Hello! A lurker coming out from the shadows

[sunshyne621]

Hello! I live in the foothills of Colorado. I am the proud care taker of a red footed tortoise, two box turtles and a leopard tortoise. All of my carapaced critters, except my red-foot are all adopted from various situations. Mostly from people who could no longer care for them.

My leopard is my newest and the one that I feel like I am finding the most conflicting information on. She is about 7inches long and came to me with some pyramiding. I think this was mostly from being kept very dry as a baby and probably not warm enough. But now, what is the correct humidity level for a "larger" leopard tort? I know the hot+humid=happy, but does this apply to the larger ones or is the high humidity only recommended under 4 inches. Also what is the min night time temps?? I have read anything from not below 60 to not below 80.

So excited to be apart of this group, especially as my "collection" grows.

 

[jaizei]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[cvasta]

welcome to the group. i am not very sure what you exactly need as i am also new and my sulcata is just a hatchling but give it some time and the more experienced ones will give you the answers you need.

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Hahaha. Yep, we troll until we can't help ourselves any more and we formalize our shadowness!
Welcome! And yep, "as my collection grows" is right oh!
Leopard smarties will be by soon enough. I have babies but perhaps the hot and humid method might be a continued consideration given that your leopard has come from such a dry beginning. Maybe until it is a bit larger, say 10 inches or so. Just a leg up on recovery from the dry start. Experts will hopefully yay or nay this thought. Again, howdy hello! : )

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi there:

Welcome to the Forum!!

We have a pretty nice and informative leopard tortoise care sheet in the "important threads" at the top of the leopard tortoise section, here on the Forum.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

Babies should be started off warm and humid. No one really knows what the cut off is, or if there is a cut off for when humidity doesn't matter any more. It is certainly larger than 4" though, if there is one.

Leopards are sometimes prone to respiratory infections. While I have no doubt that in dry conditions with hot dry days, they can survive 60s at night, I think it is flirting with danger. If you keep it at least 76-80 at night for an older leopard, RI will be very unlikely to happen. Let it dip into the low 70's or 60's, and I think you are taking a risk.

 

[sunshyne621]

Yvonne G- yep I have read all of those. And both specifically talk about hatchlings or <4inch juveniles. I wanted more specific direction on a larger girl.

 

[Yvonne G]

Once my leopard babies are big enough to be put outside with the bigger tortoises, I don't worry about the humidity issue with them anymore. They graze on the grass that grows in their pen, and if that's not enough, I supplement with greens from the store or branches off the mulberry tree and grape vine. The larger leopard tortoises have a big waterer that they can step into and sit and drink, so I never soak them, but if you think your tortoise isn't getting enough water, you can soak it a couple times a week. Another way to get water into them is to sprinkle their food with water.

My leopard tortoises live in a heated shed. If the sun is shining, there is no light in the shed, but if it's an overcast day, I'll turn on the light - just a regular 100 watt incandescent bulb.

For night time, there is a pig blanket mounted at floor level, but on the wall. I keep it adjusted so it shows 80F degrees on the surface of it. For nights that are going to get down below freezing, I turn on one of those large brooder red bulbs...I think it might be upwards towards 150Watts. On really cold nights the shed might get down in the 60's, but the tortoises can sit under the red light or up against the pig blanket if that's too cold for them.