Care changes as Leopards and Stars grow

Hey all! I am looking for more information on tortoise care as they grow (Leopard & Star). There is a ton of great advice on hatchling care (thanks Tom and others) but what changes occur in care as they age? Such as... do you maintain 80/80 throughout their life? Do they need nail/beak trims? Do you increase or decrease calcium and herptivite supplements...etc. Any other diet changes...like adding in orchard grass? Any housing changes (besides larger obviously...lol). Basically, what changes should I make as they turn 1 year..2years..etc. Thanks so much!!

keep in closed chamber until at least 2, 2 1/2 to 3 years old. Then I move mine outside at around 3 to live outside during summer and either in shed or basement during winter. Give a high humid hide or enclosure. At older/larger size a warm humid hide is easier. At the older age feed once a day an amount that should last most of the day or let graze outside as much as he wants. Calcium and soakings down to once a month.

Btw, goes more by size then age really. If they are growing properly, around 3 1/2 to 4 years they should be big enough, close or at 10 inches to live more an adult way and outsides Leopards anyway. I don't know Stars.

wellington said:

keep in closed chamber until at least 2, 2 1/2 to 3 years old. Then I move mine outside at around 3 to live outside during summer and either in shed or basement during winter. Give a high humid hide or enclosure. At older/larger size a warm humid hide is easier. At the older age feed once a day an amount that should last most of the day or let graze outside as much as he wants. Calcium and soakings down to once a month.

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Thanks Wellington! I have a few more questions, if that is okay. As Leopards grow, do I need to be concerned with nail/beak trims? Does their diet change ... ...like sulcata's to more orchard grass hay, as they age? Or do they always eat fresh greens? Also for outside in summer...can they tolerate colder temps or always outside only above 75? Finally, how do I know if I am supplementing either too much or too little calcium? I have a cuttle bone in his enclosure but he never touches it, lol. Thanks again!

Tort baby momma said:

Thanks Wellington! I have a few more questions, if that is okay. As Leopards grow, do I need to be concerned with nail/beak trims? Does their diet change ... ...like sulcata's to more orchard grass hay, as they age? Or do they always eat fresh greens? Also for outside in summer...can they tolerate colder temps or always outside only above 75? Finally, how do I know if I am supplementing either too much or too little calcium? I have a cuttle bone in his enclosure but he never touches it, lol. Thanks again!

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Oh and do you have a high humid hide both inside and outside?

If they have a ruff food plate, flat rock, tile, etc it should keep their beak and nails filed enough. Also flat ruff rocks for them to walk on and some will bite on them help.
As they do get older hay and grass can be fed. You can try it now too, cutting it up small and with hay soak it too soften. Some will eat it now others won't.
As adults I will put them out at 70 as long as the sun is out and there's not a cold wind and they have access to go inside a heated shed/hide.
I don't provide a humid hide outside, our humidity is fair, around 50% and higher.

Btw, there is a member, I can never remember their name, that leaves their adult leopards out in temps as low as the 40's. I'm not sure of their set up but it seems they have done it for years with no problems. I wouldn't go that low, but if they have a warm heated hide to go into it could be left up to them if they wanted to go out.
I know there are many sulcatas that go out into the snow for short periods.

Tort baby momma said:

Hey all! I am looking for more information on tortoise care as they grow (Leopard & Star). There is a ton of great advice on hatchling care (thanks Tom and others) but what changes occur in care as they age? Such as... do you maintain 80/80 throughout their life? Do they need nail/beak trims? Do you increase or decrease calcium and herptivite supplements...etc. Any other diet changes...like adding in orchard grass? Any housing changes (besides larger obviously...lol). Basically, what changes should I make as they turn 1 year..2years..etc. Thanks so much!!

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Humidity helps tiny babies stay hydrated, but its main purpose for older tortoises is smooth shell growth. Pyramiding is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry. If your tortoise still has a lot of growing to do, best to keep it in higher humidity. Age doesn't matter here. Size matters.

I soak hatchlings every day until they reach about 100 grams. After that, I started skipping days now and then. In mild weather I like to soak adults once a week, but they have access to water at all times. In hot dry summer weather, I like to soak adults 2 or 3 times a week. This can vary with climate. If you live in the south where it rains all the time, less might be okay. If you live in Phoenix AZ where its 114 and super dry every day, you better soak more often.

Not much change in the diet for a regular leopard or star. You can get them to eat hay, but that is more for SA leopard and sulcatas. Stars and regular leopards should have fresh grass, and if you don't have that and can't buy it, then chopped and rehydrated orchard grass hay is an acceptable substitute.

Calcium can be decreased for grown males if the diet is good. Growing babies and egg producing females should get calcium supplementation depending on their diet and time of year in regards to egg production.

I never need to trim nails or beaks on any of my tortoises. The roughage they eat maintains the beak and the ground they walk on maintains the nails. Be aware that female leopards grow really long back nails for egg laying/nest excavating.

Tom and Wellington,
Thank-you both for all of the information you provided. If it's okay, I will message you with any further questions. I have to report that I am unbelievably happy I discovered this forum. I wish stores and veterinarians were more up to date on tortoise care. I unfortunately followed their advice for the care of my leopard initially but when I did some research and found this site...I quickly changed his whole care routine and he is doing so much better. When I received my star, I started with these care guides. There is a reptile store in my town and they are also extremely ignorant of proper care and advised me to not follow this forum because of "hive mentality". I do wish there was a way to reach out more about proper care...I feel for all the torts in the world needlessly suffering under inept care guidelines! I even saw an approximately 1 yr old sulcata on a TV program that was kept in a small fish tank for its size...UGH! I have been doing my best to refer potential and current tortoise owners to this site! Thanks again for all of the help and advice!

Tort baby momma said:

Tom and Wellington,
Thank-you both for all of the information you provided. If it's okay, I will message you with any further questions. I have to report that I am unbelievably happy I discovered this forum. I wish stores and veterinarians were more up to date on tortoise care. I unfortunately followed their advice for the care of my leopard initially but when I did some research and found this site...I quickly changed his whole care routine and he is doing so much better. When I received my star, I started with these care guides. There is a reptile store in my town and they are also extremely ignorant of proper care and advised me to not follow this forum because of "hive mentality". I do wish there was a way to reach out more about proper care...I feel for all the torts in the world needlessly suffering under inept care guidelines! I even saw an approximately 1 yr old sulcata on a TV program that was kept in a small fish tank for its size...UGH! I have been doing my best to refer potential and current tortoise owners to this site! Thanks again for all of the help and advice!

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Interesting. We suffer from hive mentality, but how do they refer to the group whose old, outdated, incorrect theories they belong to? "We wish to remain close minded and ignorant." "Stop trying to update what we learned 30 years ago and have been doing wrong ever since!"

And frankly, I'm not sure that "hive mentality' is an insult. Bees are a pretty successful group and work together very well.

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