Help with baby tortoise

Laulau

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Can someone help me please I have a 10 month old leopard tortoise and for the last few days he hasn't really eaten anything just sleeps and hides in the corner ive checked him over and his shell looks fine and his drinking water so im not sure if the is normal behaviour im a frist time mom to a baby tortoise.
 

Ink

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Please post pictures of the enclosure, what are the temperature and lighting etc. This will help an expert help you.
 

Lyn W

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Can someone help me please I have a 10 month old leopard tortoise and for the last few days he hasn't really eaten anything just sleeps and hides in the corner ive checked him over and his shell looks fine and his drinking water so im not sure if the is normal behaviour im a frist time mom to a baby tortoise.
Hi and welcome,
I have a leopard too - quite challenging with our climate and there is a lot of old and incorrect information about their care still being passed on, but this forum is the best for learning how to keep them and has helped me keep mine happy and healthy for the past 8 years.

This is the caresheet you need to follow to try to get his living conditions and diet as close to the recommendations as possible:

Have you had him long?
If you post photos of his enclosure and the lamps you are using for uvb, basking and night heat, you'll get good feedback to make s/he has the right living conditions to help him thrive.
You'll also find www.thetortoisetable.org.uk helpful for IDing weeds and finding good, safe foods.

As for sleeping a lot, our nights and morning are still pretty chilly so check that his temperatures are warm enough - the carehseet will help you with that.
 

Lyn W

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One of the mods will probably move our posts to a different thread as this one is for a specific tort health problem but you'll still get plenty of responses.
 

Laulau

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Hi and welcome,
I have a leopard too - quite challenging with our climate and there is a lot of old and incorrect information about their care still being passed on, but this forum is the best for learning how to keep them and has helped me keep mine happy and healthy for the past 8 years.

This is the caresheet you need to follow to try to get his living conditions and diet as close to the recommendations as possible:

Have you had him long?
If you post photos of his enclosure and the lamps you are using for uvb, basking and night heat, you'll get good feedback to make s/he has the right living conditions to help him thrive.
You'll also find www.thetortoisetable.org.uk helpful for IDing weeds and finding good, safe foods.

As for sleeping a lot, our nights and morning are still pretty chilly so check that his temperatures are warm enough - the carehseet will help you with that.
 

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Laulau

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Thank you this helps alot I try and keep him warm the best way that I can the weather was nice and warm a few days ago so I let him out and its since then that his been acting like this
 

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Laulau

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Please post pictures of the enclosure, what are the temperature and lighting etc. This will help an expert help you.
 

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Laulau

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I'm not sure if I have the best set up for him but I do try and keep him warm as best as I can
 

Ink

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D you know the temperature? Is it a closed top? Do you give him a shallow soak? The substrate is not good. Please read the care sheet
 

Lyn W

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Thanks for the photos.
Looks like you've been given some of the old information that many of us had, but we can help you put things right.
Pellets are not a good substrate for torts they are too dry and go mouldy when wet. The caresheet will give you much better options.
The water dishes may be too steep for a little tort and could be a tipping/drowning hazard. Try sinking them into the substrate so he can get in more easily and see if he can get out without struggling. Many of use cheap terracotta plant saucers sunk level with the substrate so that it's easy for them to access and exit

It's good that you have a ceramic lamp holder , but is that an all in one MVB bulb?
They aren't recommended anymore because they have been found to dry and damage tort shells.
T5 HO uvb tube kits are used by many of us now, with a separate flood basking bulb and a CHE (run through a thermostat) for night heat - they just give heat because torts need darkness to sleep.
 
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Maro2Bear

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Greetings. Hopefully you will read through the info that Lyn provided & see that you have a few issues going.

Open top enclosures like urs are impossible to control both heat & humidity (especially in colder climates like UK). I’m wondering how you are maintaining 24/7 ambient temps of roughly 27c? Lastly, the “rabbit pellet” substrate is really not recommended - impossible to wet down & keep humid (it will mould if wet, plus you don’t want to encourage your tort to eat substrate).

It takes time to work things out, but watch your temps — too cold & your tortoise wont eat, cold also encourages respiratory infections.

Good luck
 

Laulau

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D you know the temperature? Is it a closed top? Do you give him a shallow soak? The substrate is not good. Please read the care sheet
No its not a close top and the thermometer reads 70 f im not to sure if thats not enough for him I do give him a soak in warm water ever other day and leave him in there for 20 minutes at a time.
 

Laulau

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Thanks for the photos.
Looks like you've been given some of the old information that many of us had, but we can help you put things right.
Pellets are not a good substrate for torts they are too dry and go mouldy when wet. The caresheet will give you much better options.

It's good that you have a ceramic lamp holder , but what sort of lamps are you using for uvb, basking and night heat?
I use a 100w in the day and same with a red light on a night time
 

Lyn W

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I use a 100w in the day and same with a red light on a night time
I just edited my last post as I didn't see the other pics, but hopefully it will update for you.
Red lights aren't advised because the can confuse torts and encourage then to eat things they shouldn't - like their substrate. CHE's are great for night heat but the must be run through a thermostat to turn off/on so that the don't over heat your tort.
Have you checked his temps with a reliable thermometer at tort level?
 
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Lyn W

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No its not a close top and the thermometer reads 70 f im not to sure if thats not enough for him I do give him a soak in warm water ever other day and leave him in there for 20 minutes at a time.
The temps are too low at 70F the caresheet will give you the right temps for ambient, basking and night.
 
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Lyn W

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Thank you this helps alot I try and keep him warm the best way that I can the weather was nice and warm a few days ago so I let him out and its since then that his been acting like this
Short, supervised outside time on warm days is fine to get some natural uvb - much safer if you have a secure outside enclosure with shade and water available and safe from predators like dogs cats and big birds.
Doggie paddling pools would be great for small torts. If you have any WHAT! stores near you they are selling them for about £10 - £12
 

Tom

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Can someone help me please I have a 10 month old leopard tortoise and for the last few days he hasn't really eaten anything just sleeps and hides in the corner ive checked him over and his shell looks fine and his drinking water so im not sure if the is normal behaviour im a frist time mom to a baby tortoise.
You've been given good advice from the previous forum members here, and its clear you got the usual wrong advice from the pet shop and or the breeder.

You need a closed chamber, aka: viv in the UK.
Temp should not drop below 80 day or night anywhere in the enclosure.
Humidity should be 80+% at all times.
Daily warm soaks.
Damp fine grade orchid bark for substrate.

He's gone lethargic and stopped eating because of the above issues. If you don't correct them ASAP, he will likely not survive. Read the care sheet Lyn linked for you, and please feel free to ask lots of questions. We want to help.
 

TammyJ

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Your tortoise needs just one thing. That is for you to very carefully read the care sheet that was posted for you early in this thread. If you care and love your tortoise, read and try to follow the instructions as closely as you can about housing, humidity, temperature and diet. That is all that is needed and the best thing you can do.
 

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