growing too quickly

sahbird · 31-01-2013, 05:56 PM

Hi, just wondered if anyone can help, we got our female leopard tortoise last sept, she lives in a vivarium. We have a small heat mat we leave on at night and have her heat lamp on for around 10 hours a day. She has put on over 200 g since sept and have noticed her shell has begun to look slightly bulging between the plates at the sides. She looks very healthy not fat or anything. I feed her a mixture of kale, rocket, lambs lettuce and romainiane lettuce at the moment ( hard to find weeds as its winter) I sprinkle some limestone flour neutribol and she has some cuttle fish in her tank. I soak her every 3 days (the only time she poos) and she has soil as her substrate. Im a little concerned as I was told she would gain only a few grams per month and she has almost doubled her weight in 6 months. Where her shell is growing I can see almost a pinky line in the center and although its not soft it is also not hard with this slight bulge does this seem normal she is my first tortoise?

**egyptiandan64** · 31-01-2013, 06:06 PM

Everything sounds very normal

Leopard tortoises are going to gain more weight than a Mediterranean tortoise will. Also weight and size are what matters as opposed to weight gain for a period of time.
Do you have any pictures?

Danny

longbowassassin · 31-01-2013, 09:15 PM

Hello, do you have any snaps that you can post of her and details of the temperature she is kept at. In the meantime I can recommend zoomed grassland tortoise food, its very handy in these lean winter months when sufficient fresh food is in limited supply. A local reptile vet is also worth knowing before you need one so you can take her quickly if you need to in an emergency. I have supplied a few links below which you might find useful till you post some snaps of her. Good luck and enjoy her they are well worth the extra effort/cost.

http://www.surreypetsupplies.co.uk/z...kg-zm-133.html

http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/s...ise_home_1.asp

http://thebhs.org/Documents/main_doc...010%20list.pdf

sahbird · 01-02-2013, 09:04 AM

Here are some pictures.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/62896744@N05/8435193508/

**egyptiandan64** · 01-02-2013, 01:56 PM

Looking very good to me.

Your Leopard is growing very well, so whatever your doing keep doing it. Definately no diet needed

Danny

sahbird · 01-02-2013, 05:01 PM

Thanks very much, that put my mind at rest!

EJ · 01-02-2013, 06:03 PM

Nice looking tortoise.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sahbird

Here are some pictures.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/62896744@N05/8435193508/

Herpard · 01-02-2013, 06:07 PM

Lovely looking tortoise

Since Halloween 2008 my Leopard has put on over 10lbs

31-01-2013, 05:56 PM	#1
sahbird Junior Member Egg Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 4	growing too quickly Hi, just wondered if anyone can help, we got our female leopard tortoise last sept, she lives in a vivarium. We have a small heat mat we leave on at night and have her heat lamp on for around 10 hours a day. She has put on over 200 g since sept and have noticed her shell has begun to look slightly bulging between the plates at the sides. She looks very healthy not fat or anything. I feed her a mixture of kale, rocket, lambs lettuce and romainiane lettuce at the moment ( hard to find weeds as its winter) I sprinkle some limestone flour neutribol and she has some cuttle fish in her tank. I soak her every 3 days (the only time she poos) and she has soil as her substrate. Im a little concerned as I was told she would gain only a few grams per month and she has almost doubled her weight in 6 months. Where her shell is growing I can see almost a pinky line in the center and although its not soft it is also not hard with this slight bulge does this seem normal she is my first tortoise?

31-01-2013, 06:06 PM	#2
egyptiandan64 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: USA Posts: 14,171	Everything sounds very normal Leopard tortoises are going to gain more weight than a Mediterranean tortoise will. Also weight and size are what matters as opposed to weight gain for a period of time. Do you have any pictures? Danny __________________

01-02-2013, 09:04 AM	#4
sahbird Junior Member Egg Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 4	Here are some pictures. http://www.flickr.com/photos/62896744@N05/8435193508/ Last edited by egyptiandan64; 01-02-2013 at 01:54 PM.

01-02-2013, 01:56 PM	#5
egyptiandan64 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: USA Posts: 14,171	Looking very good to me. Your Leopard is growing very well, so whatever your doing keep doing it. Definately no diet needed Danny __________________

31-01-2013, 09:15 PM	#3
longbowassassin Member Hatched Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Lancashire... Posts: 333	Hello, do you have any snaps that you can post of her and details of the temperature she is kept at. In the meantime I can recommend zoomed grassland tortoise food, its very handy in these lean winter months when sufficient fresh food is in limited supply. A local reptile vet is also worth knowing before you need one so you can take her quickly if you need to in an emergency. I have supplied a few links below which you might find useful till you post some snaps of her. Good luck and enjoy her they are well worth the extra effort/cost. http://www.surreypetsupplies.co.uk/z...kg-zm-133.html http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/s...ise_home_1.asp http://thebhs.org/Documents/main_doc...010%20list.pdf

01-02-2013, 05:01 PM	#6
sahbird Junior Member Egg Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 4	Thanks very much, that put my mind at rest!

01-02-2013, 06:07 PM	#8
Herpard Senior Member Adult Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Norton Canes, UK Posts: 2,330	Lovely looking tortoise Since Halloween 2008 my Leopard has put on over 10lbs

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