New Leopard Tortoise baby~newbie

Status
Not open for further replies.

MasterOogway

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2013
Messages
528
Hi,
We just purchased a new baby Leopard Tortoise for Christmas. We named him/her Master Oogway. The baby tortoise is about 2 1/4" and 3 months old.This is our first tortoise so I am reading everything I can on his care. I just fell in love with this little guy.
I should of done more research on which Tortoise to purchase as we live in Pittsburgh, Pa. and wondering when it gets large how I am going to house Oogway indoors in the winter.I have looked online for indoor tortoise homes for the larger tortoise and have only found ideas for the babies. He is so tiny now I am sure I have a few years but would love to hear from others who house large tortoise in the winter. How do you do it ?
I should of done my research before buying and purchased a smaller tortoise. I really like this little guy and fell in love with tortoises! Any suggestions or advice ? :)
 

Jacqui

Wanna be raiser of Lemon Drop tortoises
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 28, 2007
Messages
39,941
Location (City and/or State)
A Land Far Away...
Hi and welcome! My advise is to love and spoil the little guy, and keep looking for ideas that will work for you. You may end up building him a large house with part of it being his "bed" so to speak and the rest be an indoor run. Insulating it well and using something to keep it warm (there are a wide choice of options on that). You might also do this in your basement or even a spare room. There are options and you have time to see what others are doing and work it into something you can use. It's great your looking ahead!
 

Neal

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 15, 2010
Messages
4,967
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
Welcome. Here is a caresheet I wrote for leopard tortoises if you're interested: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-31227.html

I house my adults in boxes I've made out of cinder blocks. There is insulation on the inside, and the tortoises have heating and lighting inside. The dimensions are about 4*8. Search around the enclosure section of this forum. There are a lot of good pictures and descriptions of housing larger adult tortoises.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Hi MasterOogway and welcome to the Forum!
 

Tortus

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2012
Messages
970
Location (City and/or State)
Maryland
Welcome, Master.

I have pretty much the same winters as you and also the same concerns. Some people have insulated, heated sheds outside and still let their larger tortoises go out briefly in cold weather to graze. I debating on whether to do that or give the tortoise the spare bedroom for the winter.

Before I got mine I saw large leopards on tortoise tables in pet stores, and I figured they'd be fine with that. I've since learned that they need a lot more space to roam unless you can build a really large table.
 

sibi

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 23, 2012
Messages
6,486
Location (City and/or State)
Florida, USA
Hi and welcome. Good for you on doing your homework for the future. You'll have many, many wonderful years with him.
 

MasterOogway

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2013
Messages
528
Thank you everyone for the warm welcome. advice, & very helpful caresheet! I do need to make a few changes and will be running to the store to get him the right light & some moss.They sold me the quoil type UV light.I also need to bring the humidity up. I am so glad I found this forum. I have been reading eveything I can when I get a chance. We will be adding additions and remodeling in the next few years so Mr.Oogway will be in our plans.I am excited to have a tortoise that will live a long time.He has so much personality for a little guy. He makes me smile. Right now he is set up next to my desk as I work at home so I enjoy just watching him and his habits. Thanks again for the warm welcome.:tort:
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Hello and Welcome:) I live in Chicago, pretty much the same weather as you. I too have a leopard, almost two years old. My plans for when he is about 8 inches or so is to build a large dog/tort house, well insulated and heated. He will be able to go in and out as he pleases, except at night I will lock him in. It will be big enough that if he stayed in it, he will still have plenty of room to walk around and get excercise. I think if you build it well, insulate it really well, it wouldn't be much to heat it. I also have a pop up green house that will be attached to it also.
 

jtrux

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2012
Messages
1,069
Location (City and/or State)
San Antonio, TX
I think you will be fine, while leopards are a larger tortoise, they are not HUGE, at least the one that you have (some varieties are known to get huge, but they are not as common) so you should be fine.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top