New baby leopard tortoise

Srmcclure

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Hi everyone! Im new here and I just got my new baby and I was just making sure he is settling in ok. He's exploring, then taking lots of little naps, then exploring again. I soaked him and he drank and went pee. Just trying to figure out if that is normal behavior for a new baby. I'm so paranoid lol. Thank you guys for any input!

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Randy Micheals

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Hi and welcome. Congrats on getting your new little guy, he looks pretty awesome.

Drinking and expelling waste during the soak is natural to be sure. Warm water tends to help move things along.

Lots of good info for you here on the forum, check out the beginners section, FAQ, and stickied info in the leopard species specific section.

Good luck!
 

Randy Micheals

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Leopards have such nice colors. I like how they can change and shift over time as it gets bigger. Would love to see more pics as he grows.
 

Srmcclure

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Oh I know! I think they are just beautiful! (But I love all the shell babies lol)
I've seen some really nice looking adults as well and I'm hoping he has a long happy life so I can watch him grow. I'm just a first time tortoise owner and I've done a lot of research, even though some of it conflicts with each other, but reading and doing are a little different lol so I'm constantly second guessing little things ?
 

Randy Micheals

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I can certainly relate to second guessing and paranoia. It can be a bit stressful when your tort is new, or even established and exhibiting strange new behavior and you aren't sure the best route to go.

This happened to me recently when my Greek went down for a sudden 4 day nap. I sort of forgot everything I knew and that I had learned, felt like a terrible keeper, and had to stop myself from OVER handling/ care providing if that makes sense. They are wild animals still, captivity or no imo, and mostly like to be left to their own devices. It was me that was pushing for a rapid improvement, that I believe sometimes just can't be forced. Too much of any thing/treatment probably isnt ideal. Patience is key. Over time habits become clear and you get to know them better and this helps with paranoia.

Anyways he is back to normal, active and healthy as could be. I worried sick for a week for nothing. Not to say it isnt important to be aware and take everything seriously, but also to be calm, collected, and well researched in your approach and execution, and not punish yourself with anxiety or guilt should anything ever happen, as long as you are willing to learn, imo.

Anyway I'm rambling here, just got off nightshift ?. Tho the topic of "tort keeper anxiety" and possible over treatment has been on my mind, after reading a thread involving mineral oil...

Happy researching ?
 
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Srmcclure

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I'm so glad that I'm not the only one that worries like that! And im so happy to hear your Greek is feeling better! I want to learn as much as I can about tortoise keeping and have been looking things up none stop, even to the point where my husband has to wave his hand in front of me and distract me lol.
 

haydog_99

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I know exactly how you feel. I just got a yearling leopard tortoise about three weeks ago and I was a wreck as he didn't eat for a couple days and he also didn't poop for a while. Here is what i have observed over my first three weeks. 1. He spends a lot of time basking and then wounding around the enclosure checking things out, then repeats. 2. He usually goes in his humid hide about 3 - 4pm and is out for the night. 3. He only poops every three or four days. 4. He loves to trek through his water bowl and he drinks quite a bit. Lastly, for some reason he seems to choose cool places in his enclosure to sleep for the night, if the temp gets over 80 where he is bedded down during the night he moves to a cooler place. Enjoy and is that a giant leopard or a standard?
 

Srmcclure

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He is a giant leopard. He's being really active today( it's only my 2nd day having him) and I have plenty of food for him, but he keeps going to the fake plants and biting them lol. He's just so teeny that idk what is normal exactly just yet lol
 

haydog_99

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I am feeding mine mixed greens and dandelion greens. I found that he likes the pieces large rather than cut into smaller pieces. He wasn't eating until I put out a couple large pieces on his basking stone. Now he will go in his food dish and eat for a while but he prefers when I put pieces next to him when he is on his basking rock. What type of enclosure do you have?
 

Srmcclure

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This is when I first set it up to start getting the temps right, since then I have blocked out the sides so he can't see out. Those fake plants are what he's trying to snack on even though it's going nowhere lol. He has dandelion, collard greens, and other mixed greens with some tortoise chow that he came with softened up, some hays and calcium + vitamins chopped up. He seemed really interested, then went to the fake ones like a goober. I will try putting some bigger pieces in too! That's a good idea. He seemed like he wasn't quite coordinated enough lol ?

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