New leopard

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ryoung0588

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Hello, I'm new to both this forum and to owning tortoises. I just got a three month old leopard tortoise and I'm just over worrying I think. My question is about his activity level. The little guy spends most of his day buried under the cedar chips. He really only comes out to eat. I've been trying not to handle him more than once a day but if I take him out he moves about freely.

Is it normal for him to spend so much time buried like that? The temp in the tank ranges 95 during the day to 75-80 at night.

Also, should I take him out so he does move around and get exercise or just let him be?
Thank you, any info is appreciated
 

Yvonne G

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Hi ryoung0588 (may we know your name?):

First of all, I would ditch the cedar chips. Using chips/bark/mulch consisting of trees with aromatic oils is not good for tortoises, especially very young tortoises. My preference is cypress mulch or orchid bark, but folks use coconut coir, top soil, almost anything else that can be moistened.

Secondly, yes, babies do hide a lot. They are prey and stay out of sight as much as possible. My baby routine is to soak them in warm water first thing in the a.m. and while I'm doing that, I'll get the food ready and place it at the feeding station. After the soak, I'll put the baby by the food and quickly step out of sight. Several times during the day, as I'm walking past the habitat, I'll dig the baby out and put him by the food.

He will eventually get used to you and the routine, and start coming out on his own.
 

Floof

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+1 Yvonne: Ditch those cedar chips ASAP! Cedar and Pine are both atrocious substrates for any pet. They're best known for causing respiratory infections, though they have been known to cause many other issues, as well.

On your temps, is the entire tank kept at 95? If so, it may be too warm. You want to have a cooler area in the tank (about 80-85F) in addition to a proper basking spot (around 95-100F), so he can regulate his temperature properly. How big is the tank? Making a proper temperature gradient can be very difficult in a small tank. As well, when they get moving, they walk a lot, so you don't want to have him in something too small, anyway.

How about his hydration? Does he have a water dish? Do you soak him? What about his UVB? Does he have any? If so, what kind? Dehydration and bad UVB bulbs (namely, the coil ones!) can both cause lethargy.

If you want to post pictures of your habitat, its specs, and your daily routine with him, I'm sure the members here would be happy to help diagnose any problems with the set up and get you set on the right path. As with any reptile, getting the habitat set up correctly is the first step to raising a happy, healthy tortoise.

If you haven't seen Tom's hatchling care sheet over in the Sulcata section yet, it's a great read and applies to Leopard tortoises, too.. Here's the link: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies#axzz1hscpbPQ4 I use a similar regiment for my little Leopard tortoise with great success. He was in rather poor health when I got him, and is now happy, healthy, and nearly tripled in size on this care regiment.
 
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