New owner of a baby Leopard Tort!

[Lameez]

Hey everybody, my name is Lameez Dabhelia and I live in Carletonville, South Africa.

I just got a baby leopard tortoise today (still thinking of a name for her), and this is my first time taking care of a baby, I have older tortoises, which I leave outdoors. So they're very easy to take care of, however, taking care of this baby is making me a bit anxious.
I live in a very sunny, hot area so I do not have a UVB light (should I invest in one though?) and I have a hard wooden box for my baby, however I am currently leaving her in a plastic bathtub with shrubs, grass and hay until I buy a substrate for her tomorrow.

Any suggestions on which substrate to buy for her, I do not trust my pet shop to give me advice.
Also, Ive read that Leopards diet should not consist of lettuce and only shrubs, clover, and grass?
Is this true?

Please I'd really appreciate to hear back from you guys and I'd love to hear your advice!

 

[hingeback]

Welcome to the forum. For substrate fine grade orchid bark or coco coir should be good. I have no experience with leopards so I am not too sure about the diet. Babies need high humidity, make sure his/her enclosure is humid.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Lameez, and welcome to the Forum!

Read our care sheet, and I think you will find answers to your questions. If not, we're happy to help you:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/leopard-tortoise-care-sheet.63792/

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.78361/

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Lameez

Leopards rule !

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome Lameez !

 

[popeye tortoise]

Hi and welcome to the forum Lamzee. Ask a lot of questions and send pictures.

 

[Lameez]

thank you all for the warm welcome! I will be uploading pictures soon!
For her substrate I bought charcoal sand and coco choir? is this okay?

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm not a big fan of any kind of sand. It sticks to the food and gets ingested then causes an impaction that either kills the tortoise or causes it to have expensive surgery.

 

[Lameez]

I'm not a big fan of any kind of sand. It sticks to the food and gets ingested then causes an impaction that either kills the tortoise or causes it to have expensive surgery.

Thank you, so should I just stick to the coco choir, bark and the little bit oh hay that I have?

 

[hingeback]

Yes

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Welcome, Lameez