Sulcata Tortoise Leo

[LexAndLeo]

Hello everyone! I’m new to this forum and raising tortoises for that matter. I brought home Leo back in December, he was around 4 or 5 months old at the time. He’s an active little guy who loves eating and exploring the outdoors in the Southern California sunshine. The first pic is the day is Leo on the first day I brought him home.

 

[SWFLTortoise]

He (or she) looks great!

 

[LexAndLeo]

He (or she) looks great!

Thanks!

 

[Ray--Opo]

Welcome great looking tort. Have you read the care sheets for sulcata's? Pics of your enclosure would let us see if you have things correct. The pet store info is always wrong.
I had my sully for 3 months before finding TFO. I had everything wrong.

 

[KarenSoCal]

Hello everyone! I’m new to this forum and raising tortoises for that matter. I brought home Leo back in December, he was around 4 or 5 months old at the time. He’s an active little guy who loves eating and exploring the outdoors in the Southern California sunshine. The first pic is the day is Leo on the first day I brought him home.

View attachment 270188View attachment 270189View attachment 270190

I think we have another contender for the calendar!

 

[LexAndLeo]

Welcome great looking tort. Have you read the care sheets for sulcata's? Pics of your enclosure would let us see if you have things correct. The pet store info is always wrong.
I had my sully for 3 months before finding TFO. I had everything wrong.

The guy I got him from is a breeder and actually sent me links to several postings on this forum regarding care and husbandry. So far I’ve followed them almost to a T.

 

[Ray--Opo]

The guy I got him from is a breeder and actually sent me links to several postings on this forum regarding care and husbandry. So far I’ve followed them almost to a T.

Great your on the right track

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi and welcome!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi

 

[LexAndLeo]

Great your on the right track

I do have one question! I give him calcium supplements a couple times a week but recently when I had him outside he was trying to eat bunny poop, it didn’t matter where I put him in the yard it’s like he has a radar for it and goes straight to it. I was just wondering if it is okay if he ate a couple pellets. He also ate a Rollie pollie that walked by him. I read that when tortoises start eating unusual things it’s typically because they are deficient in a vitamin or mineral. Are there any supplements you recommend?

 

[Ray--Opo]

I do have one question! I give him calcium supplements a couple times a week but recently when I had him outside he was trying to eat bunny poop, it didn’t matter where I put him in the yard it’s like he has a radar for it and goes straight to it. I was just wondering if it is okay if he ate a couple pellets. He also ate a Rollie pollie that walked by him. I read that when tortoises start eating unusual things it’s typically because they are deficient in a vitamin or mineral. Are there any supplements you recommend?

Your doing the calcium correctly. Just a pinch. Mazuri type 5m21 is good for supplement. I used a spray type vitamin that I kept in the refrigerator. But after about 6 months it would get a real heavy sweet smell. I used it like that and Opo had the runs for 3 days. I quit the vitamin and everything went back to fine. Dont know if that was the problem or not. So I decided on the mazuri. The mazuri LS members here say the torts don't like it as much.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Your doing the calcium correctly. Just a pinch. Mazuri type 5m21 is good for supplement. I used a spray type vitamin that I kept in the refrigerator. But after about 6 months it would get a real heavy sweet smell. I used it like that and Opo had the runs for 3 days. I quit the vitamin and everything went back to fine. Dont know if that was the problem or not. So I decided on the mazuri. The mazuri LS members here say the torts don't like it as much.

On the bunny poop. Opo found a spot of it. Also ate some and didn't seem to bother him. That was last summer. Till this day he is insisting to go back there. I have aloud him and he will keep circling the area until he finds it.

 

[LexAndLeo]

On the bunny poop. Opo found a spot of it. Also ate some and didn't seem to bother him. That was last summer. Till this day he is insisting to go back there. I have aloud him and he will keep circling the area until he finds it.

I figured it couldn’t hurt since it is basically just grass but I figured it also didn’t hurt to ask.

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome, Leo looks like a lovely little character.
I know some torts will eat poop from other animals including dogs and cats and even their own.
If they are wild rabbits, I would be concerned about Leo picking up parasites and possibly a rabbit disease.
I would make a secure enclosure for him which wild or tame rabbits can't access so that you can make sure he isn't eating poop .
Also have his own poop tested at least once a year for parasites.

 

[MPappagallo]

Welcome! Leo is definitely a cutie! I am hoping to become a sully owner soon! Best of luck with him!