting, indeed. Perhaps it's the fact that the winter has been fairly mild thus far.

 

[turtlesteve]

In 2014 mine were active May through November and they're back down again now. Three of the 4 kept basically the same schedule, with the fourth stayed active for 2 extra weeks. In my case they slowed down right when we started to get cold nights. I let them get to around 62-66 F.

Steve

 

[michiganice91]

Mine have been sleeping since November and I haven't seen them wake up barely at all. They haven't eaten any food and have only had a drink of water maybe once. They're definitely fully aestivating.

 

[Tim/Robin]

Gotta love them!! But man do they make me stress, year after year!!

 

[Anthony P]

Gotta love them!! But man do they make me stress, year after year!!

So true. I've gotten more comfortable over time, but it never ever goes away.

 

[mitchellr]

Mine is still very active and insaw her roam the enclosure this morning. If pyxis kept in tropical countries doesnt aestivate then it should grow faster than ones that are kept in northern countries **assumption