My tortoise's diary

[Reptilelove]

Substrate-use coco coir

 

[Abdulla6169]

Throw out the coil bulbs!

Sorry, I couldn't properly reply to your post (I was busy ). I say you can use that plantation soil, because:
1- it says for tropical terrariums (it can hold humidity)
2-it's reptile safe
3-it's available
I think later on when you fix lighting you can think about changing it

 

[Alina+Andrey]

I bought two packs of plantation soil.
Why I will think about changing it?

Now is a good weather outside, 77F° and 61% (humidity), but a little bit cloudy. Can I go for a walk with her or it will be to much stress?

 

[Alina+Andrey]

Throw out the coil bulbs!

Yes, Sir!
My husband will kill me...

 

[Abdulla6169]

I bought two packs of plantation soil.
Why I will think about changing it?

Now is a good weather outside, 77F° and 61% (humidity), but a little bit cloudy. Can I go for a walk with her or it will be to much stress?

Walking isn't the best idea, outside time is good if it's in a runaway-proof place. Kiddie pools work great!

 

[Alina+Andrey]

Yes, we have a school's garden outside.

Is it normal place for her outside walking?

 

[Alina+Andrey]

So can we go outside?

 

[Alina+Andrey]

I have a question about water bowl, how many F° have to be water in it and where it's better to put it, under the lamp?

 

[Abdulla6169]

Yes, we have a school's garden outside.

Is it normal place for her outside walking?

It's ok but you should:
1- be able to find her quite easily.
2-she will be not likely to flip
3- she has access to shade
If the area is closed & has no wild animals (even friendly dogs) & is escape proof, I say it's OK. I'd watch her out, maybe an hour out a day?

 

[Abdulla6169]

I have a question about water bowl, how many F° have to be water in it and where it's better to put it, under the lamp?

I would use this:
A terra cotta pot plant saucer

You can put it in the hot area, not directly under the lamp. Maybe a little distance from the lamp.

 

[Alina+Andrey]

07.08.2014
All night I was reading information in this forum. Oh, it' so interesting...I want more and more. Really sad, that in hole Russia or countries near it - Latvia and others there are no information about Leopard tortoises.
I went to bed at 7.00 and slept till 10.00 =D
At 14 o'clock we went for a walk. It was really cool. I like to watch how tortoises run under the sun, she ate two Clovers and run on a grass all 30 minutes.

I bought for her plantation soil. It is substrate - small pieces of coconut. Hope it will be good for her

 

[Alina+Andrey]

15.40.
I put her into enclosure.

Now it looks like that. But this version is only for the first weeks. I need to find all necessary thing for her enclosure. I put 60 Watt lamp, a little bit of forest's bark, water bowl, food bowl and house, which was made with Forrest's bark and pieces of wood by my husband.
I don't know is exo terra thermometer is good, but it showed 95F°.

She slowly went around her new enclosure, ate some dandelions and I was very happy. She slept in the enclosure's corner after soaking in a special big bowl with water 86-95F° for 20 minutes, as I understood it's necessary to do everyday for small leopard tortoises.
That was our first day.

Now I want to ask about calcium.
I put for her cuttlefish's bone. Do you use them too?
Also we have calcium powder.
Tetra Reptocal.

Will it be good for her?How often and how many powder I have to give her?

Her plastron-lower shell is soft now. Is it characteristic for leopard kids? Till what age and size they have soft plastron?

Here is in formation about Tetra Reptocal.

http://seasunaquarium.com/shop/inde...ion=com_virtuemart&Itemid=4&vmcchk=1&Itemid=4



Also we have this vitamins powder.

 

[Abdulla6169]

Calcium powder is 2-3 times a week, the vitamins are not needed.

 

[Abdulla6169]

This type of disk thermometer is not good:

This gives better results:

 

[Alina+Andrey]

Calcium powder is 2-3 times a week, the vitamins are not needed.

Reptocal from Tetra is good calcium? And how many powder for one time?

 

[Abdulla6169]

Reptocal from Tetra is good calcium? And how many powder for one time?

As long as it is calcium, it is fine. Cuttle bone is great (just leave it in the enclosure. One pinch each time

 

[Alina+Andrey]

08.08.2014
10 o'clock
I went outside to take some dandelions for my leopard tortoise. We gave her name - Lilluna.

She slept in a corner.


She ate some dandelions, I am very happy about it.

During the day she wasn't so active.

15.30

We went for a walk for 40 minutes, she ate grass an run a lot.
I want to ask about this grass, it's not toxic?



In the evening she had soaking procedure for 30 minutes, she drunk a lot. Also I sprayed her with water 2-3 during this day.
Than she had dinner with Calcium.





It' s not too much for her? I mixed it with grass and she still eat this grass ( 3rd day). How do you feed calcium powder to yours torts?

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Any plans to give her more substrate? I think you'd be (she'd be) better of with the entire bottom covered in an earthy type substrate at least 4" deep
The few wood chunks scattered over paper towels is less than ideal.

That is a lot of calcium and she might not eat it that way. It should be ever so lightly sprinkled on the greens.

 

[Alina+Andrey]

As I wrote before, this is only for first days. don't worry now it's much more better Please tell me how much of powder I need to give her, 1/20 of gram? Phrases like " a little bit" "pinch" and " lightly sprinkled" are inaccurate, I can't understand how much is this.

 

[Abdulla6169]

As I wrote before, this is only for first days. don't worry now it's much more better Please tell me how much of powder I need to give her, 1/20 of gram? Phrases like " a little bit" "pinch" and " lightly sprinkled" are inaccurate, I can't understand how much is this.

Use your index & thumb to pick up a little powder, then sprinkle on the food