Turtle

Question
Dear Sir;
           My pet is a small green tortoise  which I brought about 6 months ago.He(?)is active and feeds well.
He is not growing or gaining in weight.I am giving him fish feeds(Rainbow)as two times a day he is not taking turtle sticks.I am very much upset.What could be reasons for not growing?Does he require deworming or multivitamins?What is the life span of a turtle?How can I determine the sex of my pet.I have given him a male name(Vinodkumar Venjaranmoode)
Thanks
Sincerely
Pooja

Answer
I am not familiar with this particular species of tortoise. Do they go by a different name? Internal parasites could certainly be part of the reason he is not growing. Determing the sex of a turtle is not an easy task. Sometimes the tail has a different taper to it depending on the species. Sexing reptiles can involve using a cloacal probe which I do not recommend to a non-professional.

Have you determined the specific environmental needs of your tortoise? This is also critical to his growth and well-being. For example: What is the correct day and night temperature required? Does he require a natural spectrum light source(UV light similar to sunlight? What is the proper nutrition for this species? What type of enclosure do you have him in? How do they like their water supplied? There are many very good reptile websites on the internet that may be helpful in answering these questions. Every tortoise, and reptile for that matter, is different in their nutritional and environmental needs. They are not easy pets to care for!

Is there a vet in your area who specializes in reptiles? A visit to a vet could help identify any underlying health and nutritional problems. Also they can administer medication for parasites.
Dr. G.