Substrate concern

Status
Not open for further replies.

dar64

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2013
Messages
150
I have 4 aprox 4month old leopard tortoises. I was told by my breeder, very experienced and reputable to put hay on top of the peat and sand mixture so if they flip they can flip back easily. It seems to work. I spray water under the hay on one end where the heat is . I remember someone talking about mold. There is no mold when sprayed underneath. Are there any other concerns with using the timothy hay that I'm not aware of ?
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Leopards need a high humidity as young ones like yours to grow smooth and stay hydrated. Hay is very drying and can cause mold which can cause other health problems. The hay will mold if you have the correct humidity, which is 80%. Read Toms threads below in my post for the correct way of raising leopards. It's the last thread below. I would remove all hay and sand. Use coconut coir or cypress mulch.
 

Levi the Leopard

IXOYE
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 1, 2012
Messages
7,958
Location (City and/or State)
Southern Oregon
Mold is the only concern I am aware of.
You may not see mold, but if you are using moisture in their enclosure, they hay will mold. A member here was using hay on top of their substrate and changed it daily. He used high humidity and experienced issues and eventually stopped.

Most breeders raise their Leopards dry. In a dry environment you wont have mold on the hay.

However, many are now starting to discover the amazing results to raising them hot and humid! Using this alternate method will cause problems if you use hay.

I use the high humidity way so I wont use hay.


BTW I use lots of plants in my enclosure. Use plants in lieu of the hay to ease your flipping concerns.
 

dar64

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2013
Messages
150
OH boy. So I guess I will take the hay out and add more water on the substrate. Have any of you had problems with the little ones flipping ? Mine are outdoors on grass which retains the humidity most of the day. I bring them inside at evening and out late morning. They spend quite a bit of time in their little water dish also. I'm in Arizona. Do I have to worry if it gets over 100 degrees if they have shade ?

wellington said:
Leopards need a high humidity as young ones like yours to grow smooth and stay hydrated. Hay is very drying and can cause mold which can cause other health problems. The hay will mold if you have the correct humidity, which is 80%. Read Toms threads below in my post for the correct way of raising leopards. It's the last thread below. I would remove all hay and sand. Use coconut coir or cypress mulch.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I would not use hay or sand, and I would not take anymore advice from someone who recommended it. The threads in my signature are full of info on all of this. Please read.

Personally, I don't like to leave small ones outside in triple digit temps. I start bringing them in as temps climb past the mid 90s. If you do leave them out, make sure they have heavy full shade. Not from a box or something, but from high overhead like from trees or thick bushes. Misters and sprinklers can also offer some cooling due to the evaporative effect. Be careful. Babies can overheat and die very quickly.
 

BeeBee*BeeLeaves

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
Messages
2,312
Location (City and/or State)
Orange County, So Cal
Hot-humid-hydrated, as suggested on this forum by expert long time keepers, is working for my little leopard baby. Smooth baby, smooth. Mold can happen and be unseen. Respiratory problems is something your babies do not need in this crucial setting the stage for later time. And sand can cause impaction problems. Your breeder needs to read TFO for updated education. He may just be old school. The coco coir works great. I bought mine at Target in the garden section by the seeds, since it is used to start seeds also. It was 2.47 a brick. I keep my humidity up and so far so good. Smooth as a baby's butt, his little shell is! : )
 

dar64

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2013
Messages
150
ok thank you. I took the hay off the top. I've wet it down and the humidity is perfect. I wasn't planning on leaving them out if it went to 100. Just early in the day when it gets hot when that weather arrives. At what age can they handle the hotter weather ?


Tom said:
I would not use hay or sand, and I would not take anymore advice from someone who recommended it. The threads in my signature are full of info on all of this. Please read.

Personally, I don't like to leave small ones outside in triple digit temps. I start bringing them in as temps climb past the mid 90s. If you do leave them out, make sure they have heavy full shade. Not from a box or something, but from high overhead like from trees or thick bushes. Misters and sprinklers can also offer some cooling due to the evaporative effect. Be careful. Babies can overheat and die very quickly.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

New Posts

Top