If you are thinking about getting a baby sulcata tortoise, consider the future size of the tortoise. Sulcata tortoises do not stay small for long. A baby sulcata can grow up to 6 to 8 inches long in the first year and can weigh about 1.7 to 2.2 pounds.
When considering buying a baby sulcata tortoise or adopting a baby sulcata, it is vital that you consider the tortoise’s future size. If you already have a baby sulcata tortoise, it is important that you consider how you will house the baby as it grows.
Sulcata Tortoise Growth Rate
Sulcata tortoises average between 80 to 200 pounds and 2.5 to 3 feet wide. Sulcatas are the third largest tortoise species.
There is no standard growth rate for sulcata tortoises. Housing, diet and genetics can truly factor into how fast or slow a baby sulcata will grow. As long as the baby sulcata IS growing, that’s what is most important.
As your tortoise grows, you will notice growth lines. If you are concerned about your tortoise’s growth, you can purchase a digital scale to monitor steady growth.
Factors that Affect Sulcata Growth
There are many factors that can affect a sulcata’s growth and a sulcata’s weight, and you’ll find that there is NO average growth rate for a sulcata. Every sulcata grows a little differently.
Basic factors that can alter the speed at which a baby sulcata tortoise will grow, can include the following.
- Low fiber diet
- High protein diet
- High percent of fruits and/or vegetables in the diet
- Dry enclosure
- Lack of hydration
- Bullying by another tortoise
- General stress
- Improper heating
- Lack of a UV source
- General illness
