Herman's size/weight VS age

[TBH123]

I think my Herman's (Female T.H.Herc) is too small for her age?


She is a 2008 hatch (4 yrs)

Plastron - 9.5cms

SCL - 11cms

Weight - 255 grams

LEt me know what u think thanks

[Easter Bunny]

Going by the jackson ratio she seems ideal x

[TBH123]

Thank you

I dunno, it just seems she really isnt growing much :/ se is growing, just VERY slowly!

I have seen plenty of 4yar old hermans and their always bigger! But lumpier. She is quite smooth and active/ food orientated.

I purchased her in august 2010 as a 2 year old and she was 8cm plastron and 155 grams.

So thats like 1.5 cm growth and 100 gram weight gain is 20 months! :O

I know slow and steady is the best way of growing them, but come on?! haha!

Otherwise she is a very happy, healthy tortoise lol

[egyptiandan64]

I'm afraid she is still underweight She was when you got her and still is. At that size she should be 298g. At her size each mm of growth should weigh 8g.

Danny

[kkenny]

Well if it is any help, mine is exactly a year younger and only 9.5cm and 175g, I consider him fine. Mine has grown 1.5cm in a year and put about 80g on (he needed too put weight on though)

[TBH123]

Christ! :O i didnt realise she is 43 grams underweight?! :/

What can i do to get her to gain weight? she always eating? :/

Any ideas appreciated.

[burnt toast]

I have found they al grow at different rates, even with the same care/set up. I have two sets of clutch sisters & their weights are: 340g/1kg & 490g / 1.1kg.

I also have a couple who have had periods of extreeemly slow growth! I did monitor this carefully & worked out that one was growing at 6 grams per month & the other only 3. One is still growing slowly but like yours seems fine in ever other way & they other ones growth rate has improved.

If you are really worried you could try adding abidec to one of her baths per day for a while (orange box, about an inch in the dispenser tube) this will help with her growth.

I have stopped worrying about it now but I realise thats easier said than done

[egyptiandan64]

You could try twice a day, pellets (more if your already feeding pellets), pellets more times a week. If you don't already feed her alone, feeding her alone might help also.

Danny

[TBH123]

Thanks guys great ideas Slightly worried now!

Well ive just done all 3's SCL (Up against the wall, heads sucked in, just like the guide on here)

Shelly - 105mm (not 115 sorry) - 265 grams

Torty - 143mm - 610 grams

Tilly - 200mm - 1420 grams

These weights were taken just a minute ago before i fed them. Last time i fed them was yesterday at this time (so hopefully empty). I will try feeding them twice a day now, although when i have done this preiously they have been more focused on basking! :/ Will give it a go and dig the evil pellets out

Many thanks people Danny if you could let me know what you think of all my lots weights vs their sizes

[TBH123]

Just used the Jackson's Ratio Calculator

Shellys results - 0.22891696361084116

Torty's results - 0.20860356329083404

Tillys results - 0.1775

????

I know this is for pre-hibernation use but i guess it gives a good indicator on weights.

Based on these resultsm what do i need to to each of them, if anything needs to be done?

Thanks