Hi! New tortoise mama!

Ladyliberty

New Member
Joined
May 18, 2016
Messages
15
Hi! I just wanted to stop in and introduce myself! We just adopted an 8 yr old African leopard tortoise today! His (her??) previous owners named him/her Parker but we will probably change it once we get to know him/her better. I have some questions but I will search for the answers in other threads. :)

Can't wait to meet some other tortoise owners!
 

Rue

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Joined
Feb 29, 2016
Messages
1,259
Location (City and/or State)
Canada
Sounds exciting! :) Where did you adopt him/her from?
 

TortoiseWarrior

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 13, 2016
Messages
401
Location (City and/or State)
Minnesota
You've come to the right place. The information just does not stop on here. How is the tortoise doing?
 

Ladyliberty

New Member
Joined
May 18, 2016
Messages
15
He's doing ok I guess. But he's really shy and mostly just hides in his tank. If I put him in the garden he hides under my bean plants.

I'm not sure I'm feeding him right. I'm doing what the previous owner said to do but it's just green leaf lettuce and radicchio twice a day. That's it. Isn't he supposed to have hay or something else?
 

TortoiseWarrior

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 13, 2016
Messages
401
Location (City and/or State)
Minnesota
Yeah you need more variety I think. Greens. Spring mix, red leaf, green leaf, kale, romaie, plants, dandelions are just some varieties. And there is still more.
 

Lyn W

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5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Messages
23,497
Location (City and/or State)
UK
Hi and welcome. Where are you located?
The caresheet will help with diet and www.thetortoisetable.org.uk will help you ID tort safe plants. My leopard loves dandies, plantains, clover etc. He likes to graze his own grass but won't eat it if I pick it, and he doesn't like dried grass either so I blend Readigrass almost to a powder and sprinkle that on his food then spray with water to make it stick, to add more fibre to his diet.

Hope he has a nice big tank - my leopard is about 5 years and has his own room as he is too big for a viv or table.
Do you have an outdoor enclosure set up for him yet? There's lots of ideas in the Enclosures thread and Tom has a great design for a heated night box if you are somewhere warm and secure enough for him to live outside.
Lots to learn but this is the best place to learn it.
 

Grandpa Turtle 144

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
10,878
He's doing ok I guess. But he's really shy and mostly just hides in his tank. If I put him in the garden he hides under my bean plants.

I'm not sure I'm feeding him right. I'm doing what the previous owner said to do but it's just green leaf lettuce and radicchio twice a day. That's it. Isn't he supposed to have hay or something else?
ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1463765760.118693.jpgImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1463765801.429386.jpgImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1463765832.132025.jpgImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1463765858.102687.jpgImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1463765880.881860.jpg
 

Ladyliberty

New Member
Joined
May 18, 2016
Messages
15
I feel like he's really small for how old he is. He's 8 yrs old and only 4.5 inches. ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1463767029.527245.jpgImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1463767039.670250.jpgImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1463767077.205878.jpg
 

Lindsay79

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2016
Messages
20
Location (City and/or State)
Indiana
Welcome and congrats!! I am a new tortoise mama too and it has been super fast!

Getting my tortoise to eat new foods has been challenging. There are some great resources on this forum. And everyone is super helpful!!
 
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