I thought I'd share some of my personal thoughts and experiences so far, when providing tortoises (Leopard Tortoises in this case) with the proper enclosure, diet and care tactics. Before I begin, here are a few links with VERY helpful information to get you started with your Leopard Tortoise.
Identifying your Leopard Tortoise: "S.p.pardalis and S.p.babcocki" - Neal http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-27409.html
Care Tactics: "How To Raise Sulcata *and Leopard* Hatchlings and Babies discussion thread" - Tom http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-18448.html
"Showing My Leopard at the Chino CTTC Show *PIC HEAVY*" - Team Gomberg http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-71858.html
Diet: "For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata... *and Leopard* - Tom http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-76744.html
Indoor Enclosure: "Closed "Chambers"" - Tom http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-32333.html
Outdoor Enclosure: "Easy, Inexpensive, Portable, But Safe, Outdoor Baby Enclosures" - Tom http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-30683.html#axzz1bv5qbbcz
"Outdoor Leopard Tortoise Pen" - Team Gomberg http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-32333.html
"My Best Night Box Design Yet" - Tom http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-66867.html (Great for larger tortoises)
For the 46 days that I've had Mio (Babcocki) and 24 days that I've had Mickey (Pardalis), I read through all of the links I've posted and asked many questions before I could feel confident enough that I was raising mine properly. I highly recommend doing your research and provide the correct enclosure, with the temperatures and humidity before you acquire any tortoise. Make sure you know where your tortoise is coming from, how s/he was raised upon hatching and the first couple weeks (enclosure, substrate, hydration) and diet. BE PREPARED!
This is what my daily routine consist of doing. The timer turns on all of my lights at 8 AM, I'll wake up by 9 AM and I'll see my tortoises roaming their closed chamber. I know by then that their awake and ready to get their day started. I start by removing the glass top off my closed chamber and I'll leave it off for the duration that my tortoises spend outside. This helps and gives the airflow that many people think closed chambers lack. I take my container with already warm water that's been inside the closed chamber and put my tortoises in it. I take them outside to let them soak in natural sunlight for about an hour before I put them in their sunning pen for about another two hours. They spend the remaining time grazing on pasture mixes, hibiscus leaves and weeds before they get another soak, this time for about 30 minutes. Before I place them back into their closed chamber, I prepare their food which consist of only Mazuri Tortoise Diet and/or Zoomed Natural Grassland Tortoise Food, on some occasions I'll mix escarole/endive with it. I then refill the empty container with really hot water and place it on top of their humid hide to help bring back some of the humidity and for tomorrows soak. I put on the glass cover and turn my misting system on for a few seconds and then its back to 90%+ humidity. They'll spend the remainder of the day eating, very little roaming and most of the time sleep. This is all it takes after doing research, asking questions and being prepared to raise healthy, smooth tortoises.
Indoor Enclosure: 96+ degrees all around my hot/warm end and 81-84 degrees around my cool end. 90%-99% ambient humidity day and night and 65%-85% humidity under my hot/basking spot. Thermostat set to 82 degrees and probe is placed on the cool end.
Outdoor Enclosure: (Taken before pasture mix grew)
MIO: Pictures were taken today September 22, 2013.
(August 29, 2013) - 53g
(September 14, 2013) - 59g
(September 22, 2013) - 59g
MICKERY: Pictures were taken today September 22, 2013.
(August 29, 2013) - 48g
(September 14, 2013) - 55g
(September 22, 2013) - 58g (Catching up to Mio!)
THANKS FOR LOOKING!
Identifying your Leopard Tortoise: "S.p.pardalis and S.p.babcocki" - Neal http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-27409.html
Care Tactics: "How To Raise Sulcata *and Leopard* Hatchlings and Babies discussion thread" - Tom http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-18448.html
"Showing My Leopard at the Chino CTTC Show *PIC HEAVY*" - Team Gomberg http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-71858.html
Diet: "For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata... *and Leopard* - Tom http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-76744.html
Indoor Enclosure: "Closed "Chambers"" - Tom http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-32333.html
Outdoor Enclosure: "Easy, Inexpensive, Portable, But Safe, Outdoor Baby Enclosures" - Tom http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-30683.html#axzz1bv5qbbcz
"Outdoor Leopard Tortoise Pen" - Team Gomberg http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-32333.html
"My Best Night Box Design Yet" - Tom http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-66867.html (Great for larger tortoises)
For the 46 days that I've had Mio (Babcocki) and 24 days that I've had Mickey (Pardalis), I read through all of the links I've posted and asked many questions before I could feel confident enough that I was raising mine properly. I highly recommend doing your research and provide the correct enclosure, with the temperatures and humidity before you acquire any tortoise. Make sure you know where your tortoise is coming from, how s/he was raised upon hatching and the first couple weeks (enclosure, substrate, hydration) and diet. BE PREPARED!
This is what my daily routine consist of doing. The timer turns on all of my lights at 8 AM, I'll wake up by 9 AM and I'll see my tortoises roaming their closed chamber. I know by then that their awake and ready to get their day started. I start by removing the glass top off my closed chamber and I'll leave it off for the duration that my tortoises spend outside. This helps and gives the airflow that many people think closed chambers lack. I take my container with already warm water that's been inside the closed chamber and put my tortoises in it. I take them outside to let them soak in natural sunlight for about an hour before I put them in their sunning pen for about another two hours. They spend the remaining time grazing on pasture mixes, hibiscus leaves and weeds before they get another soak, this time for about 30 minutes. Before I place them back into their closed chamber, I prepare their food which consist of only Mazuri Tortoise Diet and/or Zoomed Natural Grassland Tortoise Food, on some occasions I'll mix escarole/endive with it. I then refill the empty container with really hot water and place it on top of their humid hide to help bring back some of the humidity and for tomorrows soak. I put on the glass cover and turn my misting system on for a few seconds and then its back to 90%+ humidity. They'll spend the remainder of the day eating, very little roaming and most of the time sleep. This is all it takes after doing research, asking questions and being prepared to raise healthy, smooth tortoises.
Indoor Enclosure: 96+ degrees all around my hot/warm end and 81-84 degrees around my cool end. 90%-99% ambient humidity day and night and 65%-85% humidity under my hot/basking spot. Thermostat set to 82 degrees and probe is placed on the cool end.
Outdoor Enclosure: (Taken before pasture mix grew)
MIO: Pictures were taken today September 22, 2013.
(August 29, 2013) - 53g
(September 14, 2013) - 59g
(September 22, 2013) - 59g
MICKERY: Pictures were taken today September 22, 2013.
(August 29, 2013) - 48g
(September 14, 2013) - 55g
(September 22, 2013) - 58g (Catching up to Mio!)
THANKS FOR LOOKING!