Leopard tortoise resource

MWD21

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Hello! I am in a bit of a panic as my son has a change of housing and has asked for me to take care of his leopard tortoise. The tortoise is healthy boy of ~5 yrs old, ~ 1 ft long and will be coming from HI to N. Cali. I am in the mountains and it can get quite chilly from Nov-Feb dropping to 35-50 degrees at night. Days can be cold also around 60ish. this will last from Oct-Feb then it is 70 everyday.. LOL. I do not have a spot in my house or garage that can accommodate a 6X6 enclosure (as i am reading it should have), I do have my backyard enclosed with fencing as I have some geese. Since I know "0" about tortoises and I will be housing it for a few months, at least through march or April of next year, I do not want it to get sick, so I am reaching out to the tortoise experts to help me plan out the best way to provide temp housing? any suggestions/ help would be greatly appreciated! Michelle
 

Lyn W

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Hi and welcome,
Leopards will not survive outdoors with your temps, he needs to be in warm environment.
I am in the UK and our climate is not really leopard friendly so I have to make sure he has the temps he needs. Even 6 x 6 is pretty small for a leopard that size. My leopard lives indoors in is own room and has an insulated dog kennel with a heater in it which is on day and night and the room also has a radiator which is on through winter. I appreciate you don't have the room for that but you will need warm ambient temps for him, a heated hide and a source of UVB (T5 HO tube).

This is the caresheet you need to read to give you an idea of temps required.

Maybe ask your son to make sure his tort has everything his needs to survive a change in living conditions because it won't be cheap unless he already has some of that equipment.
Hopefully a US member with a better idea of your climate will be able to help you more and offer solutions.
 

wellington

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Pretty much what Lyn W said. A 6x6 is too small. If they dont have the room to get exercise he could start losing the strength to walk right. I rehabbed one years ago with the this problrm because he was kept in too small of an enclosure.
He can not stay outside unless you have an insulated heated shed. Same with a garage. If you can't give the proper room is there someone else that could?
Can you build a big enough two level enclosure with a ramp that gets to the second level? It can't just be a small second level like so many do. It actually should be at least 1/2 to 3/4 of the bottom level.
If you can't do a 6x6 can you do longer but maybe 4 feet wide?
4x12 or 4x10? Then add a second level?
Also for heat, uvb, etc, follow the caresheet Lyn linked for you.
 

NorCal tortoise guy

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That tortoise will not be ok outside without good heat. And you really need to watch them when it’s wet and cold. You said you are only caring for him for a few months? If that’s the case I think if I were you I would set up a smaller pen (as big as you can) inside that you can keep worm and keep him there at night and on cold days. Then a pen outside so he can get out when the wearther is nice.
 

Ray--Opo

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Look at some of the outside enclosures here. @Tom has a nice one here. Hopefully your son can spend some time helping you build. Also with heating and lighting the price can get up there.
 

MWD21

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Hi and welcome,
Leopards will not survive outdoors with your temps, he needs to be in warm environment.
I am in the UK and our climate is not really leopard friendly so I have to make sure he has the temps he needs. Even 6 x 6 is pretty small for a leopard that size. My leopard lives indoors in is own room and has an insulated dog kennel with a heater in it which is on day and night and the room also has a radiator which is on through winter. I appreciate you don't have the room for that but you will need warm ambient temps for him, a heated hide and a source of UVB (T5 HO tube).

This is the caresheet you need to read to give you an idea of temps required.

Maybe ask your son to make sure his tort has everything his needs to survive a change in living conditions because it won't be cheap unless he already has some of that equipment.
Hopefully a US member with a better idea of your climate will be able to help you more and offer solutions.
Thank you Lyn,

A "Ray" responded, he is in the US and maybe he can help. I suspect it will be mom to the rescue and that I will have to make it happen somehow. He does not need anything to keep the tortoise happy since he is in HI and the temp is wonderful all year around.

I do have an outdoor enclosed raised garden bed. If I can enclose it and make it warm in there that might work. Just worried on the expense of keeping something like that warm, I do not need to double my electric bill as CA is outrageous to live in without that to worry about also. Thanks for the reference I will take a look!.
 

MWD21

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That tortoise will not be ok outside without good heat. And you really need to watch them when it’s wet and cold. You said you are only caring for him for a few months? If that’s the case I think if I were you I would set up a smaller pen (as big as you can) inside that you can keep worm and keep him there at night and on cold days. Then a pen outside so he can get out when the wearther is nice.
I noticed you are from NorCal, I am in the Santa Cruz mountains. My son said a few months but I think it will be longer since he is moving to WA which is going to be worse weather than here. Wellington in the thread suggested that i do a second level and that may be a possibility. All I have room for in my garage is a 2.5X
Pretty much what Lyn W said. A 6x6 is too small. If they dont have the room to get exercise he could start losing the strength to walk right. I rehabbed one years ago with the this problrm because he was kept in too small of an enclosure.
He can not stay outside unless you have an insulated heated shed. Same with a garage. If you can't give the proper room is there someone else that could?
Can you build a big enough two level enclosure with a ramp that gets to the second level? It can't just be a small second level like so many do. It actually should be at least 1/2 to 3/4 of the bottom level.
If you can't do a 6x6 can you do longer but maybe 4 feet wide?
4x12 or 4x10? Then add a second level?
Also for heat, uvb, etc, follow the caresheet Lyn linked for you.
thanks and I have been brainstorming as to who he could will his tortoise too in HI. He on the other hand does not want to part with it. Once he gets his own place which could be a couple of months or so, he will build a palace, I have plenty of space outdoors but a very small house with all the rooms taken so I cannot turn one into a tortoise haven. I have a dog kennel that is 2.5X5' that i can do a 2nd level. It is already in my garage which is stuffed with exercise equipment and cannot put an acorn in there let alone another structure.
 

Lyn W

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Thank you Lyn,

A "Ray" responded, he is in the US and maybe he can help. I suspect it will be mom to the rescue and that I will have to make it happen somehow. He does not need anything to keep the tortoise happy since he is in HI and the temp is wonderful all year around.

I do have an outdoor enclosed raised garden bed. If I can enclose it and make it warm in there that might work. Just worried on the expense of keeping something like that warm, I do not need to double my electric bill as CA is outrageous to live in without that to worry about also. Thanks for the reference I will take a look!.
Ray is in Florida so think his climate is much milder but even he brings his Sulcata (which has similar care needs to a leopard) inside for winter.
For keeping him outdoors you will need a heated and insulated shed big enough for him to move around in which he needs to do for digestion and bone health. That will need a radiator or RHP etc to make sure the ambient temps are warm enough for him - the caresheet and US members will tell you more about that. You also need a uvb source - T5 HO uvb tube and fitting (important for the absorption of calcium and minerals etc), and a flood basking bulb. Then I think you will also need a heated insulated night box inside the shed - Tom's design is widely used.

It certainly won't be cheap but if your son is eventually moving to a part of the US with a colder/wetter climate than where he is now, then he will need that equipment, so maybe he could get it now to be ready.

My bills shot up when I adopted my leopard so be prepared for that, but torts have to have what they need or you could be spending a fortune on vets bills or worse - lose him.

It's very daunting but torts can easily get very sick with respiratory infections and digestive problems etc if they get too cold and aren't given the right conditions, so it's important everything is ready before he comes to you.

Another possible option would be to see if there are any other long term, regular forum members near where he now lives to see if they will foster him until he is ready to have him back. You could start a new thread to ask.
 

wellington

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I live in Chicago. I have leopards and our winters are like your cold nights but we have those temps day and night.
If your son just brought the tortoise to live with him and could give him a room with the proper lighting just until he could build something, I think that will be easier, cheaper and much better for the tort. The house will have it's own heat to help keep the tortoise warm. Then he just has to add a basking light a uvb light, substrate and a hide and maybe a couple ceramic heat emitters or portable radiator heater for night heat. He could even block a proper size portion of the room off if he can't give the whole room.
Your garage is going to take more. They can't live on a cold cement floor. You will have to lay an insulated floor and substrate, all the lights and will have to heat the torts area to 80 day and night, besides build another level.
 

Ray--Opo

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Are you building the enclosure yourself? Do you have the ability to build a enclosure? Is your raised flower bed sides made of wood or block?
 

Ray--Opo

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If it is sunny and 60ish during the day. Your tort can spend time out in the yard. When Opo is out in sunny 60ish weather. His shell warms up to mid 80's.
 

wellington

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If it is sunny and 60ish during the day. Your tort can spend time out in the yard. When Opo is out in sunny 60ish weather. His shell warms up to mid 80's.
Wow, I would not and do not put my leopards out when its 60. That's too cold.
Their carapace may be 80 but have you ever tempted the sides and plastron?
It might work for your leopards but it's not recommended.
Besides are you talking a smaller leopard or a big sulcata?
Is he able to get into a hide house and warm up?
This person would not have that and for a smaller leopard to be stuck out in 60 temps with no warm hide to go too is deadly.
 

Ray--Opo

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Wow, I would not and do not put my leopards out when its 60. That's too cold.
Their carapace may be 80 but have you ever tempted the sides and plastron?
It might work for your leopards but it's not recommended.
Besides are you talking a smaller leopard or a big sulcata?
Is he able to get into a hide house and warm up?
This person would not have that and for a smaller leopard to be stuck out in 60 temps with no warm hide to go too is deadly.
I also checked the ground temp and it was in the 80's. Opo goes in and out of his heated hide all day. He also has a basking light and stone.I was thinking she was going to have a enclosure outside.
 

MWD21

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Ray is in Florida so think his climate is much milder but even he brings his Sulcata (which has similar care needs to a leopard) inside for winter.
For keeping him outdoors you will need a heated and insulated shed big enough for him to move around in which he needs to do for digestion and bone health. That will need a radiator or RHP etc to make sure the ambient temps are warm enough for him - the caresheet and US members will tell you more about that. You also need a uvb source - T5 HO uvb tube and fitting (important for the absorption of calcium and minerals etc), and a flood basking bulb. Then I think you will also need a heated insulated night box inside the shed - Tom's design is widely used.

It certainly won't be cheap but if your son is eventually moving to a part of the US with a colder/wetter climate than where he is now, then he will need that equipment, so maybe he could get it now to be ready.

My bills shot up when I adopted my leopard so be prepared for that, but torts have to have what they need or you could be spending a fortune on vets bills or worse - lose him.

It's very daunting but torts can easily get very sick with respiratory infections and digestive problems etc if they get too cold and aren't given the right conditions, so it's important everything is ready before he comes to you.

Another possible option would be to see if there are any other long term, regular forum members near where he now lives to see if they will foster him until he is ready to have him back. You could start a new thread to ask.
excellent idea, as I just texted him to let him know it is not fair to Kunta since he has to leave by Nov it is nearly impossible to get a living situation set up for Kunta before he heads back to the mainland. I would take him but i live in a tiny home with no room to spare and an outdoor enclosure does not sound like a good soln for him. I will also ask anyone in NorCal (where I live) or Seattle (where my son is going) that maybe could foster until he can set up his little home wherever he lands. Thanks for the feedback!
 

Ray--Opo

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excellent idea, as I just texted him to let him know it is not fair to Kunta since he has to leave by Nov it is nearly impossible to get a living situation set up for Kunta before he heads back to the mainland. I would take him but i live in a tiny home with no room to spare and an outdoor enclosure does not sound like a good soln for him. I will also ask anyone in NorCal (where I live) or Seattle (where my son is going) that maybe could foster until he can set up his little home wherever he lands. Thanks for the feedback!
That sounds like a better game plan. It almost sounded impossible to get a enclosure made without paying a carpenter to do for you. Plus all the cost for equipment. Good luck but if you have no luck Let us know. So we can guide you on building a enclosure. I was starting to draw out some plans. To where you could have home depot cut the plywood to size. But you would still have to use a screw gun. Q
 

Ray--Opo

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Wow, I would not and do not put my leopards out when its 60. That's too cold.
Their carapace may be 80 but have you ever tempted the sides and plastron?
It might work for your leopards but it's not recommended.
Besides are you talking a smaller leopard or a big sulcata?
Is he able to get into a hide house and warm up?
This person would not have that and for a smaller leopard to be stuck out in 60 temps with no warm hide to go too is deadly.
I was going per Tom. When I asked what temps Opo could be outside. When Opo was 2 years old and 10lbs. Of course Opo had a heat box,basking light and stone. Opo seems to be smart enough not to stay out to long. If it is cloudy and and cold. He doesn't think about coming out.
 

wellington

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I was going per Tom. When I asked what temps Opo could be outside. When Opo was 2 years old and 10lbs. Of course Opo had a heat box,basking light and stone. Opo seems to be smart enough not to stay out to long. If it is cloudy and and cold. He doesn't think about coming out.
For a sulcata yeah or they are bigger and retain their heat longer per their size. Even a leopard would probably be okay if they have a place to warm up on their own. I wouldn't put either one out in those temps without a heated box or shed for them to go into when they needed or wanted.
I don't think this OP has that option to have that heated box from my understanding.
 

Ray--Opo

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For a sulcata yeah or they are bigger and retain their heat longer per their size. Even a leopard would probably be okay if they have a place to warm up on their own. I wouldn't put either one out in those temps without a heated box or shed for them to go into when they needed or wanted.
I don't think this OP has that option to have that heated box from my understanding.
Its 69 this morning. Opo has his head stuck out. He won't be going anywhere for awhile. ?
 
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