General Care Discussion :: What is the normal growth rate for hatchlings?

[res08]

I don't know how old my hatchling is but when I got him (18 days ago) his shell length was 1.25". He seems to have grown a little, maybe 1 or 2 mm. Is this normal? He's been on a Zoo Med turtle pellet only diet. The pellets are 3/16" diameter and I feed him half of that every day.

[Nettle]

There really isn't an official timeline for growth, but generally they get to be around four inches after their first year, then they grow an inch each consecutive year (USUALLY: genetics and diet seem to be the varying factor). If he's 1.25", he's probably only a few months old.

How many pellets? They should be getting the amount that can fit into their head everyday. I'd also try some veggies with him. Most hatchlings don't like 'em, but I've had luck with mine.

[TheComputerGremlin]

My turtle sprouted up from 1-1.5" (I didn't measure him) to just over 3" in about 4 months time, but then the growth has slowed considerably. There's no rules, just like in humans you can't predict what size you'll be at what age. But if you think you are overfeeding him, look for signs of pyramiding.

[marisa]

Because most captive turtles tend to get overfed a high protein diet, they're around 4" at a year of age. But a healthy smaller turtle (3 - 3.5 inches) is fine, and it's actually better for them to grow more slowly.

They grow the most and the fastest in the first 3 years of life and then slow down and grow more slowly after that.

How often do you measure your turtle? You might get a better sense of how s/he's growing if you measured monthly, at the same time/day each month. I used to measure my RES on the first of each month.

[Take-One]

I have a turtle that grew 4 iches in four months. No Pyrimding or anything.

[res08]

He gets half a pellet every day. The pellets are 35% protein. I'm keeping a close eye on pyramiding and wide seams. I measured him when I first got him but I haven't taken him out of the tank after that.

First pic was taken on 4/11. Second pic 4/29

Edit: I notice he looks bigger in the 2nd pic but that is because the camera was closer to him.



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[Nettle]

Half a pellet? That seems too little. Could you post a pic of a pellet next to his head so we can get a size comparison. I think more than a half of one pellet can fit into his head.

[TheComputerGremlin]

Half a pellet seems awfully not enough. When I first got my turtle, I was giving him 2-3 Reptomin full sized sticks broken into thirds daily.

[Tenodera]

I'm not sure about the enough or not enough part. Our turtles in captivity are overfed, so does this mean he could be feeding it the amount a turtle would be getting in the wild?


@.@ Sorry it's 6am and I only had 3 hours of sleep.

[res08]

I'd like for him to grow slowly with no pyramiding and wide seams. Also, I think that captive turtles burn less calories than wild ones. So they don't need much food energy.

[TheComputerGremlin]

Wow, that's a monstrous pellet! I'd probably give him at least two daily, if not three. Wait for more votes, though.

Btw, how does he eat that thing?? I mean, my turtle gulps down his little pellets, I can't imagine if I gave him one that big!

[Nettle]

Ya, I think two (maybe three) could fit in his head.

[res08]

I break the pellet into small portions so it can be swallowed without chewing. Less mess that way. There's a vid of him eating in my sig.

[Nettle]

I watched your vids. You do know that turtles can't swallow without water and that's why they have to rush into the water after taking food. They don't produce saliva on their own either.

And teasing him with a straw is training him to be hostile towards invaders, i.e. fingers.

[res08]

I know they need water to swallow. That's why there's water in the feeding hole. And he doesn't attack anything but the straw. I think he's attracted to the red stripe. Either that or he's associated the straw with feeding time because I use it to lure him to the hole.