Hi,
I have never owned a tortoise before and have many questions! We are excited to have the little one and want to make sure we take care of him properly. We have been feeding him a little bit of grass from the backyard and an alfalfa/hay mixture we bought at the pet shop. I have researched online and get many different answers of what to feed him. Can someone give me some insight on what is best and where to get it? Also, if we are not home and he flips over, how long can he stay on his back or side because he does not seem to have the ability to flip back over on his own.......I am at work now but can share some more photos later on.

Congrats on your new Leo. I don't have Leos so I can't tell you much. I can tell you to switch the hay you are using as it is high in protein and leos need low protein, high fiber hays. Try Orchard, Timothy, Also http://www.carolinapetsupply.com sells a chopped hay mix I was just told about it, it looks good. There are also a lot of places to purchase seeds so you can plant foods just for your leo. http://www.turtlecafe.com & carolina both sell seeds. There are also places that you can purchase organic grown foods that they pick and ship for a good mix of food. Anyways Welcome to TFO!!! You have a beautiful Leo.

Thankyou for getting back to me...what happens to them if they flip over? how long are they ok like that for?

Marley, welcome to the forum. Your Leo is sweet. What is its name?
I am not a leo owner either but here is a good site with info on foods etc.
http://africantortoise.com/edible_plants.htm
http://africantortoise.com/edible_landscaping.htm
If you are feeding him things from the garden or yard please make sure there has been no chemicals or pestisides use on it for about 6 months.

Flipping; Do you know what is causing him to flip? (a hide he is climbing one etc.) If they are under the heat lamp or in water they can expire from overheating or drownding. What type of substraite do you have your little one on?

    His name is Marley, mine is Nina. The pet shop gave us rabbit pellets to keep him on. First they gave us fir bark, which came with bugs so we switched. He has a cave and some fake tree that he likes to hide in. He has only gone in the cave once and spent the night there, haven't seen him go back into it yet. He does like to climb it though. When he does, he falls off into the pellets and continues on his way. He falls into his water dish, maybe it is too high for him? What do you think?
If I wanted to grow something at home to feed him, what would the options be?

hello Nina,
welcome to TFO!
baby torts tend to have a hard time getting upright after a backfall.
you'll have to do youre best to make the enclosure baby-safe, minimizing "drop-offs" for example.
I've had a baby upside down a whole afternoon. not a pretty sight to come home to, believe me.
also is that an aquarium you're keeping him in?

yes, he is in a 40gal tank. I am paranoid when I am at work all day and not know how long he has been that way for. he is fine when he falls off the cave he falls into the water dish, maybe it is too big for him??

Nina,
inspite of what the petshop has told you, tanks are an inadequate housing solution for a tortoise (read this article)

They offer Poor ventilation & Lack of temperature gradients.

You can find some examples of baby enclosures here and here (these are the ones that come to mind, you'l find lots more on the encolsure section of this site)

Nina, I had yearling DT that would do the same thing. They tended to flip over their own feet. Luckily I found one that had fliped in the water dish so I did take it out. It was close He was listless when I found him. Luckely I wasn't at work that day or he wouldn't be here. Yes baby proofing your habitat is best. Give them smaller things to climb on that they won't flip like slate slabs. I would take out his cave for now. Change the rabbit pellets it is hard for them to walk on and they can't get a grip to flip themselves back over when they do flip, plus they are drying. A rubbermaid or similar sweater type box or a cement mixing box from home depot, or even a rabbit cage works well for their housing. If he is flipping in his water dish he has the possiblity of drownding. Downsize his dish or take it out unless you are home. I wouldn't take the chance. If you can Post pics of Marleys' habitat that would help.

When I get home I will send some picutres over..Thanks for helping us out! We have a cat too so I am not sure what is best to keep him in...in order for him to be safe.