Baby leopard tortoise

[Kdaniels2001]

I’ve had this baby for a little over a month. I feel like its growth looks good. Does he look healthy? Hydrated?

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome!

He does look healthy and hydrated, but that substrate is a problem. I like coco chips for blue tongue skinks and for some snakes, but it's not good for tortoises. It's too hard for them to walk on, and it is a big impaction risk due to the size and shape of the pieces. Yours also has those little hair-like fibers and that is bad too. Plain coco coir works, but not coco chips. Orchid bark is best.

You also don't want the moss in there. It does nothing and they eat it. Its an impaction risk.

More helpful info here:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

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[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Adorable babylooks good! Agree with Tom on the substrate front! Hopefully as well as his links, you’ll find these useful on your new journey

This thread covers correct equipment(uvb, heating bulbs, lighting etc), correct levels, importance of a closed chamber for younger tortoises(only way to maintain the humidity you need), appropriately maintaining the humidity, safe substrates, there’s lots of visual examples for everything, and a really handy diet link to check out! If ever going with a greenhouse, the lower the ceiling height, whilst still allowing for recommended bulb height, the better, but I’ll add more ideas below for closed chambers

Leopard/sulcata starter

Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information below on how I’d personally tackle an indoor starter set up for a leopard/sulcata until they’re bigger. Hopefully it helps give people some ideas!” I know it looks like a lot to go over, I like to make sure all bases are covered...

tortoiseforum.org

This covers a bunch of other closed chamber options, some do work better than others, vivs are definitely the best choice if that’s what you’re using

Visual inspiration

Hi guys! I’ve had some lovely messages complimenting me on my care sheets I made for all the visuals they include! That makes me so happy because as a visual learner myself, that was my goal🥰 I’ve recently had some requests for some more visual inspiration for set ups that can house babies/...

tortoiseforum.org

This one is good to go over and keep on hand, it’ll help you avoid the wrong bulbs, substrates, housing etc, I always encourage double checking purchases on the forum too before buying

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

I hope they can help! Always feel free to ask more questions! Congratulations on your new little baby! Welcome to the forum

 

[Kdaniels2001]

Adorable babylooks good! Agree with Tom on the substrate front! Hopefully as well as his links, you’ll find these useful on your new journey

This thread covers correct equipment(uvb, heating bulbs, lighting etc), correct levels, importance of a closed chamber for younger tortoises(only way to maintain the humidity you need), appropriately maintaining the humidity, safe substrates, there’s lots of visual examples for everything, and a really handy diet link to check out! If ever going with a greenhouse, the lower the ceiling height, whilst still allowing for recommended bulb height, the better, but I’ll add more ideas below for closed chambers

Leopard/sulcata starter

Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information below on how I’d personally tackle an indoor starter set up for a leopard/sulcata until they’re bigger. Hopefully it helps give people some ideas!” I know it looks like a lot to go over, I like to make sure all bases are covered...

tortoiseforum.org

This covers a bunch of other closed chamber options, some do work better than others, vivs are definitely the best choice if that’s what you’re using

Visual inspiration

Hi guys! I’ve had some lovely messages complimenting me on my care sheets I made for all the visuals they include! That makes me so happy because as a visual learner myself, that was my goal🥰 I’ve recently had some requests for some more visual inspiration for set ups that can house babies/...

tortoiseforum.org

This one is good to go over and keep on hand, it’ll help you avoid the wrong bulbs, substrates, housing etc, I always encourage double checking purchases on the forum too before buying

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

I hope they can help! Always feel free to ask more questions! Congratulations on your new little baby! Welcome to the forum

Thank you!!