Hi Everybody!

poppygirl

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Jul 31, 2018
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Los Angeles, California
I'm so happy to have found this site! I'm new to the tortoise world and needed some help on how to take care of my babies. I've already found I'm doing some things I shouldn't be doing. I listened to the woman who gave me the Leopard Tortoises because she's had torts for 30 years. She told me to put sand in their enclosure! I'm changing that to a new healthier substrate I learned about on this site. I have the correct UVB light, but not any humidity. I'll post pictures (if I can figure out how to do it) this weekend after I change their home. Thanks for all the great info!
 

Minority2

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Jul 30, 2018
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Location (City and/or State)
Tortoise Hell
Welcome to the forums.

How old/length is your Leopard tortoise(s)? You'll want high humidity levels to promote smooth shell growth. Strive for 78-80+ percentages of humidity for best results.
 

TechnoCheese

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Welcome! Please give these a read-
How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0 https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...ealthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/

For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata... https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/For-Those-Who-Have-a-Young-Sulcata....76744/

Beginner Mistakes https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/
Could we see pictures of your tortoises and enclosure? Keep in mind that if you have a pair, they need to be separated.
 

poppygirl

New Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
20
Location (City and/or State)
Los Angeles, California
Welcome to the forums.

How old/length is your Leopard tortoise(s)? You'll want high humidity levels to promote smooth shell growth. Strive for 78-80+ percentages of humidity for best results.

I've been in the dark about humidity until now, so I am in the process of changing their environment so they get some humidity. I'll post pictures when I get their environment changed.
 

poppygirl

New Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
20
Location (City and/or State)
Los Angeles, California
Welcome! Please give these a read-
How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0 https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/How-To-Raise-A-Healthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/

For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata... https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/For-Those-Who-Have-a-Young-Sulcata....76744/

Beginner Mistakes https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/
Could we see pictures of your tortoises and enclosure? Keep in mind that if you have a pair, they need to be separated.

I'm just wondering why they have to be separated? They get along great, sleep side by side, and don't bother each other. They are young still; only about 7 months old.
 

TechnoCheese

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Messages
4,505
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Lewisville, Texas
I'm just wondering why they have to be separated? They get along great, sleep side by side, and don't bother each other. They are young still; only about 7 months old.

Immediately. The “sleeping side by side” is actually one trying to assert dominance on the other, like saying “this is my territory, get out”! Although things like this, along with “cuddling”, “following”, walking with each other, sitting on food, and just generally being around eachother might look cute and affectionate, they are actually signs of aggression.
 

poppygirl

New Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
20
Location (City and/or State)
Los Angeles, California
Immediately. The “sleeping side by side” is actually one trying to assert dominance on the other, like saying “this is my territory, get out”! Although things like this, along with “cuddling”, “following”, walking with each other, sitting on food, and just generally being around eachother might look cute and affectionate, they are actually signs of aggression.

OK, got it, they pretty much stay away from each other most of the time, except the sleeping part, and they usually sleep on different sides of their home. There hasn't been any food issues of aggression but I put the food is a couple different areas of the home. Thanks for the info!
 

poppygirl

New Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
20
Location (City and/or State)
Los Angeles, California
I need to put another question out to you guys. I bought some potting soil but it has small rocks in it. Will they eat the rocks? Should I go back and get the soil that has no rocks? One of them was picking a rock up so I took them out and put them back in their old home until I find out if this is dangerous! Yikes!!
 

poppygirl

New Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
20
Location (City and/or State)
Los Angeles, California
Hi, I finally got the new home for my Leopards. Here are some pictures and I would appreciate any help on their environment. I have moss in the hide which I will spray daily, moss in the terra cotta pot, the correct type of lamp and food and water. The food is a mixture of baby kale, endive, romain, and Mazuri pellets. They are good eaters! They were not very happy about the environment change but I'm sure they'll get used to it. It's definitely roomier. I posted a question a while ago about the small rocks. I hope they don't eat them, but if they do I can change the potting soil to one without rocks. I was told to separate them but I need to buy another light first. I have no idea if they are male or female and they are about 7 months old. They were given to me by a woman whose tortoise had 6 eggs recently hatched. My goal is to build an outdoor home for them when they are older. I live in Los Angeles so the weather should be pretty good most of the year. I will keep the inside home for nights and cold days. Again, any suggestions on how to make sure they are healthy is greatly appreciated.
Poppygirl
 

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TechnoCheese

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
4,505
Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas
Hi, I finally got the new home for my Leopards. Here are some pictures and I would appreciate any help on their environment. I have moss in the hide which I will spray daily, moss in the terra cotta pot, the correct type of lamp and food and water. The food is a mixture of baby kale, endive, romain, and Mazuri pellets. They are good eaters! They were not very happy about the environment change but I'm sure they'll get used to it. It's definitely roomier. I posted a question a while ago about the small rocks. I hope they don't eat them, but if they do I can change the potting soil to one without rocks. I was told to separate them but I need to buy another light first. I have no idea if they are male or female and they are about 7 months old. They were given to me by a woman whose tortoise had 6 eggs recently hatched. My goal is to build an outdoor home for them when they are older. I live in Los Angeles so the weather should be pretty good most of the year. I will keep the inside home for nights and cold days. Again, any suggestions on how to make sure they are healthy is greatly appreciated.
Poppygirl

Those white rocks are perlite, and all of the substrate needs to be removed immediately and replaced with coco coir, peat moss, orchid bark, or cypress mulch. You also need a closed chamber enclosure to hold humidity, and if you don’t have one already, a ceramic heat emitter to keep the entire enclosure above 80 degrees at all time, day and night.
 

teresaf

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Port Charlotte, Florida
You can tell those babies are already on the way to being severely pyramided. That is because of the previous owner... That is still very correctable if you use a closed Chamber. 24/7 High humidity and high heat (above 80 in EVERY deep dark corner)is the way to go to fix that. They are attracted to the white perlite in the dirt and will eat it and it is bad for them. My niece has some very smooth leopards thanks to following the instructions of this forum...if you search for @Peliroja32 in the search bar above you can find a couple of her links with pictures. Some of the smoothest leopard hatchlings I've ever seen... She originally came here looking for help with her first leopard hatchlimg that didn't thrive. it ended up dying because of the dry conditions... Her next three are doing so well.
 
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