hello everyone. my name is jason and im from pa. my fiance wanted a tortoise so i bought her a leopard. we recieved it on wed. its a cute litlle thing but i cant get it to eat. we bought it collard green and romaine lettuce and srinkled it with calcium and vitamins. i also put a couple of mazuri pellets that were moist in there. it looked at the food but decided that sleep was more important. i took the food out this morning and replaced with new romaine and collard greens. well see what happens today. should i worry or try something different.
new leopard tortoise
- Thread starter jay33pa
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RE: new
Welcome, I am from PA also. Where are you located? Your tort may just be a little stressed in his/her new environment. Keep doing what you are doing and your tort will come around. There is alot of good info on this site regarding proper diet, heating, lighting, housing etc. Make sure you keep your new baby warm and moist and he will warm up to you quickly.
Welcome, I am from PA also. Where are you located? Your tort may just be a little stressed in his/her new environment. Keep doing what you are doing and your tort will come around. There is alot of good info on this site regarding proper diet, heating, lighting, housing etc. Make sure you keep your new baby warm and moist and he will warm up to you quickly.
RE: new
thanks jeff. im in hollidaysburg. its 30 miles south of state college on i99. ive read about keeping them moist but noone says how to do that. im new to tortoises and feel like im a new dad all over, so clueless, and so many questions. i read one thing and then find someone that says dont do that. confusing. do you know where i could get a cactus pad. ive read that they are good for them to eat.
thanks jeff. im in hollidaysburg. its 30 miles south of state college on i99. ive read about keeping them moist but noone says how to do that. im new to tortoises and feel like im a new dad all over, so clueless, and so many questions. i read one thing and then find someone that says dont do that. confusing. do you know where i could get a cactus pad. ive read that they are good for them to eat.
Give your new tort some time to adjust and it will be fine. Your food choices are fine, so keep trying. There is a lot of discussion about keeping them really moist to help prevent pyramiding. Some people use humid hides with wet sponges inside and others actually spray mist their torts several times a day. The easiest way is to keep a spray bottle of water by your enclosure and occaisonally mist it to keep it from drying out too much.
Just keep your eyes on him for a while and make sure he drinks, eats, poops and walks around some each day. It will be fine.
Just keep your eyes on him for a while and make sure he drinks, eats, poops and walks around some each day. It will be fine.
I have read that you should give them a good soak (chin deep) in warm water when you first get them to make sure they are well hydrated.
Congratulations - and good luck. Pics PLEASE! I love the looks of the Leopards.
Congratulations - and good luck. Pics PLEASE! I love the looks of the Leopards.
jessicap:
as soon as my fiance got it she gave it a luke warm bath. i also gave it a warm soak yesterday for about ten minutes. it loves it, and runs alot in the water. its name is ayo. i dont know if i can use my cell phone to get a pic on here. do you know?
as soon as my fiance got it she gave it a luke warm bath. i also gave it a warm soak yesterday for about ten minutes. it loves it, and runs alot in the water. its name is ayo. i dont know if i can use my cell phone to get a pic on here. do you know?
Hi Jason:
Welcome to the forum!!
Please take a look at this thread:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies
It was written with sulcatas in mind, but it works for leopards too.
Its very important to get your new baby acclimated and eating as quickly as possible. Babies are pretty fragile and can take a turn for the worse before you know it.
Make sure the baby is warm enough. If they can't warm up, they won't eat. Your UVB light (I like the Mercury Vapor Bulbs) should be suspended over one end of the habitat, and the temp under the light should be 100-110 degrees. The temp gets progressively cooler as you get farther away from the light, but you shouldn't allow it to be any cooler than 75 on the opposite end of the habitat.
I have some baby leopard tortoises and they are pretty shy creatures. I turn on the light in the morning, then I go and prepare their food. This gives them a chance to wake up and warm up. Then I put the food down on the feeding tile, place the tortoises around the food and quickly step out of sight. If they see the giant monster hovering over them, they quickly run back into their hide.
Can you shoot us some pictures of your baby and where he lives? It will help us to help you better.
Welcome to the forum!!
Please take a look at this thread:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies
It was written with sulcatas in mind, but it works for leopards too.
Its very important to get your new baby acclimated and eating as quickly as possible. Babies are pretty fragile and can take a turn for the worse before you know it.
Make sure the baby is warm enough. If they can't warm up, they won't eat. Your UVB light (I like the Mercury Vapor Bulbs) should be suspended over one end of the habitat, and the temp under the light should be 100-110 degrees. The temp gets progressively cooler as you get farther away from the light, but you shouldn't allow it to be any cooler than 75 on the opposite end of the habitat.
I have some baby leopard tortoises and they are pretty shy creatures. I turn on the light in the morning, then I go and prepare their food. This gives them a chance to wake up and warm up. Then I put the food down on the feeding tile, place the tortoises around the food and quickly step out of sight. If they see the giant monster hovering over them, they quickly run back into their hide.
Can you shoot us some pictures of your baby and where he lives? It will help us to help you better.
Dont know how to get a pic on here. Im so confused. I just got off the phone with someone that said not to keep them moist. They said why would you keep em moist when the are from africa. They also said to keep the humidity low. This contridicts everything ive been told. I just want this tort to be healthy and happy. PLEASE HELP
Hi Jason
Welcome to the forum I got another one yesterday myself must have been leo day Where did you get him/her from ? Like Yvonne said read that thread and post some pic's what are your temp's? Looking forward to seeing your Leo what is his/ her name?
Welcome to the forum I got another one yesterday myself must have been leo day
Where did you get him/her from ? Like Yvonne said read that thread and post some pic's what are your temp's? Looking forward to seeing your Leo what is his/ her name?coreyc
I got it from a guy in ny named Fred Kick. I do want to get another one but gotta get this one going in the right direction. Guess i gotta find my digital camera and get a pic posted. That may be a venture in itsself with four kids that hide everything. Ayo is his/her name. Fiance picked the name from a list of african names. Dont remember what it means.
I got it from a guy in ny named Fred Kick. I do want to get another one but gotta get this one going in the right direction. Guess i gotta find my digital camera and get a pic posted. That may be a venture in itsself with four kids that hide everything. Ayo is his/her name. Fiance picked the name from a list of african names. Dont remember what it means.
jay33pa said:
The information on keeping them humid is relatively new. We are constantly learning new things about these turtles as they have not been a mainstream pet for very long. Whoever told you to keep him dry is probably not as up to date with new care techniques as people on here. TRUST ME, LISTEN TO PEOPLE ON THIS FORUM. There are some very knowledgeable people on here who know what they are talking about.
jay33pa said:
I know others use their cell phones, but I wouldn't know how... lol. Sounds like you are doing a good job, just give him some time to adjust and just keep READING. There is so much to learn. Have fun!
Welcome!
Hi Jason:
Here's the thinking behind the "keep them moist" theory:
When a tortoise is down in his burrow (or in the leopard's case, under his shrub or borrowed burrow) He poops and pees in there. That brings up the humidity around him. Also, down in a burrow the earth isn't as dry as it is above ground. Babies stay hidden most of their first year of life. They're not out in the sun or hot dry areas. The moisture we give them helps to lubricate the tender new growth between the scutes and helps them to grow smoothly with no pyramiding.
One of our members, Balboa, posed a theory that babies in the wild don't get much food their first year, causing them to grow much more slowly than a pet baby, who is fed every day. And because we feed them more, they grow faster.
So, even though a baby in the wild might not be kept as wet as we are suggesting you keep a pet baby, the wild baby doesn't grow as fast and the little bit of humidity he is in contact with is all he needs for his slow growth. While the faster growing pet baby, will require a lot more moisture to maintain a smooth growth.
I hope I've explained it properly and not just meandered on and on...
Here's the thinking behind the "keep them moist" theory:
When a tortoise is down in his burrow (or in the leopard's case, under his shrub or borrowed burrow) He poops and pees in there. That brings up the humidity around him. Also, down in a burrow the earth isn't as dry as it is above ground. Babies stay hidden most of their first year of life. They're not out in the sun or hot dry areas. The moisture we give them helps to lubricate the tender new growth between the scutes and helps them to grow smoothly with no pyramiding.
One of our members, Balboa, posed a theory that babies in the wild don't get much food their first year, causing them to grow much more slowly than a pet baby, who is fed every day. And because we feed them more, they grow faster.
So, even though a baby in the wild might not be kept as wet as we are suggesting you keep a pet baby, the wild baby doesn't grow as fast and the little bit of humidity he is in contact with is all he needs for his slow growth. While the faster growing pet baby, will require a lot more moisture to maintain a smooth growth.
I hope I've explained it properly and not just meandered on and on...
we are helping..
hatchlings are difficult..
Warm and moist is good. Cold and moist is really bad.
How old is your hatchling? Did the person you get it from give you a gaurantee or tell you how they were keeping it or what it was eating, or IF it was eating?
Shipping can be hard on them, esp if they get cold..
Try a babyfood soak, increase temps, and give some time.. make sure the lights are the right kind, and it has a place to hide and feel safe and secure.
read read read...
and ask whatever questions you want to know answers for.
hatchlings are difficult..
Warm and moist is good. Cold and moist is really bad.
How old is your hatchling? Did the person you get it from give you a gaurantee or tell you how they were keeping it or what it was eating, or IF it was eating?
Shipping can be hard on them, esp if they get cold..
Try a babyfood soak, increase temps, and give some time.. make sure the lights are the right kind, and it has a place to hide and feel safe and secure.
read read read...
and ask whatever questions you want to know answers for.
Welcome to the forum and Congrats on the new tortoise
Here are a couple pics of Ayo and his home.View attachment 7187View attachment 7186View attachment 7185View attachment 7184View attachment 7183
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How did you post the pic's ?I can not open them
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I had some problems with my leo's as well. Do you know what the person you got it from fed it? Does it drink in its soaks? How long exactly have you had it?
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