Tortoise Weight and Jackson Ratio???

[rachel.mather]

Okay so I'm not hibernating my tortoise but im just a little worried by his weight. I took him to the vets today to be wormed, which i know can make them a bit lighter than normal. But i have just measured and weighed my tort (my scales could be a little inaccurate) but I just want to know if the Jackson Ratio is accurate? I'm getting a calculation that he's severly underweight, although happy and healthy in himself and is doing everything a torty should be doing. I have measurements of 16cm and 650g, what do you guys work this out to be?
Thanks in advance!

[sandy]

Originally Posted by rachel.mather

Okay so I'm not hibernating my tortoise but im just a little worried by his weight. I took him to the vets today to be wormed, which i know can make them a bit lighter than normal. But i have just measured and weighed my tort (my scales could be a little inaccurate) but I just want to know if the Jackson Ratio is accurate? I'm getting a calculation that he's severly underweight, although happy and healthy in himself and is doing everything a torty should be doing. I have measurements of 16cm and 650g, what do you guys work this out to be?
Thanks in advance!

The Jackson Ratio is just a guide, its not set in stone:0)
Accurate measuring is most important.

[burnt toast]

Have you measured his SCL? ie undershell length (by placing him agains something static & marking the longest part of his shell? As said Jacksons is just a guide & I think Dan & other experts feel Haileys calculator is a more up to date guide.

Also if your tort has just had wormer administered it isn't adviseable to hibernate him, as some worming preparations can be a little dehydrating. Ideally it is best to give them 8 weeks after worming before hibernation.

What species is your tort?

[rachel.mather]

Yeah I did do the measuring how your supposed too, maybe I wasn't accurate enough, so i'll try again tomorrow. I just did the hailey calculator and it says he should be 800g, think i need to invest in some new scales also!
I wasn't planning to hibernate cos i haven't had him long and the whole thing scares me a bit.
He's a hermanns

[burnt toast]

Hi Rachael I have just checked him on Haileys & yes he should be 801grams if a male, so he is underweight. It would obviously put your mind at rest to check your measurements/ scales but I wouldn't be overly concerned about this weight (if its correct) I have a young Marginata male who's only 75% of predicted mass - hes staying up this winter & getting fed up

If your tort is new to you he may have been off his food + you are not responsible for what the last owner did/didn't feed him. I wouldn't restrict his food - feed after a bath & maybe add some butternut squash & a "complete diet" pellet to his diet once/twice a week, this should help build up his weight & of course if you can rid him of worms, should he have them that will help too

[Ozric Jonathan]

This is a more recent and more sophisticated version of the same idea. Worth a look if your tortoise is over 100mm.

http://www.ahailey.f9.co.uk/cond.htm

[egyptiandan64]

I feel all warm and fuzzy inside

Danny

[rachel.mather]

Thanks everyone for your replies, im off to buy some digital scales today, I'll let you know if my measurements were wrong
Thankyou for putting my mind at rest burnt toast!

[Levi]

Originally Posted by egyptiandan64

I feel all warm and fuzzy inside

Danny

Why, what have you eaten.

[rachel.mather]

Okay, So I bought new scales and remeasured him. I know have readings of 150mm and 660g which is 99% predicted mass.
Which i'm really happy about considering his last owners probably never wormed in him his 6 years!