Hi Chaps,

I think Mrs Brown ( Hemanns , 4 years old ) is way too heavy according to the Jacksons calculator, she weighs 560g and is 11 cm long, how can i slow her weight gain down, i am having to over winter her this year as she was ill through summer, but if i reduce her food she starts to eat the substrate, she is bright eyed and her shell is smooth, and she seems really well.... but she likes her food... any ideas...

Many thanks

Debi

Hi Debi
If your weight and measurements are correct, then yes Mrs Brown is very over weight.I am very suprised that you have not got signs of over growth? Hermans are well known for being little piggies where food is concerned, but you must be strong and not give in to those pleading eyes. What are you feeding her on?
Jane

Over the last couple of months its mainly the Florette mixed salad, but through summer she lives out in the garden most of the time, so its hard to stop her eating then, but i will cut down the amount she has now, i usually give her a hand full of the mixed leaves, just once a day, with the odd bit of tomatoe/cucumber.... but i will reduce it to a samller amount.. what do i do if she starts to  eat her sand/soil..

Thanks for any advise..

Doesn't sound like you are over feeding her! try missing one day out for a while. you need her weight to be 0.19 range at the moment she is reading 0.42 which does seem to be very heavy, that is why I am questioning your method of measuring. Have you got a cuttlefish in the pen for her, this will giver her something to chew on but be full of calcium.
Jane

I thought i was feeding riversong too often but i miss a day every two days so its not the same days i miss and our vet was lovely said she was healthy despite being given horrid diet before i have a content torty xxxx will upload some photos soon x

Hi
Can't see that she would be that heavy with the method that you are feeding her on. Look foward to piccies
What are her urates like?
Jane

Thanks chaps, i will start to miss out a day and see how she goes, she does have cuttlefish, which she loves and i also put vitamins on her food every few days, her urates are fine, she has a bath every other day and to be honest she seems really healthy, i have wighed and measured her regularly since we got her in 2008, but have never used the Jacksons ratio as i didnt know how to work it out, so i did it on the web site calculator and was a bit shocked at how over weight she is... but we shall be sorting that out now...lol... but im sure she wont be very happy about it.. so thanks everyone for the input,.. sorry dont know how to put piccies on... im a true technophobe...

Thanks to all

Debs

Hi Debs

I don't use the Jackson ration as really it was designed for torts in the wild, so not really acccurate for the Captive bred ones, just my opinion.
I divide the weight and the length 3 times to get weights. I am not sure what the name of this method is but works very well. The ratios are as follows
0.16 and below- underweight
0.17-18 ideal weight
0.19-0.20's getting heavy, this is the weight I like to see mine before hibernation
0.21 over weight
Hope this helps, don't worry about piccies, glad urates OK another indication that all is well
Jane