Om the baby leopard

Milly

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Jul 4, 2014
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Wales UK
Hi all
I will tell you all about my household.
I am married with three grown up children, 7 parrots (all rescues) ,four dogs ,two cockatiels and I share 5 horses with my youngest daughter. Just recently I have added a leopard tort that was hatched last christmas . He (we were told) is a lovely little chap and seems to be thriving but I am a little concerned that his diet was not what it could be but I have changed that but he does seem to have deep grooves between each section on his shell. He is in a tortoise table filled with potting compost mixed with play sand, he had edible plants, a heat UVB and UVA basking lamp, his bath and sphagnum moss to keep his humidity at the right level. He has a flat rock that his food goes on and the food is dusted with calcium powder each day and he also has two hollow logs to hide in.
We own a village shop and post office so are at home all day, I also work for a parrot rescue as an advisor for cockatoo problems, that's where all my birds come from and some of them have major mental problems and mutilate themselves , not just pulling feathers but ripping their flesh as well.image.jpg
We are in the process of sorting out his outdoor run and have his future mapped out as my daughter will take him on when we can no longer look after him and she has six acres so he won't be short of space.
My only question is can I plant wild spagnum moss from my local forest on our local mountain in his table or will it harm him?
 
M

Maggie Cummings

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I am not sure about the moss, but it is obvious he has been kept too dry and that's why his carapace looks that way. You should correct that problem immediately. I will attach a link to the Leopard tortoise care sheet written by Neal, and he suggests 50% humidity. You'll need to correct this right away or you will have pyramiding and that's not a good thing.
I am glad you have found TFO, please keep asking questions and our experts will get you on the right track...welcome.

tortoiseforum.org/threads/leopard-tortoise-care-sheet.63792/
 
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Milly

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Wales UK
Thank you I thought it was due to his diet before I got him. I keep his humidity at between 40 and 50, but his bed in a separate compartment is dry hay which there is good and bad opinions about. Should I change this to spagnum moss as we'll and keep it damp?
 

Milly

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Wales UK
Thank you.
Forgot to say I do bathe him for ten to fifteen mins a day and he knows I won't let him out till he has had a drink!
 

Grandpa Turtle 144

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Hello and welcome to the TFO from AZ, USA . Leopards are great . Have a great tort day!


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum
 

wellington

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Hello and Welcome:) Get rid of the dry hay and raise the humidity to 80%. Most leopard owners have much better luck with the higher humidity and temps no lower then 80 as humid and cold make for a sick tort. Toms threads below in my post, both the leopard and sulcata ones will explain.
 

Milly

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Humidity has been raised this morning and hay will be out the door this afternoon. Do I put sphagnum moss or the compost sand mixture or both in there?
And does anyone know about the sphagnum moss in the forest is it ok to use?
 

RainsOn

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Okay, I am new here but have already learned a couple things.
I had sand in the terrarium of my Russian and he got it in his eye - bad scratch. Had to treat the eye and spend hours sifting sand. :mad:
For humidity, I wet a face towel, wring it out and place in a plastic container under a basking light. (My idea of artificial moss.) He spends a couple hours there every morning. His glass habitat holds the moisture well. Every other day, I rinse the towel and put in a fresh one two or three times a week. Along with a couple soaks each week and a walk in morning dew, he seems to be doing well in the moisture department.
From what I read around here, you should be soaking daily for awhile.
Can't help you about the moss question. Can it be obtained organic from a pet or nursery source so you know it is safe?
I have read where many owners use the moss.
He is adorable! You have found the perfect place to get help.
P.S. Make sure none of your bulbs are the coil variety - also a lesson learned.
Welcome aboard!
 

lismar79

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Moss in his hide is good. I wet mine every day and as long as its warm enough, it will do the job.
 

Milly

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image.jpg image.jpg Thank you all for your help this is what his table looks like now.
 

RainsOn

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I've been wondering about aloe succulent.
Is it edible?:rolleyes:
 

bouaboua

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Hello and Welcome. Looks like you already getting lots attention here so I'm just here to welcomes you.
 

tinkerbell1189

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I wouldn't have thought the sphagnum moss from Forests would hurt him. As long as your sure it's from an area that wouldn't have been sprayed with pesticides.

What horses do you have? I have thoroughbreds :)
 

Milly

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No there are no pesticides up there but I have soaked the moss and washed out any bugs that may be in it.
We have four thoroughbred race horses that were given to us, all under ten and have been written off and a rescued Arab who was not far off of dead when he was found
 

tinkerbell1189

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My 2 fav breeds, Arabs and tb's. I have a rescued racehorse who is now 22 and still going well. He has lost most of his teeth bless him and is on a special diet.

That sounds fine about the moss, I don't think the bugs would hurt anyway. Iv caught mine eating a wood louse before, and iv seen him take a bite out of a dead worm. Even though he's a "herbivore"!
 

Milly

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I would never have chosen a thoroughbred but I was offered mine by a trainer that my daughter worked for and she already knew him well and I couldn't ask for a more genuine horse.
The Arab is about seventeen and had been fed up for six weeks when we got him but you could still see every bone. After two years he is a lively herd leader and a little monster but we love him dearly.

Om doing well but would not go to bed in moss so I put a small bit in on top of his damp moss and change it every day so it doesn't go moldy, one day he will sleep on the moss but all that change was a bit of a shock.
 

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