Questions about stuff

[Megatron's Mom]

Ok Well I didn't find this group until last night and I'm already upset I followed FB groups. I've read Tom's pinned posts and many others since last night. Trying to soak it all in.

First off, I already took out the UVB light it's a compact which I thought was ok since it wasn't the one that is curly. Found out last night I was wrong about that. I started looking for information and the tortoise groups on FB didn't have what I was asking about. I started changing words around and found this forum.

So I have a leopard tortoise who is 6 almost 7 months old. She (I know too early) was eating great up until yesterday. She just wants to bask, eyes closed and stays put. That is what started me on my search. Which I found out her UVB light could be damaging her eyes. I turned it off asap and will be returning it to get one that is recommended here. So today I gave her a carrot soak, checked her over and looks like she might be ok. But still won't eat. I put in kale, hibiscus flower, and prickly pear. She normally goes right after the pear and flower. Even ate out of my hand just a few days ago. She might have nibbled on the flower as I was trying to watch from far to not bug her. I did see her go to her water dish but couldn't tell if she drank anything.

Now I have a CHI 60watts and a 75w basking light. Trying to keep her humidity up to 80 and just last night also found out she should never be below 80F. Which she wasn't except for at night where the so called no it alls said night should drop to 70F.

Our house is kept at 72 so the lowest was 71 but now I don't know if it was the temps or the bad UVB light I had that has her off. Speaking of UVB are these compacts any good for any reptiles (geckos) as we have one for a Green Day Gecko too?

Food question, I have plum trees, peach trees, and nectarine trees. Blueberry bushes, grape vines, Fig trees and Hibiscus plants. I know no fruits for Leopards, but how about fruit tree leaves? I saw fig tree leaves and hibiscus leaves, prickly pear are good. Can I dry the flowers and leaves through the summer and save them for the winter? I have a hydroponics garden that I just planted a bunch of different lettuce and herbs that I thought were good from the FB group. Now I'm second guessing if the link to the food guide may be off too.


Oh and tank is a tote I know not the best and won't be for long. I have three digital thermometers in there. The wired one is on her logs to watch the basking temps. I have a Govee off to the side and above the basking spot. I have another digital hydro/therm just in front of her humidity hide to watch the cool side temps and humidity. It's at the substrate level. Does her whole enclosure need to be at minimum 80%?

Ok that is it for now. I'll have more to ask soon.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Oh as for UVB from the sun. We have a cold front here and it's only 63F. It's a bit early for us this time of the year. But what is a good outside temp incase it takes a bit to get a new UVB light?

In the first post that should be CHE for some extra night time heat. Not CHI

 

[wellington]

Humidity 80% all over
Temps never below 80
Basking 95-100.
The totes are usually recommended for hatchlings other then a built closed chamber.
Coil bulbs not recommended for any reptile. Now they were supoose to have been corrected. The most danger from them is likely people using them wrong. They are not meant to hand straight down but side to side.
Grape leaves are a great food source. The other fruit trees you mentioned I don't think they are safe to be fed.
For hatchlings to be outside the temps needs to be 80 in the sun at tort level. As an adult they can go out in a bit cooler, but do not house them in cooler temps.
Most people on FB groups have no clue what they are doing. I and a few other members try to correct the wrongs on them but most are combative and unexciting of the fact their info is wrong.
Follow Tom's caresheet and closed chamber and you should do fine.
Get the temps up and your baby should get back go normal. Btw, they do sleep a lot. Wake, eat, roam, sleep a couple times a day is their day.
Soak daily in warm water for 20-30 minutes. You don't need the carrot in the soak.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Humidity 80% all over
Temps never below 80
Basking 95-100.
The totes are usually recommended for hatchlings other then a built closed chamber.
Coil bulbs not recommended for any reptile. Now they were supoose to have been corrected. The most danger from them is likely people using them wrong. They are not meant to hand straight down but side to side.
Grape leaves are a great food source. The other fruit trees you mentioned I don't think they are safe to be fed.
For hatchlings to be outside the temps needs to be 80 in the sun at tort level. As an adult they can go out in a bit cooler, but do not house them in cooler temps.
Most people on FB groups have no clue what they are doing. I and a few other members try to correct the wrongs on them but most are combative and unexciting of the fact their info is wrong.
Follow Tom's caresheet and closed chamber and you should do fine.
Get the temps up and your baby should get back go normal. Btw, they do sleep a lot. Wake, eat, roam, sleep a couple times a day is their day.
Soak daily in warm water for 20-30 minutes. You don't need the carrot in the soak.

Thank you so much.

 

[Ink]

I wish you luck. Just please post any questions on the forum and follow the care sheet.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Greetings glad you found the Forum & all of Tom’s info. As far as feeding fig leaves, id not recommend it. We have an 8 year old #125 Sully going on 8 years now, and we have 20 plus fig trees, but we never fed any leaves. You will note the white sticky sap in fig limbs & leaves, this sap can be quite caustic.

https://www.gardeningchannel.com/can-a-fig-tree-be-poisonous/

The top paragraph of this article says this:

Fig trees produce a white sap. This sap contains organic compounds known as psoralen and bergapten. When these compounds react with the sun, or are ingested by children or pets, they can prove harmful.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Greetings glad you found the Forum & all of Tom’s info. As far as feeding fig leaves, id not recommend it. We have an 8 year old #125 Sully going on 8 years now, and we have 20 plus fig trees, but we never fed any leaves. You will note the white sticky sap in fig limbs & leaves, this sap can be quite caustic.

https://www.gardeningchannel.com/can-a-fig-tree-be-poisonous/

The top paragraph of this article says this:

Fig trees produce a white sap. This sap contains organic compounds known as psoralen and bergapten. When these compounds react with the sun, or are ingested by children or pets, they can prove harmful.

Thanks, I saw somewhere they where good for them. I'm glad I asked too.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

My new UVB light still has not arrived. I switched out my basking light because I realized it says spot light.
Today she finally ate just a little but it was something. She roamed around a bit, got a drink before heading back to her favourite spot to bask. She had open eyes which was nice to see. That makes me sad it was from the UVB light but happy she is starting to feel better.

 

[Tom]

My new UVB light still has not arrived. I switched out my basking light because I realized it says spot light.
Today she finally ate just a little but it was something. She roamed around a bit, got a drink before heading back to her favourite spot to bask. She had open eyes which was nice to see. That makes me sad it was from the UVB light but happy she is starting to feel better.

Keep us posted on her progress and SAVE THAT CFL BULB! If it does appear to be the culprit, we want to test it. We will arrange shipping wen the time comes.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Welcome. I, too have a leopard tortoise.

You've been given good advice. I know it can seem overwhelming when you find out there is a different way to do everything! But we are here for you

 

[Levi the Leopard]

SAVE THAT CFL BULB! If it does appear to be the culprit, we want to test it

Really excited to hear that you'll be running tests on bulbs.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Today she is back to not doing much. No nibbles yet and just in her corner. I was really hoping for more improvement today. Her new UVB is still not here so maybe she's not in the mood to eat. I've been checking them temps on the ground around her and it's been 94F. I changed out a light to hopefully up the heat a bit more to see if that will change things.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Raised the bedding of her basking spaot and now her temps are a bit warmer. 95-100. I'll see more tomorrow with the lights on all day.

The Arcadia UVB 12% was picked up at Petsmart as the one from Amazon came in a crushed box. Already sent that one back and since I didn't want to wait again for another one to come in I paid the extra and picked it up at Petsmart.

Distance of the UVB light only has me a little confused. Since she has a log bridge that she has used to bask on, and likes to bask next to the bridge too. Where do I measure from? It's from her back right not the ground?

Today she has eaten, pooped while soaking, and walked around her enclosure. Eyes wide open and looking around. She even went to the water dish got a drink and then walked right on through it.

I'm feeling better that she is starting to turn around.

Oh and I noticed her hide is only 79F should I put the CHE on that end to bring it up more?

 

[Megatron's Mom]

So just as I started feeling better.

Megatron has once again stopped eating. She hasn't had any poops whiles soaking. The basking spot fluctuates between 94-99 cool side is 80. Humidity does drop a few times below 80%but not for long. Most of the time it's more like 88 to 95. She will move from the basking spot to the middle next to the food and sometimes to the cool end. Looks around then right back to the basking spot. I kept track of the weight since bringing her home.
Oct 17 2022-----99g
Oct 23 2022-----113g
Oct 30 2022-----114g 3" long
Nov 6 2022-------128g
Nov 12 2022------132g
So I'm thinking Megatron is gaining so she must be eating something when I'm not looking. She does not have a ravenous appetite like I hear she should. I do daily soaks for 30 minutes too.

Any insights if I need to worry or just keep letting her adjust?