Neckbone
New Member
Hi everyone!
I got my first leopard tortoise Neckbone from a breeder almost exactly 1 year ago. I was told he was 8 weeks old at the time I got him, but he was only 25g at the time so in hindsight I think he may have even been younger. At the time, I unfortunately followed the instructions from the breeder and info I found online (open enclosure, dryness, all the usual wrong stuff). After about 4 months, I noticed Neckbone was looking dried out, sad, lethargic and not growing at all, still only at 35g. Then I found the tortoise forum and read @Tom 's threads (and it totally saved my baby so thank you Tom and the forum!). I immediately switched to all his recommendations in the care sheet including closed chamber, 80-90% humidity, 45min soaks every night, etc. I quickly started to notice a difference in his personality and he started to grow.
He has grown a lot since then. Today, he is 182g and 4 inches. For reference of his growth rate, he was 100g 3.5 months ago. Even though he has grown a lot, I am worried this growth rate is still slow. Is this is a normal size for a ~14 month leopard tortoise? how fast should he be growing? In your experience, do you think he will be ok and continue to grow? I am really nervous about hatchling failure and dryness when he was young causing permanent damage. I definitely learned my lesson about researching breeders and tortoise care, but want to do all I can now to give him the best chance.
I use a UV light, heat emitter with temps 70-95, closed chamber, daily soaks, coconut coir substrate, water at all times, cuttle bone in enclosure. I feed him majority spring mix and sometimes dandelion or mustard greens, collard greens, kale when i have it. I offer jade and hibiscus and tons of grass but he wont touch these. I also supplement his diet with Mazuri tortoise LS diet every day (he is spoiled and will only eat this if i hand feed it to him 1 piece at a time lol). I sprinkle calcium on the spring mix 2x per week and use kapidolo farms dried leaves onto the spring mix as well (i have 4 types and switch it up). I know I could do better with diet variety, but would love any suggestions on other ways I can help him grow and stay healthy. I just planted some testudo and another weed mix so fingers crossed it grows and I can use that too.
I appreciate any suggestions you all may have for me and advise about his growth rate! Thank you! attached is a recent photo for size.
I got my first leopard tortoise Neckbone from a breeder almost exactly 1 year ago. I was told he was 8 weeks old at the time I got him, but he was only 25g at the time so in hindsight I think he may have even been younger. At the time, I unfortunately followed the instructions from the breeder and info I found online (open enclosure, dryness, all the usual wrong stuff). After about 4 months, I noticed Neckbone was looking dried out, sad, lethargic and not growing at all, still only at 35g. Then I found the tortoise forum and read @Tom 's threads (and it totally saved my baby so thank you Tom and the forum!). I immediately switched to all his recommendations in the care sheet including closed chamber, 80-90% humidity, 45min soaks every night, etc. I quickly started to notice a difference in his personality and he started to grow.
He has grown a lot since then. Today, he is 182g and 4 inches. For reference of his growth rate, he was 100g 3.5 months ago. Even though he has grown a lot, I am worried this growth rate is still slow. Is this is a normal size for a ~14 month leopard tortoise? how fast should he be growing? In your experience, do you think he will be ok and continue to grow? I am really nervous about hatchling failure and dryness when he was young causing permanent damage. I definitely learned my lesson about researching breeders and tortoise care, but want to do all I can now to give him the best chance.
I use a UV light, heat emitter with temps 70-95, closed chamber, daily soaks, coconut coir substrate, water at all times, cuttle bone in enclosure. I feed him majority spring mix and sometimes dandelion or mustard greens, collard greens, kale when i have it. I offer jade and hibiscus and tons of grass but he wont touch these. I also supplement his diet with Mazuri tortoise LS diet every day (he is spoiled and will only eat this if i hand feed it to him 1 piece at a time lol). I sprinkle calcium on the spring mix 2x per week and use kapidolo farms dried leaves onto the spring mix as well (i have 4 types and switch it up). I know I could do better with diet variety, but would love any suggestions on other ways I can help him grow and stay healthy. I just planted some testudo and another weed mix so fingers crossed it grows and I can use that too.
I appreciate any suggestions you all may have for me and advise about his growth rate! Thank you! attached is a recent photo for size.