Size and Weight chart?

[racingzeno]

Is there a way to know if my tortoises weight is in a normal range?
I rescued Rinpoche the tort from a family who knew nothing about him, I am pretty sure he is a male but only about 4 inches long across the bottom of the shell.

i have done a lot of research about these torts in the last Eight months i have had him but i am in a very rural location. the closest vet is 100 miles away and i have not brought him in. I will do so in a few weeks for spring break ( i promise), but how can i be sure that a vet will know a good weight. I looked at some vets in the Boulder/Denver area and called around. They did not exactly impress me with their knowledge.

Thanks for all the Help and Info
remember to boycott Petscomart! 

[Clare]

If you join the Russian Tortoise Yahoo! Group, there are a few charts under "Database" that have exactly that kind of size/weight information.

And I agree with you - I bought my tort at Petco, and though he's healthy, they're the reason I had him in a glass "Critter Cage" up until recently. Their prices are also very high when compared with other suppliers.

[lepinsky]

Ok, I'm being really stupid here.  I'm a member of RussianTortoise.org (I think), but I can't find the databases category on the home page (it's not in that column on the left).  It's probably right in front of me, but I'd be grateful if someone could point it out.

Nina

[lepinsky]

Found it! Yes, I was being really stupid it was the Russian Tortoise Yahoo Group (as you said), and I went instead to RussianTortoise.org.  Sorry for being a time waster!
Nina

[AW1971]

Hiya, I hope you`ve found the age out. I wouldnt go entirely from that weight and size chart as i have found it didnt match any of my tortoises. I think its an ideal text book chart but in reality tortoises grow at different rates. Well i hope so as otherwise my 2 year old tortoise is only five months old by that chart and i`ve had her longer than that. I dont think you`ll get an accurate age, just an estimated one.
Take care, Alex.

[racingzeno]

I was told by the vet that estimating age is really difficult as size depends a lot on Health, housing and diet. Unless you know when the egg broke, its hard to ever know the age. My Tort is 4 inches across the bottom of the shell and 290 grams (for the record).