Newbie to leopard torts

[VantagePoint]

I've wanted a tortoise for a long time and finally found a beautiful leopard last weekend at a local reptile expo. He's 6 months old, and everything seems great so far! After reading and searching threw everything for the past few days I'm only left a little confused with one thing - food. At first I found that most people recommend dark leafy greens regularly( I picked up kale,endive,collard greens and radicchio) but now I'm seeing conflicting answers, so what does everyone here feed?

Secondly, how much do I feed? Right now I give him about 1/4 cup, he eats 80% immediately and the rest disappears in the next 4-5 hours. Does that seem right?

Thank you to everyone in advance!

 

[Elohi]

I'm new to leopards as well. I have three hatchlings. I've been varying what I feed them but it consists of spring/herb mix, endive, bok choy, wheat grass, chard (they aren't a huge fan), dandelion, chickweed, sow thistle, mazuri, grassland pellets. I soak the mazuri and grassland pellets. I also have given them the occasional kale. They don't seem to be interested in spinach so I don't offer it except a few leaves of it when I give them spring mix. I also pick up small packets of edible flowers every once in a while. They love them!
Dandelion, sow thistle and chickweed are their favorites aside from the spring mix.
There are some super knowledgable people here that can offer a lot more info than I can. Welcome! Do you have pictures? I'd love to see pictures!

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Oh, and I don't measure what I feed. I fill their saucer with a heaping pile and let them eat their fill. If they eat most or all of it by late afternoon, I refill the dish. I like for them to have food all the time, even if it's stemy dandelion that they have to work at for the parts they want. I see it as giving them something to do

 

[mctlong]

This - http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-64290.html

The diet sheet is for sulcatas, but leopards and sulcatas have the same diet -

Feed him as much as he'll eat.

 

[Yvonne G]

Quite a few of the diet sheets tell you to feed hay and grasses. Those are directions for older tortoises. Baby tortoises will hardly ever eat hay or grass unless you re-hydrate the hay and cut it up into tiny, tiny pieces. I use Santa Barbara Mix (a pre-packaged salad mixture consisting of endive, escarole and raddiccio) as a base for all my babies' diet. To that I add whatever weeds are available and any leaves off the mulberry tree or grape vine (seasonal). I also add a few re-hydrated pellets of Mazuri Tortoise Diet and Zoo Med Grassland Tortoise Mix. I chop it all up and mix it together. If you don't want to chop, you can attach the leaves in a clip to something sturdy in the habitat so they don't move when the baby bites at them.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

I have about 13 leopards and I chop up all the food to make it almost impossible for the torts not to have a mix . And I sprinkle dry food ( like chopped straw ) over it to collect the moisture off the veggies and they seem to last a week longer if cepted in the refridgator .
And good luck with your leopards

 

[VantagePoint]

Thanks everyone!
Elohi - I do have some photos and will try to get them up here in a second! Where do you get the editable flowers from?
Mctlong - Is there such a thing as "over feeding", more like do I need to worry about him getting fat?
Yvonne G - I'm going to have to keep an eye out for that Santa Barbra Mix, that would be a lot easier then the huge bunches of each thing taking up most of my veggie drawer in the fridge! I do have the grassland tortoise mix and I try to mix that in, but so far he seems to avoid it!
Grandpa Turtle 144 - thanks for that tip, I'm going to try cutting my hay up more and see if he likes it!

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. Give a s big a variety as possible. Feed so there is some left over even into the next morning. Toms threads for raising a smooth healthy leopard are below in my post. The sulcata threads apply also.

 

[VantagePoint]

Here he is, Leo! (For now anyways!)

 

[Greg T]

Really nice coloring and he looks healthy. I do see some pyramiding starting though, so you need to keep him humid to help it as he continues to grow. Keep us up to date on your progress.

 

[diamondbp]

Agreed a beautiful tort that was previously kept a little dry. Daily soaks and humidity should help all new growth be smooth. I think you have a future knockout on your hands!

 

[VantagePoint]

Really nice coloring and he looks healthy. I do see some pyramiding starting though, so you need to keep him humid to help it as he continues to grow. Keep us up to date on your progress.

I noticed it too. To be honest I know crested geckos, it's what I do, but my husband knew how much I wanted a leopard, he found and bought it for a late Christmas present.( I love turtles/tortoises of all kinds.) I'm really hoping to keep it from progressing any further, he has a humid hide and after some even more extensive research I'm keeping his substrate a little more on the moist side as well. I am truly interested in his well being overall so any tips/help I appreciate 100%.

 

[VantagePoint]

Agreed a beautiful tort that was previously kept a little dry. Daily soaks and humidity should help all new growth be smooth. I think you have a future knockout on your hands!

Thanks, I'm really hoping so! I do nightly baths, for about 15-20mins, he loves them, it's pretty funny, as soon as I put him in he wags his tail like a puppy(then poops - but it's still cute!)