# new babies coming how about this enclosure



## topsyturvey (Jul 23, 2011)

I have 2 baby leopard tortoises coming Aug 2nd. These will be my first, I have learned a lot by reading through the forum. I also ordered this enlosure. I would also like to set up an aqaurium so I can see the babies when I am home. I have 3 cats so I wanted something secure for when I'm not home. I plan on keeping them in here for maybe a year, just wondered what the experts thought of this enclosure, it was kind of pricey but saved me time making one. I wanted to avoid wood to make it easy to clean as I plan to keep part of it moist for the babies
thanks! I hope the attachment works


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## coreyc (Jul 23, 2011)

Welcome to the forum  That will work for a while but you will need a bigger one as they grow can you make them some thing outside ? here is some thing to read will help you get ready for your new torts.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies#axzz1SvAjdbzr


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## topsyturvey (Jul 23, 2011)

Thanks Corey! Ive read that one, Ill definately make them something outside for next summer and Ill set something up for the rest of this summer to take them outside when Im home


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## coreyc (Jul 23, 2011)

Your welcome dont forget to post some pic's when you get them


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## Yvonne G (Jul 23, 2011)

Hi topsyturvey:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

May we know your name and where you are?


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## DesertGrandma (Jul 23, 2011)

Welcome to the forum. I know you are excited about getting your new leopard babies. Your enclosure is very nice. Maybe you have already read this on the forum but you will definitely need UVA/UVB light during the day in your new enclosure. I use the Powersun 100 bulb with a stand so that it will hang about 12 inches above one corner of the enclosure. Mine will be sunning under it almost every morning when I wake up. I also use a timer so that it automatically comes on in the morning and goes off at night.

Here is another tip that I got from someone else and works well for me. If you put something under the dry end of your enclosure, I use a piece of 2x4 lumber, it will keep most of the moisture draining to the hot end under the light. It helps to keep the moisture high enough under the hot light.

I literally pour water into the enclosure onto the Cyprus Bark, as opposed to having to keep misting all day long. By doing this, and watching the hygrometer, I can keep the hot/wet end at 70% humidity.


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## topsyturvey (Jul 23, 2011)

DesertGrandma said:


> Welcome to the forum. I know you are excited about getting your new leopard babies. Your enclosure is very nice. Maybe you have already read this on the forum but you will definitely need UVA/UVB light during the day in your new enclosure. I use the Powersun 100 bulb with a stand so that it will hang about 12 inches above one corner of the enclosure. Mine will be sunning under it almost every morning when I wake up. I also use a timer so that it automatically comes on in the morning and goes off at night.
> 
> Here is another tip that I got from someone else and works well for me. If you put something under the dry end of your enclosure, I use a piece of 2x4 lumber, it will keep most of the moisture draining to the hot end under the light. It helps to keep the moisture high enough under the hot light.
> 
> I literally pour water into the enclosure onto the Cyprus Bark, as opposed to having to keep misting all day long. By doing this, and watching the hygrometer, I can keep the hot/wet end at 70% humidity.






Thanks Desert Grandma for the tip! Im excited, my name is Dan and I live in northern michigan so they will definately be indoors for the winter and when I am not at home until maybe next year when they are a little bigger and I can leave them out during good weather. Id did order the 100 watt Powersun and will need a ceramic heating element when the weather cools down, I do have an undertank warmer that may work? Im thinking cypress bark and sphagnum moss for substrate? I like the ideato keep the moisture on one end, if that is the case the hiding spot would be on the dryer end is that ok?I do need to get a light hanger yet, any suggestions?


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## Kristina (Jul 23, 2011)

Hello Dan, and welcome to the forum! I live about 2 hours south of you.

You definitely don't want just one hiding spot on the dry end. If you do it that way, your babies will most likely pyramid. You want them to spend most of their time hiding where it is warm and humid.

You can get the big bags of cypress from Home Depot, but for my babies I prefer to use organic humus topped with a layer of sphagnum moss. I don't have a "dry side" to my enclosures. They are all kept humid all around. I can also put plants right in the substrate, and that helps not only with humidity but also gives them a place they love to hide. 

Here is a picture to give you an idea of what I mean - 







When my baby Sulcatas are outside (I do realize that you are getting Leopards, not Sulcatas, but the care is VERY similar) they live in a nice, planted, secure enclosure.






I built my lamp stands out of 2X4's. I don't think I have any pics, but I can probably snap a few. Many also use the Zoomed adjustable lamp stands. I often just hang the lights from the ceiling with a hook and a bit of chain. 

An undertank warmer will help with humidity, but your Powersun will be your main source of heat. You can use the heat emitter for night time heat in the winter, but with this god awful heat we have been having (I think Hell wants their weather back!) you certainly don't need it now, unless you have central air and your house is getting cold at night. 

Please don't hesitate to ask any further questions! There are so few tort keepers up here, I am glad to see another


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## ALDABRAMAN (Jul 23, 2011)

Welcome.


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## dmarcus (Jul 23, 2011)

Hello and welcome...


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## DesertGrandma (Jul 23, 2011)

You probably need to have more than one hide. I have one on the hot/moist side and another on the dry/cool side. That way my leo can move around at different times of the day/night and pick what is comfortable to him. He tends to stay on the warm/moist side most of the time though. Being from MI you may require something different than what my AZ reptile vet has suggested to me. Follow Kristine's advice above for your area, she is an expert.


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## topsyturvey (Jul 24, 2011)

After much review and Toms excellent article I think I am going to go with a just glass aqaurium for the first few months anyways, I was worried at first about some of what I read about overheating and the glass sides but I really would love to be able to see them all the time so I think I'll go with that instead of the prefab enclosure. Does anyone wanna talk me out of the glass aquarium?


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## laramie (Jul 24, 2011)

Hello and Welcome to the forum. Congrats on your upcoming babies. How exciting for you. Have you ever had torts before? This is a wonderful place to find everything tort that you need to know about.

Laramie


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## cemmons12 (Jul 24, 2011)

Welcome to the forum!


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## Tom (Jul 24, 2011)

I use glass for most of my babies and it works very well for me. Nothing wrong with your other enclosure though. 

You are lucky to have someone like Kristina so close to you. So much of how we do things depends upon where we live. Kristina is as good as it gets, so if I were you I'd be PMing her a lot. She really knows her stuff.


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## topsyturvey (Jul 24, 2011)

Thanks Tom your post on baby sulcatas was referenced a lot. I like the other enclosure, the only thing I dont like is visibility, I would like to be able to see them when Im hangin out at the house. Recommendation for aquarium size for 2 baby leopards? I plan on keeping them there for a year at most to give me time to build something


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## Tom (Jul 24, 2011)

I'd go with a 40 gallon, at least. That's 36"x18". Even better would be a 60 or 100. Bigger sizes will give you more room for plants, water bowls, hides, feeding stations and room to exercise during those looooong winters. Really the bigger the better. A longer tank will also allow more of a thermal gradient, so your babies can move closer or farther from the heat source(s).

I just want to emphasize what others mentioned above. A mercury vapor bulb is going to be pretty essential to get a leopard through a long frozen winter with no sunshine. Not trying to scare you or anything. Lots of people in Northern climates keep them successfully, I just want to share with you that I think its pretty important. The florescent coil bulbs can actually harm them and the florescent tube bulbs are ineffective in my opinion.


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## topsyturvey (Jul 24, 2011)

Tom said:


> I'd go with a 40 gallon, at least. That's 36"x18". Even better would be a 60 or 100. Bigger sizes will give you more room for plants, water bowls, hides, feeding stations and room to exercise during those looooong winters. Really the bigger the better. A longer tank will also allow more of a thermal gradient, so your babies can move closer or farther from the heat source(s).
> 
> I just want to emphasize what others mentioned above. A mercury vapor bulb is going to be pretty essential to get a leopard through a long frozen winter with no sunshine. Not trying to scare you or anything. Lots of people in Northern climates keep them successfully, I just want to share with you that I think its pretty important. The florescent coil bulbs can actually harm them and the florescent tube bulbs are ineffective in my opinion.



Thanks Tom I have a 100 watt mercuy vapor on the way. I am going to try and find a 33gal (48 x12.5 x 13 tall)


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## coreyc (Jul 24, 2011)

topsyturvey said:


> Tom said:
> 
> 
> > I'd go with a 40 gallon, at least. That's 36"x18". Even better would be a 60 or 100. Bigger sizes will give you more room for plants, water bowls, hides, feeding stations and room to exercise during those looooong winters. Really the bigger the better. A longer tank will also allow more of a thermal gradient, so your babies can move closer or farther from the heat source(s).
> ...



Try looking on Craigs List there is all some for sale


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## topsyturvey (Jul 25, 2011)

OK I settled on a 36 x 18 x 16 (40 gal) glass enclosure, cant wait ! Babies arrive on 8/2, pics will be coming . This forum has been soooo helpful


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