weight  & measurement
 

Weighing and Measuring

A healthy tortoise should feel like a full (pork) pie when you hold it in your hand, but if you want to keep a record here's how to measure.

 

Measuring your Tortoise:  How to measure the Straight Carapace Length (SCL)

 

Place the sheet of paper on the floor next to the wall.

Place the tortoise on top of the paper, with its head close to the solid surface.

Very gently push the tortoise towards the wall.  Naturally, its head will retract into the shell.

When the front of the shell is touching the wall mark the paper directly below the base of the shell at the tail end.

Remove the tortoise and measure and record the length marked on the paper.

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Weighing your tortoise

 

For adult tortoises place a plant pot on the scales and reset the weight to zero.  Then place the tortoise on top of the pot, ensuring it doesn’t topple off. Bear in mind that weighing before or after a wee or a poo can make a big difference to your measurement.

 

The Jackson Ratio 

This guide was used for collating data of weight and length with Testudo Hermanni (Hermanns tortoises) and Testudo Graeca (Mediterranean Spur Thigh tortoises) in their natural habitat  It is no use for our captive bred pet tortoises

General health check

 

General Health

In general, is your tortoise bright and alert?

Are the eyes, clear, dark and bright?

Are the nares (nostrils) clean and dry?

Are the nails or beak overgrown?  If they are overgrown then ask the vet to show you how to trim them, and ensure that there are stones and rocks available in the tortoise's enclosure to help stop them overgrowing in future. Bear in mind nails need to be quite long to dig.

Is the shell clean and free from damage, no pink areas?

Is the tail area clean and free from faecal matter?

Is the tortoise passing faeces regularly ,poo should be solid like a little log and a bit fibrous (if soft then diet may need reviewing)?

Is the tortoise passing urine regularly and is it clear? The white stuff is urates,this should be like toothpaste. If urates are solid or gritty then this is a sign that your tortoise needs more opportunities to rehydrate, so bathe more often and of course ensure that fresh water is readily available.

 

Adapted from

https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/tortoise-care/weighing-measuring/#.X7ko5miTIWU