Indoor Nesting Box for Leopard

[Snow Leopard]

Has anyone had success making an indoor nesting box for a leopard tortoise? Mine has started nesting but it is too cold for me to be able to put her outside.
I had the same problem about 4 years ago. I filled the enclosure with a deep sand/soil mixture but she didn’t seem to like it. I ended up having her induced, as on x-ray two of the eggs were over calcified. She ended up having 6 eggs. I did not incubate them.
I just noticed the digging behaviour yesterday, how long should i allow her to try before taking her to the vet?
Is it worth t to trying a box or is it better to have her induced now?
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[wellington]

First do not use sand, it causes impactions should it be eaten.
I had a 4x4 nesting area when I had female leopards. I also had a smaller area at one time, around 2x3. Mine used both areas.
They dig down about 12 inches, I measured when eggs were laid outside. It has to be at least that deep, a couple inches more would be better.
I used dirt not sand.

 

[Snow Leopard]

It’s good to hear that they were able to lay eggs indoors. I’ll get some soil and try to make it deep enough in her enclosure. Since she just started, hopefully she will be accept it. She has laid eggs successfully on her own outside. I’d like to avoid having her induced if possible, I think itLs a bit hard on her.
Any advice or ideas is greatly appreciated.

 

[wellington]

Only thing else I can add is make the area as big as possible or make two large areas so she has a choice.
Mine were picky when laying outside, digging several test holes. Inside though, they used the spot they had.

 

[Docjim]

Has anyone had success making an indoor nesting box for a leopard tortoise? Mine has started nesting but it is too cold for me to be able to put her outside.
I had the same problem about 4 years ago. I filled the enclosure with a deep sand/soil mixture but she didn’t seem to like it. I ended up having her induced, as on x-ray two of the eggs were over calcified. She ended up having 6 eggs. I did not incubate them.
I just noticed the digging behaviour yesterday, how long should i allow her to try before taking her to the vet?
Is it worth t to trying a box or is it better to have her induced now?
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Hi, I am a leopard and star tortoise breeder near Chicago. I have had numerous indoor nestings from both larger leopards and stars, some going on right now. I use soil, potting soil mostly, at least a foot and a half to two feet in depth, moistened and COMPACTED. In my experience, too loose a substrate (like sand) won't work because she won't be able to dig the proper "flask-shaped" nest in it, which she wants. Sand just fills back in and won't make a proper nest chamber. I use a large, deep poly tub which I divide in half so two can nest at the same time, with a heat lamp over a corner of each side. Each side is maybe 3 by 3 foot area. I agree that adequate depth is important because if she feels the bottom before desired depth is reached, she won't nest. The leopards usually nest pretty quickly in that set-up but the stars, esp. the Burmese stars can be pretty finicky and take a long time. Good luck.

 

[Snow Leopard]

Thank you, that’s all very useful information. It gives me hope that she will be able to lay naturally. I have some ideas for nesting box set ups. I’ll start working on it today, and hopefully get something that Binky deems acceptable.

 

[Markw84]

@Docjim I'm intrigued! Sounds like you've had alot of experience and success. Would you mind starting a thread and sharing how you are doing things and making it work in the frozen north? We could all learn from your experience. Please!

 

[wellington]

Hi, I am a leopard and star tortoise breeder near Chicago. I have had numerous indoor nestings from both larger leopards and stars, some going on right now. I use soil, potting soil mostly, at least a foot and a half to two feet in depth, moistened and COMPACTED. In my experience, too loose a substrate (like sand) won't work because she won't be able to dig the proper "flask-shaped" nest in it, which she wants. Sand just fills back in and won't make a proper nest chamber. I use a large, deep poly tub which I divide in half so two can nest at the same time, with a heat lamp over a corner of each side. Each side is maybe 3 by 3 foot area. I agree that adequate depth is important because if she feels the bottom before desired depth is reached, she won't nest. The leopards usually nest pretty quickly in that set-up but the stars, esp. the Burmese stars can be pretty finicky and take a long time. Good luck.

Hmmm, Chicago? I'm in Chicago. You're a Cheese head, you can admit it lol.
Sorry, couldn't let it go. So many say they are from Chicago when they are actually in a suburb of Illinois.
Hopefully you are into sports enough to know the Cheese Head reference.
Back to tortoises. It would be nice if you did what Mark suggested.

 

[Docjim]

Well, I am in the Kenosha WI area, so technically considered a northern suburb of Chicago (at least the Metra ends here). I think we would be considered as part of the greater Chicago metro area. I certainly do "get" the cheesehead reference, though not a particularly big sports fan, esp. this year. People think those foam cheesehead hats worn to sporting events are funny until they realize they can't see the game they paid a small fortune to attend because some clowns in front of them are wearing them!
I will think about the thread, though never have done one before - pretty new to the forum. JK

 

[wellington]

Well, I am in the Kenosha WI area, so technically considered a northern suburb of Chicago (at least the Metra ends here). I think we would be considered as part of the greater Chicago metro area. I certainly do "get" the cheesehead reference, though not a particularly big sports fan, esp. this year. People think those foam cheesehead hats worn to sporting events are funny until they realize they can't see the game they paid a small fortune to attend because some clowns in front of them are wearing them!
I will think about the thread, though never have done one before - pretty new to the forum. JK

Nope, not a suburb of Chicago, not by a long shot. Just a suburb of WI.
That's okay though.
Yeah a thread would be good. Not hard really. Please do consider it.

 

[Snow Leopard]

I’ve gotten her set up with a kiddy pool full of compact sand/clay/soil/gravel. She seems interested, so we’ll see how it goes.
So far she seems pretty active and is eating well. How long do you let it go on before intervening? What should I be looking out for to say she needs to be induced?
Thanks again, your insight is very valuable.

 

[wellington]

I’ve gotten her set up with a kiddy pool full of compact sand/clay/soil/gravel. She seems interested, so we’ll see how it goes.
So far she seems pretty active and is eating well. How long do you let it go on before intervening? What should I be looking out for to say she needs to be induced?
Thanks again, your insight is very valuable.

Why are you using sand? Sand should not be used, causes impactions if accidentally eaten and doors not pack well for nesting. The clay and gravel is not needed either and likely not good. Two of us at least said no on the sand and to use plain dirt.
Is the pool deep enough to have at minimum 12 inches deep and more then 12 inches was also suggest a couple times.

 

[Snow Leopard]

It’s actually dirt from an area near her outdoor pasture, I didn’t buy any sand. We have have a gravely type clayish soil (glacial till?). She has made a couple of outside nests in the past on this dirt/soil. It compacts well, and has some roots and organic matter that may help it hold together. It’s about 16” deep.
Is it better to purchase commercial topsoil? I can pick some up pretty easily.

 

[wellington]

No,I would use the dirt that you are using, seeing it's from her yard.
My yard has lots of clay too and it's a pain sometimes when mine were digging. They managed, but getting it off of them when they were done was not easy.
I did always try to get the eggs out though before they could cover them up. Otherwise it might have been impossible not to break some.

 

[SinLA]

I used to live in Chicago (Hyde Park and Lakeview) and used to spend a week every summer in Kenosha. Never considered it a suburb of Chicago. We associated it with Milwaukee for sure.

not that any of this is relevant to tortoises, haha.

 

[Snow Leopard]

Good news! Binky spent yesterday digging a nest and laying eggs. She’s eating well and seems to be doing well.
Do they generally lay all of their eggs in one go, or do I need to keep everything set up for a while?
Thanks again for the advice.