[Feeding]-How much should I feed a baby leopard?

[Flametorch]

Hello, I'm going to get a leopard tortoise soon. We're searching for the youngest possible; however, I'm not sure how much I should feed himher lol. I'm most likely going to dust himher's food with calcium, and feed daily, but what are good portions for them (A formula could work too, like for ever inch you give a leaf... Or something like that lol). I just want to make them as healthy as possible (and if I see any sign of pyrimiding, it'd probably drive me up a wall lol). If you have any extra advice, feel free to say it too. Thanks

[auerdoan]

im a a newbie with turtles but ive had many pets, iguanas, fish, birds..

i would think you let them eat as much as they want but never too much of one thing. A well balanced blend of safe or recomended foods.

Its always a good idea to clean up / toss out any uneaten food after a few hours or when the food starts looking bad or wilted.

im learning too. im curious as to what some of the experts recommend.

[jobeanator]

i usually go by my dish size, which isnt big at all. it probably adds up to 2-3 grams of food finely chopped up which calcium supplement on it. make sure to never overfeed since overfeeding can lead to serious problems down the road.

[Millerlite]

I always feed every other day, I put a fairly big plate out for my 4, and they eat as much as they want for that day.. Most the time they dont eat it all, then they have a day without food, then feed them again. I put vitamins on the food 1x a week. Tortoises will over eat just by nature, so if you feed everyday make the portions a little smaller, i found that you just need a routine for feeding, thats important. If you go every other day try feeding the same time of day, and keep on track every other day, If you feed everyday same thing, aim for the same time of day etc..

[tortoisenerd]

My best advice is to start out with a pile of greens between half and all of their size. Monitor eating habits and look for slow and steady weight gain. I think hatchlings (and adults) should be fed daily unless you take an occasional day off. Some even think hatchlings should be fed twice daily. I try to tear/cut the food the least amount required as requiring the tort to work at it is good for them. If I notice he has a tough time and gives up, only then will I make changes. Sometimes having the entire leaf of spring mix for example gives him some area to put his arm on it to bite off a piece. Some torts will overeat (eat as much as you will feed), but others won't. It's something to keep an eye on and is tort and breed specific. Food is not the key contributor to pyramiding in most people's opinion, by the way. It is a partial contributor (a healthy diet and not too much), but humidity seems to be the key.

There is not good formula for feeding. Metabolisms also vary. Some go by the 20 minute rule (put in food and remove anything uneaten after 20 minutes). This would not work for my tort as he is a very slow eater. Partially because I make him work at it and don't finely chop everything. He also eats-basks-eats-basks throughout the morning. He is a healthy weight for his length and growing at a nice pace. He tends to eat a pile about the size of his shell. I find feeding him on a slate tile (actually half of one) is great to have space to push the food around, help trim his beak and nails, and not make him climb a lip into the bowl. He also tends to pee while eating so that contains some of the mess...although he eats peed-on food grossly enough.

So, either 20 minutes or a pile the size of the shell could be a good starting point but it's really just something to monitor. You will also need to increase it over time as their dietary requirements change! It will also depend what type of food you are feeding. The greens have different calories than a commercial dry food or hay.

What are you planning to feed, and what type of calcium supplement? When are you getting the tort? Have you considered not so young of a hatchling? They are so fragile, and tough for even the most experienced owners sometimes.

Best wishes.

[Crazy1]

Flametorch, if you feel your leos (once you get them) shell showing signs of pyramiding will drive you over the edge may I suggest you not get a leo. Perhaps a tort that is less prone to pyramiding? Russians don't seem to pyramid much. I am not trying to be flippant but some torts are prone to pyramid. Some even pyramid in the wild. The best we can do is feed a good, nutritious, varied diet, not to much not too little, meet their exercise and humidity requirements and hope for the best. There is no formula for Desert type torts that I know of. You feed what they will consume in about 20 min. or approx their shell size and hope. And getting the youngest tort you can, may not be the best. As it has already been said it is hard to raise a hatchling there are many, many pitfalls. I truly feel that you may want to rethink your choice or adopt an older animal that has been well established.