He'll be four years old in June.
His was the only egg to hatch in the first 3 years of egg-laying by my group, but he has thrived.
He's a little over 5" and weighs about 435 grams.
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Gustav - my first hatchling
bradtort
Mar 20, 2006 06:56 AM
Replies (3)
EJ
Mar 20, 2006 08:33 AM
Isn't that a little rapid on the growth rate. You'd never see such a rate in the wild... 
It does look like a WC animal. Very nice keeping.
>>He'll be four years old in June.
>>
>>His was the only egg to hatch in the first 3 years of egg-laying by my group, but he has thrived.
>>
>>He's a little over 5" and weighs about 435 grams.
>>
>>
-----
Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care
bradtort
Mar 20, 2006 08:54 AM
I was a little worried about that growth rate - but each year he doesn't grow much in the spring, has a spurt in the summer, and then mellows out in the fall. I admit to possibly over-feeding him during the first year. He also did not hibernate until the 2nd year. That was intentional.
He seems a little light for his length. His father is about .25" longer and weighs about 600 grams, or 165 grams more than Gustav. The old man's shell is also more domed. So is the mother's. I don't know if Gustav's shell will change shape as he matures, or if his diet has altered his shell development, or even if that's just natural variation between parents and offspring. BTW his mother is about 6.5" and 950-1000 grams.
Plus, like his father, he has been frantically crawling around in his tub, waiting to get out and mate!! These guys are burning up calories all the time. I let them spend a little time with the females while indoors, but not too much or else they'll drive them crazy.
Matt J
Mar 20, 2006 07:44 PM
>>He seems a little light for his length. His father is about .25" longer and weighs about 600 grams, or 165 grams more than Gustav. The old man's shell is also more domed. So is the mother's.
I'm not a Chelonid biologist (far from it), but it may be possible that shell density (thickness) with age accounts for a significant differential you see in weight based on size when compared to his father. So, it will be interesting to see as the CBB animal 'matures' if mass may 'catches up' due to shell thickness. But, it may also be as you stated (shell dome). Interesting!
Overall, GREAT tort and nice pic!
Matt
