Hello everyone, I've been browsing the site for a bit and it's wonderful to find a place with so much information and so many helpful people! My husband has wanted a tortoise since he was a child, and last night we brought home 2 little leopard hatchlings, about 2 inches long. I'll go ahead and put all of the details next before I start in on the questions. I'm new to tortoises so I want to be sure we're doing this right.
We built them a 4'x2' wooden pen on wheels so they can go outside in the mornings (we live in Phoenix and I'm afraid it's too hot in the afternoons). We're currently using an Exo-Terra 125w mercury vapor bulb on the warm end which is ranging from 89-93F, from 8am-8pm. The opposite end has a shallow (but heavy) water dish big enough for them both to soak in, and the temps are ranging from 75-80. There is also a hiding log which feels pretty cool inside but I haven't put the thermometer cord in there yet. They're currently on the shredded coconut bark substrate, but I didn't want them eating it so all of their food is on a big sandstone slab (at the cooler end). We've offered them dried timothy hay and orchard grass (both from the pet store) cut into little pieces, and basil, mint, dandelion greens, endive, and wheat grass (all fresh and organic from whole foods). We also offered them a bit of cut up prickly pear cactus (the green pad, not the fruit).
When we brought them home last night we gave them a soak in case they were dehydrated and they both had a little drink and crawled back out. They wandered around for a bit, ignored the food, then crawled under the hiding log and didn't come back out for the rest of the night. They've been a bit more active this morning, and finally started eating about 10 minutes ago. First one, then the other ripped into the endive and they ate everything but the stem in the middle. They've ignored everything else though.
What is normal hatchling eating behavior? Should I leave the food in all day or can they overeat if I do that? What is the best way to get the calcium supplement into them? How much should they sleep at this age? Also one of them sporadically makes an odd sort of chirping noise, does that mean anything?
Sorry, I know that's a lot of info/questions, I just want to be sure we give them the best care possible.
Thank you!
We built them a 4'x2' wooden pen on wheels so they can go outside in the mornings (we live in Phoenix and I'm afraid it's too hot in the afternoons). We're currently using an Exo-Terra 125w mercury vapor bulb on the warm end which is ranging from 89-93F, from 8am-8pm. The opposite end has a shallow (but heavy) water dish big enough for them both to soak in, and the temps are ranging from 75-80. There is also a hiding log which feels pretty cool inside but I haven't put the thermometer cord in there yet. They're currently on the shredded coconut bark substrate, but I didn't want them eating it so all of their food is on a big sandstone slab (at the cooler end). We've offered them dried timothy hay and orchard grass (both from the pet store) cut into little pieces, and basil, mint, dandelion greens, endive, and wheat grass (all fresh and organic from whole foods). We also offered them a bit of cut up prickly pear cactus (the green pad, not the fruit).
When we brought them home last night we gave them a soak in case they were dehydrated and they both had a little drink and crawled back out. They wandered around for a bit, ignored the food, then crawled under the hiding log and didn't come back out for the rest of the night. They've been a bit more active this morning, and finally started eating about 10 minutes ago. First one, then the other ripped into the endive and they ate everything but the stem in the middle. They've ignored everything else though.
What is normal hatchling eating behavior? Should I leave the food in all day or can they overeat if I do that? What is the best way to get the calcium supplement into them? How much should they sleep at this age? Also one of them sporadically makes an odd sort of chirping noise, does that mean anything?
Sorry, I know that's a lot of info/questions, I just want to be sure we give them the best care possible.
Thank you!
