A sulcata growth chart can only ever be a guide, because how fast a sulcata grows depends mostly on how it’s fed and kept. Hatchlings are just under 2 inches (4.5 cm) long. A well-fed captive sulcata can pass 40 lb (18 kg) by age 5 and 100 lb (45 kg) by age 10, while wild sulcatas in the Sahel grow far more slowly. Most pet adults end up somewhere between 70 and 110 lb (32–50 kg).
Sulcata tortoise growth chart by age
The best long-term data on captive sulcatas comes from a University of Zurich study that weighed three tortoises (two males, one female) at a private breeding facility for almost 18 years and compared them with wild sulcatas measured in the Sahel. The captive tortoises grew 1.4 to 2.6 times faster than the wild ones.
The figures below are worked out from the growth curves fitted in that study, rounded (the hatchling weight comes from the IUCN species account). They’re three individual tortoises plus a wild average, not a guarantee for yours.
| Age | Captive-raised (3 tortoises) | Wild (Sahel average) |
|---|---|---|
| Hatchling | About 1.4 oz (40 g) | About 1.4 oz (40 g) |
| 5 years | 26–46 lb (12–21 kg) | About 4 lb (2 kg) or less |
| 8 years | 56–98 lb (26–44 kg) | About 7 lb (3.4 kg) |
| 10 years | 81–112 lb (37–51 kg) | About 11 lb (5 kg) |
| 15 years | 117–121 lb (53–55 kg) | About 29 lb (13 kg) |
| 20 years | Full grown, about 117–125 lb (53–57 kg) | About 48 lb (22 kg) |
| 25 years | Full grown | About 57 lb (26 kg), close to full size |
The curves aren’t reliable for the first few years (they overestimate how much a hatchling weighs), so the chart starts at age 5. The captive tortoises gained the most in a single year at about 12–21 lb (5.6–9.4 kg) a year. The wild average peaked at about 4 lb (1.9 kg) a year.
Size at a glance
| Stage | Shell length | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Hatchling | 1.4–2.4 in (36–60 mm), about 1.8 in (45 mm) on average | About 1.4 oz (40 g) on average |
| At maturity | About 14–20 in (35–50 cm) | About 33–44 lb (15–20 kg) |
| Adult female (wild, Mali) | 13–23 in (34–58 cm) | 13–104 lb (6–47 kg) |
| Adult male (wild, Mali) | 15–31 in (38–80 cm) | 26–205 lb (12–93 kg) |
| Typical adult (ReptiFiles) | 24–30 in (61–76 cm) | 70–110 lb (32–50 kg) |
Sources give slightly different hatchling weights: the IUCN species account gives a range of 20–75 g (0.7–2.6 oz), the Zurich study 50–110 g (1.8–3.9 oz).
How fast do sulcata tortoises grow?
A sulcata’s growth speeds up through its first years, peaks around the time it matures, then slows until it reaches adult size.
- In captivity, growth peaked at 6 to 9 years in the Zurich study, and the tortoises were close to full size by about 15. A veterinary care guide puts reaching full size at 10–15 years.
- In the wild, growth is much slower and depends on the rains. In Mali, growth was fastest between about 8 and 20 years, slowed after that, and could stop altogether by about 24 years. In the Zurich study’s wild comparison, the fastest growth came at about 15 years.
The difference is mostly food. Captive tortoises eat well every day of the year, while wild sulcatas in Mali spend about seven months of each year sheltering through the dry season, when growth stops. The Zurich researchers point out that fast growth doesn’t automatically mean a poor diet; a balanced diet in large amounts does it too.
How big do sulcata tortoises get in 2 years?
There’s no good published figure for age two, and the charts that list one exact size are guesses. Growth at this age varies hugely with food, warmth and humidity. ReptiFiles’ juvenile setup is meant for sulcatas under about 2 years old or 10 inches (25 cm) long. At the small end, young sulcatas aged 5 to 34 months in a feral population in Costa Rica averaged just 3.3 inches (8.3 cm).
If your 2-year-old is active and eating well, focus on steady growth and a smooth shell rather than a target size.
When is a sulcata full grown?
Sulcatas become adults well before they stop growing.
| Milestone | Captive | Wild |
|---|---|---|
| Sexual maturity | About 5–8 years. In the Zurich study the female laid her first eggs at 5, and the males showed mating behavior at 4–5 | About 10–15 years: 10–12 for females, 13–15 for males in one reference |
| Full size | About 10–15 years | About 20–25 years |
Males usually end up bigger than females. In the wild in Mali, the largest male measured was about 31 inches (80 cm), and the largest female about 23 inches (58 cm). Big males can pass 100 lb (45 kg), and the IUCN species account mentions a record of more than 265 lb (120 kg).
With good care, a sulcata can live for 50 years or more. The oldest well-documented captive sulcata reached at least 54, and longer lifespans are often estimated. That’s worth knowing before the tortoise outgrows its first enclosure, which it will. The vet guide estimates an adult needs an enclosure of around 25 by 12.5 feet (7.6 by 3.8 m), and ReptiFiles says adults are best kept in a large outdoor pen.
Can you tell a sulcata’s age by its size?
Not reliably. The same wild study in Mali found two tortoises aged 12 and 23 years (from their shell rings) that were only 8.6 inches (22 cm) and 13.9 inches (35 cm) long. Tortoises of the same ages from another group in the study were expected to be about 15 and 20 inches (39 and 50 cm). Captive sulcatas, which grow faster, can be far bigger at the same age. Size tells you the stage of life, not the year. For more on reading shell rings and their limits, see how to tell how old a turtle is.
Is faster growth better?
No. Steady growth with a smooth, even shell is the goal, and racing a tortoise to a big size doesn’t make it healthier.
Keepers have long been warned against pushing growth. The Zurich study notes that excessive growth is suspected of causing health problems in tortoises, though the hard evidence for sulcatas is still thin. The vet guide says a healthy sulcata’s shell is smooth and uniform, without raised lumps, and that high protein and rapid growth may be linked to health problems. Lumpy, stacked shell growth (often called pyramiding) used to be blamed mostly on protein and fast growth. Newer evidence points mainly to keeping young tortoises too dry, though the vet guide notes studies are ongoing: in one study of young captive sulcatas, those kept in dry air grew taller humps than those kept in humid air.
What helps a sulcata grow steadily:
- A high-fiber diet. Grasses, hay and leafy weeds should make up most of it: 75–80% in the vet guide, with greens and vegetables for most of the rest and little or no fruit. Skip animal protein, bread and sugary foods.
- Calcium. The vet guide suggests dusting food with calcium daily for hatchlings, 3–4 times a week for juveniles and 2–3 times a week for adults. ReptiFiles also keeps a cuttlebone in the enclosure.
- Humidity and water. Sources differ on the numbers. The vet guide suggests moderate room humidity (40–60%) with a humid burrow or hide to retreat to, while ReptiFiles recommends keeping juveniles above 80%. Both agree young sulcatas shouldn’t be kept dry. Regular soaks help too; see how often to soak a tortoise.
- UVB and heat. Sulcatas need UVB to use calcium. Outdoors, sunshine provides it; indoors, keep the bulb fresh (see how often to replace a UVB bulb).
How to track your sulcata’s growth
A growth chart is most useful when it’s your tortoise’s own.
- Weigh it. A kitchen scale works for a young sulcata. Once it’s too big, weigh yourself holding it on a bathroom scale and subtract your own weight. Weigh at the same time of day, before feeding.
- Measure the shell. Measure the straight carapace length: a straight line from the front edge of the top shell to the back edge, not over the curve. A ruler held just above the shell, or calipers, works.
- Write it down with the date, once a month. Trends over months tell you far more than one reading.
- Look at the shell. It should stay smooth and even as it grows.
ShellPal’s monthly check-in keeps your sulcata’s weight and shell length on a growth chart, so you can see the trend at a glance.
When to ask a reptile vet
The vet guide recommends a check-up every 6–12 months for sulcatas. Book a visit sooner if your tortoise:
- Loses weight across two or more monthly weigh-ins
- Develops raised lumps or other changes in the shell
- Stops eating or seems unusually sleepy. Sulcatas don’t hibernate and stay active all year, so this is worth a call at any time of year
Bring your weight and length log along: it gives the vet far more to go on than a single weigh-in.
Sources
- Body size development of captive and free-ranging African spurred tortoises (Ritz et al., Herpetological Journal, 2010)
- Centrochelys sulcata, African spurred tortoise (Petrozzi et al., Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises, IUCN/SSC TFTSG, 2020)
- On growth, sexual dimorphism, and the general ecology of the African spurred tortoise in Mali (Lambert, Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 1993)
- Sulcatas / African spurred tortoises (Catherine Love, DVM, Arbor View Animal Hospital, 2022)
- Sulcata tortoise care sheet (ReptiFiles)