My tortoise has dark eyes Baby Leopard tortoise

[JDDV97]

I appreciate everyone help 🙏

 

[wellington]

I’m with him outside two hours of the day in the backyard getting sunlight under supervision. Technically, I don’t need the UVB light correct? I could replace it with a second basking light because I’m having trouble raising the temperature. It’s currently at 77 with 80 humidity . I feel like I cut the holes in the lid kind of weird. Also, it just was difficult to cut perfect holes.

One as small as yours and hour tops outside making sure there is lots of shade and small area of sun he can go in and out of. At about a year old, he can stay out a little longer.

 

[JDDV97]

One as small as yours and hour tops outside making sure there is lots of shade and small area of sun he can go in and out of. At about a year old, he can stay out a little longer.

Understood I’ll cut it down to an hour, but therefore I wouldn’t need a UVB light in the close chamber, correct? I can just have two basking lights? Because I’m having trouble raising the temperature inside the close chamber. It’s currently at 77 with 80 humidity. Pictures below for height reference

 

[JDDV97]

Maybe the enclosure is too big ? Should I have two basking lights or one basking light and one ceramic heat emitter? @wellington

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Understood I’ll cut it down to an hour, but therefore I wouldn’t need a UVB light in the close chamber, correct? I can just have two basking lights? Because I’m having trouble raising the temperature inside the close chamber. It’s currently at 77 with 80 humidity. Pictures below for height reference

Maybe the enclosure is too big ? Should I have two basking lights or one basking light and one ceramic heat emitter? @wellington

It’s not the enclosure size don’t worry🙂

If you’re going to be giving them some natural sunlight during the week to meet their uv needs, then no you won’t have to worry about a uv light.

Just the one basking bulb is fine, but yes try adding a CHE, set the thermostat the ceramic will run on for 80/82, placing the probe in a corner furthest from the bulb

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Have you got a temp gun/ some digital monitoring to check your temperatures? Especially the basking spot, those gauge monitors aren’t always the most accurate, it’s definitely good to double check

 

[wellington]

Maybe the enclosure is too big ? Should I have two basking lights or one basking light and one ceramic heat emitter? @wellington

That tote box is not too big.

 

[wellington]

Hello and welcome to the forum!💚🐢

Your baby shouldn’t be living outside full time like this until they are measuring at least 10 inches, whilst they are so young, they need housing in a closed chamber set up for at least the first 3 years. They can roam a secure outdoor enclosure for no more than a few hours a day.

Store brought top soil’s shouldn’t be used as there’s no way of knowing exactly what plants have gone into it, could be something toxic.

Hopefully you’ll find this thread I made useful to read, it goes over the correct types of equipment(many folks get sold the wrong stuff), maintaining humidity, correct levels etc

Leopard/sulcata starter

Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information below on how I’d personally tackle an indoor starter set up for this guy until they’re bigger. Hopefully it helps give you some ideas! I know it looks a lot to go over, I like to make sure all bases are covered, I’m happy to...

tortoiseforum.org

This is another care sheet you might find helpful too!

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Lastly, hopefully you’ll find this one useful in helping you know what bulbs to avoid and stuff🙂

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

Hope this helps! Any further questions, please do ask! They’ll always be someone to help😊

Please read thru the threads linked in this post. Rad them several times, take notes, and make any changes needed.

 

[cooky_luvs]

Understood I’ll cut it down to an hour, but therefore I wouldn’t need a UVB light in the close chamber, correct? I can just have two basking lights? Because I’m having trouble raising the temperature inside the close chamber. It’s currently at 77 with 80 humidity. Pictures below for height reference

Hello, you contacted me for help when you first got that tortoise and I did give you some information to read through that would’ve helped greatly since day one. I don’t know if you’ve never got a chance to read it?

That baby has been sickly since you got it from that reptile show though so it’s very concerning. It’s great that you’ve got the closed chamber going but getting those temperatures up will be critical since this little one has not been well for some time. 80 is the minimum for a healthy hatchling. You want to shoot for 85-90 at least to help the little one’s immune system. Make sure your gauges are accurate first, if they are then go up in wattage on your lights. A CHE (ceramic heat element) for heat would be a good idea also because the temperatures are needed to be maintained day as well as night. CHE don’t produce light so this will give heat at night when lights are out. Another great option that works well in an enclosed chamber are radiant heat panels.

It will be too cold to have that baby outside here in Texas within the next couple months so a UVB light would be a great idea. And outside time should be very limited for hatchlings, but even more limited for a hatchling that is unwell.