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Old 22-02-2012, 11:23 AM   #1
BirdieF18
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Question When do hors fields reach their maximum size?

Hi i was just wandering how old a horsfield has to be before it reaches its maximum size?
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Old 22-02-2012, 11:31 AM   #2
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it just depends how fast they grow, one could be max size at 5 years old and it might take another 10 or more years to get to max size
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Old 22-02-2012, 12:05 PM   #3
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How old is it for THBs Alan? Again is it how fast they grow? I think its gunna be quite a few years before Phoebe and Daisy get to full size!
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Old 22-02-2012, 12:08 PM   #4
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Quote:
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How old is it for THBs Alan? Again is it how fast they grow? I think its gunna be quite a few years before Phoebe and Daisy get to full size!
The rate of growth applies to all tortoises, probably around 10 years and they will be nearing max size.
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Old 22-02-2012, 01:32 PM   #5
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Unless I'm misunderstanding... this comment is not quite correct. A tortoise growth rate is highly variable. It can never reach full size if the conditions at which it is kept do not allow it and at the same time it can reach full size in a few years.

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The rate of growth applies to all tortoises, probably around 10 years and they will be nearing max size.
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Old 22-02-2012, 01:36 PM   #6
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Quote:
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Unless I'm misunderstanding... this comment is not quite correct. A tortoise growth rate is highly variable. It can never reach full size if the conditions at which it is kept do not allow it and at the same time it can reach full size in a few years.
Yeah I agree that post confused me a little. Although I understand that the conditions in which they are kept have a major effect, am I right in thinking they just grow at different rates anyway? For example if you have 2 torts- same age, same species and same conditions they can grow at different rates?
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Old 22-02-2012, 01:58 PM   #7
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Behavior and genetics also play a part in development.

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Yeah I agree that post confused me a little. Although I understand that the conditions in which they are kept have a major effect, am I right in thinking they just grow at different rates anyway? For example if you have 2 torts- same age, same species and same conditions they can grow at different rates?
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Old 22-02-2012, 02:11 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EJ View Post
Unless I'm misunderstanding... this comment is not quite correct. A tortoise growth rate is highly variable. It can never reach full size if the conditions at which it is kept do not allow it and at the same time it can reach full size in a few years.
The post was probably misleading, the 10 years applies to Watermelon's tortoise's, not every tortoise. Sorry.
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Old 22-02-2012, 02:34 PM   #9
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I thought they kept on growing for years and years, like up to 30, 40, 50 years old. Can't remember where I read it though...
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Old 22-02-2012, 02:40 PM   #10
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The only thing you can really say is a male will reach maximum size quicker than a female. There are plenty of factors involved with how quickly or slowly a tortoise will reach it's personal maximum size. Most have been mentioned Not really to do with maximum size reached, but some of the last studies of wild horsfields I saw went into when animals became mature in the wild. They figured 7 to 10 years for males and 10 to 14 years for females.

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