Did this 2 1/2 year old leopard get trampled on or..?

[Jacqui]

I am so glad your back from vacation! I had been wondering how this guy was doing. So very very happy to hear he is eating. Personally I am glad you chose to keep him up.

You have some different plants then what we have here had to look up Aalwyn which is an aloe and then Kappertjie flowers which are a nasturtium. I actually tried growing some nasturtium last year and my young hingebacks were only so so about the few blooms I had. Have more seeds to try this year. Now with lucerne, I see it could be alfalfa or a couple of other types of plants. Could you clarify or show pictures, so I know exactly what your talking about?

Sounds like you have him eating a very wide variety of foods already, which is great! Does it seem he eats well or is he more a nibbler?

 

[marithaven]

Jacqui
Sorry about my afrikaans names for the plants. Yes you are right with the aloe. I have different types of aloe, the one he seems to have a liking in. I will take a picture and maybe you will know the type. It seems as if he eats better every third day- Is it normal for them. Every other days in between he only nibbles. I tried feeding him a slug and a millipede but he was not interested.
I Would very much like to keep him. But i need to know that i feed him right.
I think i must take a photograph of all the plants i offer him, put it on here and maybe you can have a look and see if there is anything you know-agree with or something i must rather leave out. Also i would very much like to give him a area naturally built in the garden and indoors at night time. How big would you make your enclosure.?
And also i suppose i cannot let him walk freely between the Leopards? The male could do him harm if he knows it is also a male?
He seems to only eat one or two flowers but i am happy at least he is eating, the books we have doesn't have real meaningful information about the hingebacks. I am not even sure if he is a Natal hingeback or the Spekes. I could learn a lot from your experience.

 

[Jacqui]

Jacqui
Sorry about my afrikaans names for the plants.

No, don't be sorry. I in fact like it, it adds to the experience of learning for me and sorta opens my eyes and reminds me what other folks in foreign countries, must feel trying to read what we suggest for their tortoise care.

Yes you are right with the aloe. I have different types of aloe, the one he seems to have a liking in. I will take a picture and maybe you will know the type. It seems as if he eats better every third day- Is it normal for them. Every other days in between he only nibbles. I tried feeding him a slug and a millipede but he was not interested.

Some variation in eating amount is normal, but I also think he is still in an adjustment period. The most important part is he is eating and eating something every day. That is very impressive. I would not be worried about him not wanting the bugs, as this type is more a plant eater. I would still keep offering him one every so often, any how.

I Would very much like to keep him. But i need to know that i feed him right.
I think i must take a photograph of all the plants i offer him, put it on here and maybe you can have a look and see if there is anything you know-agree with or something i must rather leave out.

Sounds like your doing fine with feeding him so far. You have Leopards too and he can eat anything they eat. I would offer him more of the more treat type foods that you give them... such as what you already doing. I am sure pictures will help a lot with trying to understand in some cases what exact plant your talking about (such as the earlier lucerne).

Also i would very much like to give him a area naturally built in the garden and indoors at night time. How big would you make your enclosure.?

I personally don't really like working in anything less then about 12' by 12' because of all the different areas I want in mine. Just takes room to have a shade area, a dapple area, a sunny area, a water spot, and hides. However, you could go with less, but I wouldn't go smaller then about 6' by 8'.

And also i suppose i cannot let him walk freely between the Leopards? The male could do him harm if he knows it is also a male?

I would worry about the size difference myself, especially with his injuries.

He seems to only eat one or two flowers but i am happy at least he is eating, the books we have doesn't have real meaningful information about the hingebacks. I am not even sure if he is a Natal hingeback or the Spekes. I could learn a lot from your experience.

I too am just so happy he is eating anything at all! Not a lot is known about hingebacks. Believe me, I will be learning from you, too.
You are right there where these guys live naturally, a place I more then likely will never have the chance to see.

 

[marithaven]

Good Morning Jacqui
As promised th photos of the plants currently given to him. All the names i don't know but he seems to enjoy some of these.

And just look at this little guy walking around enjoying the sun. Here you would not say he was broken and fragile. I just want to kiss his little head and i did. After a Betadinde bath i dried him and kissed him on the head..... I know ....Salmonella But couldn't help myself.

And this is how we used the fibre and acrylic powder to patch him up and it seemed to have worked

What temperature do you keep your hingebacks at? Summer and winter. Here by us summer reaches 34-38 degrees and winter goes down to mostly 2-7 degrees. Indoors i would say is about 16 degrees without warmers.
How would i know if this little one wants to hibernate. Will he empty his stomach contents well before hibernation time, i gather he cannot sleep for four months with stomach content.
Is there any signs of hibernation i can look for?
Well Jacqui i bombard you with questions but believe me i appreciate you answering me constantly.

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By the way i think i closed up his one hinge as well..... the other side does not have a hinge so i thought with the crack running parrallel with the hinge it is better to close it as well. How stupid can one be?

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[Jacqui]

How is he doing?

 

[Nay]

Just found this thread and was so happy to read how it was turning out!! I am wondering now also how things are!


Nay