Weight

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Amber10
Posts: 32
Joined: 21 Mar 2021, 09:42

Weight

Post by Amber10 » 05 Apr 2021, 12:53

Hi we brought some digital scales but they seem to give lots different readings are there any that you would recommend
Thanks

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Nina
Posts: 1993
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Weight

Post by Nina » 05 Apr 2021, 13:43

Hi Amber,
What sort of different readings are you getting? I just use an inexpensive set of kitchen scales (not sure what brand it is). One thing that can happen is if you put the tortoise on the scales and he is moving about a bit (especially if his legs are on the scales), then the weights will change up and down while he's on there. What I do is put something like a tin of beans or an upside down coffee mug on the scales first, then turn it on (and it will read '0' because the tin was on there before the scales were turned on), and then you sit him on top of the tin so that his legs are hanging out (only the plastron is touching the tin). That seems to work well.

Have a go and see what you think. The other thing you can do is put him on his back on the scales -- it's only for a few seconds and won't hurt him -- and that sometimes works, but I think the tin or mug is a bit better. Basically you want him to be fairly still and not moving about, and that should stop the different weights you're getting.

Nina

Amber10
Posts: 32
Joined: 21 Mar 2021, 09:42

Re: Weight

Post by Amber10 » 11 Apr 2021, 16:35

Hello we have had Dynamite for 3 weeks and he's lost 3g in those weeks he's roughly about 8 months and when we first wighed him he was 55g he's eating well and he has lots of exercise in the garden and around the house should we be concerned about the weight loss
Many thanks

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Nina
Posts: 1993
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Weight

Post by Nina » 11 Apr 2021, 16:53

Hi Amber,

I wouldn't be concerned at all at this point. Sometimes the circumstances in which you weigh him can make a difference -- for example they can lose a couple of grams just having a poo. Also, is the latest weight with the new scales and the original weight with different scales? At low weights like his, scales can often differ by several grams.

So if he is eating well and getting lots of exercise and seems happy then I wouldn't worry at all, but do keep weighing him every month or so and see how it goes. If you can try and weigh in the same circumstances (like just before or just after a bath, for example) then that can sometimes give you more consistent records.

Nina

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