cmtortoise
New Member
Hi everyone,
I am reaching out to ask for some advice regarding my one of my baby leopard tortoises, Freddie. He/she is approximately 9-10 months old and I got Freddie in late August (so have had him/her for about 6 months). Freddie only weighs between 35-40 grams and has not grown more than 1-5 grams since I got him. Freddie is fairly active but not as active as when I first got him. Firstly, I soak him at least once a day usually 5-7 days a week! For diet, I make sure to feed him/her all the right things as I have spent countless hours researching but I would say the main portion of his diet consists of greens with chopped hay on top (usually I mix 3 of the following together with the hay on top each night: romaine, green and red leaf, turnip greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, clover and occasionally I throw in some collard greens, kale, dill, or maybe cabbage leafs and rarely but not never parsley, mint, or cilantro). Often I will go pick weeds that I ensure are okay on the tortoise table and mix those too and once or twice a week I will soak and add the zoo-med grassland tortoise food. I have been feeding Freddie about at least once a day, sometimes twice if he will eat more, because I am worried about the fact that he has not grown. I have two forms of uvb/uv basking sources in his enclosure as it is about four feet long so one was not enough. I also spray the enclosure down at least 4-5 times a day to ensure adequate humidity levels and soak the spagnum moss daily inside his hide. Finally, I ensure fresh water is located in two areas and there are multiple types of substrate down for muscle development and to mimic his natural area. I just do not know why he hasn’t grown as I think by his/her age Freddie should be a lot/ a bit bigger to say the least. Any advice or information would be great!! (Also, I got Freddie from tortoisesupply.com and he is a regular leopard not the giant South African if that is relevant!)
I am reaching out to ask for some advice regarding my one of my baby leopard tortoises, Freddie. He/she is approximately 9-10 months old and I got Freddie in late August (so have had him/her for about 6 months). Freddie only weighs between 35-40 grams and has not grown more than 1-5 grams since I got him. Freddie is fairly active but not as active as when I first got him. Firstly, I soak him at least once a day usually 5-7 days a week! For diet, I make sure to feed him/her all the right things as I have spent countless hours researching but I would say the main portion of his diet consists of greens with chopped hay on top (usually I mix 3 of the following together with the hay on top each night: romaine, green and red leaf, turnip greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, clover and occasionally I throw in some collard greens, kale, dill, or maybe cabbage leafs and rarely but not never parsley, mint, or cilantro). Often I will go pick weeds that I ensure are okay on the tortoise table and mix those too and once or twice a week I will soak and add the zoo-med grassland tortoise food. I have been feeding Freddie about at least once a day, sometimes twice if he will eat more, because I am worried about the fact that he has not grown. I have two forms of uvb/uv basking sources in his enclosure as it is about four feet long so one was not enough. I also spray the enclosure down at least 4-5 times a day to ensure adequate humidity levels and soak the spagnum moss daily inside his hide. Finally, I ensure fresh water is located in two areas and there are multiple types of substrate down for muscle development and to mimic his natural area. I just do not know why he hasn’t grown as I think by his/her age Freddie should be a lot/ a bit bigger to say the least. Any advice or information would be great!! (Also, I got Freddie from tortoisesupply.com and he is a regular leopard not the giant South African if that is relevant!)