Sulcata tortoises get very large, but when raising a small tortoise, many people want to make sure that the baby sulcata is growing steadily. Now, every tortoise grows at its own pace, but it can be a good idea to keep an eye on your tortoise to ensure that it IS growing. In order to do that, you’ll want to buy a digital scale.
Weighing a Baby Sulcata
When weighing a baby sulcata tortoise, you can put the tortoise directly on the scale.
If the baby sulcata is walking around, you can use a tray, small cup or lid (like a peanut butter jar lid) to keep the tortoise from walking on the scale. Flip the tray or cup over and place the tortoise on it. Make sure to tare your scale to the weight of the tray before weighing your tortoise.
When weighing your baby sulcata tortoise, try not to weigh the tortoise daily. Their weight fluctuates depending on how much they eat and whether you weigh before or after a poop.
If you are weighing a sick baby tortoise, make sure to keep this in mind. The weight can fluctuate. You can get a good idea of growth by weighing once a week.
Nutri Fit Digital Scale
There are a lot of scales you can buy, but the Nutri Fit scal is accurate and has a wide range. You can weigh a baby tortoise all the way up to 11-pounds on the Nutri Fit scale.
The scale is made with a stainless steel plate that is easy to clean and maintain. The LCD display measures in pounds, ounces, grams, milliliters and fluid ounces. The scale has an overload indicator and an auto-off function after one minute of inactivity.
Should I Worry About My Baby Sulcata’s Growth?
If you notice that your tortoise is not gaining weight or is losing weight, then it is past time to see a specialized reptile vet. If your sulcata is gaining weight, and is not showing signs of illness, then your tortoise is probably healthy.
Sulcata tortoises grow different paces. Most grow rapidly with proper husbandry, heating and lighting, as well as a healthy diet of grasses and greens.
