TyoteeT
New Member
After months of consideration and a week of setting up the enclosure, my hatchling Leopard Tortoise has finally arrived, and I have given her the name of Miira! (I'm a writer and gave her the name of a character I love, I later learned what the name means in different languages!) She's been so curious so far, although I have some questions if her behavior is normal.
When I first got her I soaked her in the warm water and within a few minuets she was walking around and trying to escape the soaking tub (which is just a clear plastic tupperware), and when thrown into the tank she has explored and wandered around the whole thing (47"x23" closed enclosure). Concern 1: Every time I soak her she is trying to walk up the walls, and I haven't seen her drink yet. Nor have I seen her poop as well, even around the enclosure. I have seen her eat, but she will only eat the spring mix I throw in for flavor and not the Alfalfa hay I am hoping she eats for fiber. Is this something I should be concerned about? I am concerned about her eating and not pooping...
I decided to make her a 3D printed water dish using PLA (a biodegradable corn derived plastic; nontoxic) after noticing the clay trays I have aren't deep enough. The dish is .5in deep (~12-13mm) and I usually fill it to ~.4in deep (~10mm). Concern 2: After 2 or 3 days of it being in the tank it is still perfectly clean. I soak her everyday for around 20-30 mins in warm water, and she ravenously ate a piece of an Aloe Vera plant in her tank, so I am pretty sure she isn't dehydrated...? What else can I do to help her use her water dish?
And finally, tonight she did something quite odd for a Leopard Tortoise. She burrowed under her humid hide box and is currently resting, head under the substrate (Coco coir with a layer of Reptibark on the top, it's all I could get) Concern 2: Is a hatchling Leopard burrowing a good 5 or 6 inches and hiding under the substrate normal? The images below show the temp and humidity in the enclosure, I am using a 60 watt incandescent bulb as a basking lamp and it usually gets to ~100 degrees underneath, 90-95 in the rest of the tank, and ~80 at night with the 60 watt ceramic heat emitter. I have a 100 watt ceramic heat emitter coming, and I'll see if that is better, if the temps are too low.
In a week or so I will be purchasing a temp gun with a humidity sensor to get a more accurate reading, something in my gut tells me these thermostats and hydrometers aren't the most accurate things...
Here are some pictures of her enclosure! I have one of those half logs and some Mazuri Tortoise Diet coming from ATC, the place I ordered Miira. Let me know what you think, I know it's humid because the air feels as dense as the Philippines in the summer, and I've taken to watering it with a watering can to maintain 80% humidity throughout the day XD
The second to last picture shows 58% humidity because I had finished soaking her and spraying the enclosure, just putting them back in. It's just adjusting.
I love Miira with all my heart, she had it the day she arrived! Thank you for the help, I am happy to do what I can to give her a good life!
When I first got her I soaked her in the warm water and within a few minuets she was walking around and trying to escape the soaking tub (which is just a clear plastic tupperware), and when thrown into the tank she has explored and wandered around the whole thing (47"x23" closed enclosure). Concern 1: Every time I soak her she is trying to walk up the walls, and I haven't seen her drink yet. Nor have I seen her poop as well, even around the enclosure. I have seen her eat, but she will only eat the spring mix I throw in for flavor and not the Alfalfa hay I am hoping she eats for fiber. Is this something I should be concerned about? I am concerned about her eating and not pooping...
I decided to make her a 3D printed water dish using PLA (a biodegradable corn derived plastic; nontoxic) after noticing the clay trays I have aren't deep enough. The dish is .5in deep (~12-13mm) and I usually fill it to ~.4in deep (~10mm). Concern 2: After 2 or 3 days of it being in the tank it is still perfectly clean. I soak her everyday for around 20-30 mins in warm water, and she ravenously ate a piece of an Aloe Vera plant in her tank, so I am pretty sure she isn't dehydrated...? What else can I do to help her use her water dish?
And finally, tonight she did something quite odd for a Leopard Tortoise. She burrowed under her humid hide box and is currently resting, head under the substrate (Coco coir with a layer of Reptibark on the top, it's all I could get) Concern 2: Is a hatchling Leopard burrowing a good 5 or 6 inches and hiding under the substrate normal? The images below show the temp and humidity in the enclosure, I am using a 60 watt incandescent bulb as a basking lamp and it usually gets to ~100 degrees underneath, 90-95 in the rest of the tank, and ~80 at night with the 60 watt ceramic heat emitter. I have a 100 watt ceramic heat emitter coming, and I'll see if that is better, if the temps are too low.
In a week or so I will be purchasing a temp gun with a humidity sensor to get a more accurate reading, something in my gut tells me these thermostats and hydrometers aren't the most accurate things...
Here are some pictures of her enclosure! I have one of those half logs and some Mazuri Tortoise Diet coming from ATC, the place I ordered Miira. Let me know what you think, I know it's humid because the air feels as dense as the Philippines in the summer, and I've taken to watering it with a watering can to maintain 80% humidity throughout the day XD
The second to last picture shows 58% humidity because I had finished soaking her and spraying the enclosure, just putting them back in. It's just adjusting.
I love Miira with all my heart, she had it the day she arrived! Thank you for the help, I am happy to do what I can to give her a good life!
I agree with others to mix up the diet a little bit I’ve seen endive/green leaf/escarole/mustard and dandelion greens all work really well for my guy but they are all different. Best of luck my friend.
