Outdoor Enclosure for 5 month of Leopard tortoise

[CleoTheLeo]

I was thinking now that the weather is warmer and suitable for tortoises, I was wondering if I should place my 5 month old leopard tortoise in an outdoor enclosure. My only concerns are: Is it to young to put outside, should I wait another year? And I can't control the humidity outside so how would I handle that, along with the temperature?

For now I still have her in the same enclosure, and have made all the improvements you guys suggested.
Also if it helps, I live in North Carolina and it's typically very hot and humid in the summer, but not always the right temps/humidity levels for tortoises.

 

[Yvonne G]

This is where my baby leopards live in good weather:

 

[CleoTheLeo]

Ok, great. So if the weathers good just during the day do you keep them out there the whole time, and/or overnight too, if it permits. So basically its best to have an indoor and outdoor enclosure.

Also another quick question, Cleo's appetite has picked up alot since I raised the temp and now thats she's gotten used to me. So my question is should I let her eat until she stops, or only allow a certain amount of time per day. I typically put her outside in a type of garden area and she'll eat and eat!

 

[cmacusa3]

Right now mine is 6 months and I just take her out for an hour or so a day. This was a easy outdoor enclosure, all she does is eat when she is out. I will build something better when I leave her out full time. I only refer to she because that how incubation was done so she could end up being a he.

 

[CleoTheLeo]

Right now mine is 6 months and I just take her out for an hour or so a day. This was a easy outdoor enclosure, all she does is eat when she is out. I will build something better when I leave her out full time. I only refer to she because that how incubation was done so she could end up being a he. View attachment 131757

Wow, that looks great, i think i will make something like that. Did you happen to get your leopard from the Tortoise Yard?

 

[cmacusa3]

No she came from Sierra view ranch

Definitely my favorite of all my turtles and torts.

 

[CleoTheLeo]

No she came from Sierra view ranchView attachment 131760

Definitely my favorite of all my turtles and torts.

She's very beautiful! From the picture her shell looks completely smooth, and when i got mine a couple weeks ago it looked like some parts of her shell were raised up,not exactly pyramiding. But only the pattern part if that makes sense. You can kinda tell from the profile picture, but I was wondering if yours was the same way, with some parts of her shell being raised up. And did you get her at a young age or get her at 6 months from Sierra View Ranch?

 

[cmacusa3]

She is bowling ball smooth, I got her at 4 months. She was kept in a high humidity closed chamber. This picture really shows how smooth she is. I also keep her in a closed chamber, soak her daily and take her out weather permitting for an hour a day.

 

[CleoTheLeo]

She is bowling ball smooth, I got her at 4 months. She was kept in a high humidity closed chamber. This picture really shows how smooth she is. I also keep her in a View attachment 131762closed chamber, soak her daily and take her out weather permitting for an hour a day.

Wow, she really is one pretty tort! I'm very jealous because when I got mine, i guess maybe her scutes, were already pyramiding or raised up. Wish i would have gotten her earlier so I could have avoided the problem, but hopefully it won't get any worse!

 

[cmacusa3]

My Sulcata's shell looked a little like your leopards when I got him at 2 months old but with the closed chamber and daily soaks he is just as smooth as my leopard.

 

[CleoTheLeo]

Really? Thats great to hear! I thought that once the shell had already started pyramiding it was irreversible. But now I'll be sure to crank up that humidity and give my tort what it needs.

 

[cmacusa3]

Make sure too keep the temps above 80, mine never get below 82

 

[CleoTheLeo]

Yes, I bought a CHE and my temps have remained around 84 and sometime a little higher. Do you know what humidity you keep you leopard at?

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

And don't worry about overfeeding.
They don't.
As long as they're on the right foods and get exercise, they're fine.
They'll eat as much as they need, which can be a lot!

 

[cmacusa3]

It stays over 80% in both my enclosures.

 

[CleoTheLeo]

And don't worry about overfeeding.
They don't.
As long as they're on the right foods and get exercise, they're fine.
They'll eat as much as they need, which can be a lot!

ok, thats great to know, because she was eating for about an hour straight and I was starting to get a little worried. Guess she was just hungry!

 

[Tom]

Here is one way to do it:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...table-but-safe-outdoor-baby-enclosures.30683/

I would only leave the baby out for an hour or two a day, and gradually more as it gains size.

WATCH THE TEMPERATURES VERY CAREFULLY!!! They can overheat and die in minutes in the summer sun. The hotter it gets the more shade I offer. High over head shade. Not plywood resting on the wire.

 

[CleoTheLeo]

It stays over 80% in both my enclosures.

Ok, I'll be sure to raise it. I just covered the enclosure, so I think that will be easy to achieve. Thanks for all your help!!

 

[CleoTheLeo]

Here is one way to do it:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...table-but-safe-outdoor-baby-enclosures.30683/

I would only leave the baby out for an hour or two a day, and gradually more as it gains size.

WATCH THE TEMPERATURES VERY CAREFULLY!!! They can overheat and die in minutes in the summer sun. The hotter it gets the more shade I offer. High over head shade. Not plywood resting on the wire.

Wow, that looks great! I'm thinking about doing something similar. Thanks for all your help!

 

[cmacusa3]

Ok, I'll be sure to raise it. I just covered the enclosure, so I think that will be easy to achieve. Thanks for all your help!!

Very Welcome!