How does my leopard tortoises growth look?

[LeChef]

I was staring at the picture and didn’t see much until I saw the smallest bit of growth on the bottom pic. I don’t know how old he is but is this too slow for him? I got him from tortoise supply so guessing 1-3 months when I bought him.

Top pic is 2 months ago the day I got him and bottom is yesterday

 

[LeChef]

I was staring at the picture and didn’t see much until I saw the smallest bit of growth on the bottom pic. I don’t know how old he is but is this too slow for him? I got him from tortoise supply so guessing 1-3 months when I bought him.

Top pic is 2 months ago the day I got him and bottom is yesterdayView attachment 351469

Okay used the same pic on accident lol here’s the 2 months after

 

[wellington]

How are you housing him?
Temps? Basking? All over? Night?
Humidity?
Diet?
Soaks?
Substrate?
Type of lighting?
Type of heating?

 

[LeChef]

How are you housing him?
Temps? Basking? All over? Night?
Humidity?
Diet?
Soaks?
Substrate?
Type of lighting?
Type of heating?

Here’s a simple pic, currently in a 40 gallon covered in painters floor wrap which keeps humidity around 80-85 it’s getting colder so I’m adding the ambient heat for night time (during the day it’s around (78-82). He’s got one of the bulbs recommended I forgot what it’s called but his shell usually get around 92-93 on top. I soaked him every other day for the last couple of weeks but have been soaking daily now. His diets random greens from the yard (grape leaves, dandelion weeds, grass), I bought spring mix though he enjoyed the yard food better.

 

[MtnDinos]

Same weight and length from two months ago? I have to use an app that tracks the weight and length of all my baby reptiles. About once a month I log the numbers and I also keep notes. Can’t trust my eyesight or pictures for that matter.

 

[wellington]

Temps should not go below 80. What was the temps at night before it started getting cold?
It's been a few years since I had a hatchling. I don't remember how long before I started seeing a size difference. I remember it was a while and then once he started it seemed he never stopped.
Everything sounds good unless night temps weren't kept at 80.

 

[zovick]

Temps should not go below 80. What was the temps at night before it started getting cold?
It's been a few years since I had a hatchling. I don't remember how long before I started seeing a size difference. I remember it was a while and then once he started it seemed he never stopped.
Everything sounds good unless night temps weren't kept at 80.

The tortoise shows virtually no new growth in 2 months. This is not normal.

Is it eating well? Are you supplementing the foods with Rep-Cal and Herptivite? If not, I would recommend doing that at least 5X weekly. You could also start feeding the tortoise some original Mazuri diet a few times a week to kick start its appetite and its growth.

Check your UV bulb. You did not elaborate on the type you are using. It was recommended by whom? You should be using a straight linear tube fluorecent bulb such as a Reptisun 10.0 T5 or an equivalent Arcadia bulb. The fluorescent bulbs with any curves in them are no good for tortoises.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Glad you caught the duplicate photo error cuz I was about to call you out on it

I'm surprised that your tortoise has not grown in 2 months. I do not know why your tortoise has not grown at all but I will share with you my limited experience with a lack of growth in leopards.

I have raised a total of 17 leopards. 1, I've had (and still have) for 10 going on 11 years. 3 of them I had for 3-4 years and the rest for only about 1 year at various points in time. The 13 were babies I helped raised for others as needed.

In my case, the ones that were started humid and in closed chambers grew very quickly. The ones I took from people that had been started dry in open top enclosures, did not grow well, at all.

One specific example: I took a couple of hatchlings from someone that had them for 8 months yet they still had ZERO growth. They looked exactly like a fresh baby. A few months in my care and being housed in humid conditions did nothing. They passed away.

I do not know Tortoise Supply's conditions and I'm not accusing them of anything. All I know is I would personally never buy a leopard tortoise from someone without knowing 100% how they start them. Nor would I ever recommend a leopard tortoise to anyone unless I knew how that tort was started.

Perhaps this tortoise is just about to kick off into a growth spurt. House him in the best conditions you can and hope for the best.
Lastly, you only show pictures but didn't mention weight. Are you weighing him? That can be very helpful to do.

 

[LeChef]

The tortoise shows virtually no new growth in 2 months. This is not normal.

Is it eating well? Are you supplementing the foods with Rep-Cal and Herptivite? If not, I would recommend doing that at least 5X weekly. You could also start feeding the tortoise some original Mazuri diet a few times a week to kick start its appetite and its growth.

Check your UV bulb. You did not elaborate on the type you are using. It was recommended by whom? You should be using a straight linear tube fluorecent bulb such as a Reptisun 10.0 T5 or an equivalent Arcadia bulb. The fluorescent bulbs with any curves in them are no good for tortoises.

I have a cuttle bone in the tank for him to chew whenever he needs for supplements. I also took my info from Tom who posted the very popular leopard tortoise care sheet. I have UV though he said letting babies get natural UV outside for an hour per inch of shell will be good. And no I never thought of weighing him but I’ll start doing that today.

Edit: I also have mazuri tortoise food though he didn’t seem interested I’ll start adding some in with his diet.

 

[zovick]

I have a cuttle bone in the tank for him to chew whenever he needs for supplements. I also took my info from Tom who posted the very popular leopard tortoise care sheet. I have UV though he said letting babies get natural UV outside for an hour per inch of shell will be good. And no I never thought of weighing him but I’ll start doing that today.

Edit: I also have mazuri tortoise food though he didn’t seem interested I’ll start adding some in with his diet.

You didn't say if the tortoise is eating well or at all. Also, many tortoises show absolutely no interest in cuttlebone. Have you ever seen the tortoise try to eat any of it? This is why I recommend dusting the food with powders so that if the tortoise eats its daily food, it gets the supplements rather than hoping one day it will take a bite of an unfamiliar white bone.

Tom and I happen to have different opinions regarding UV and moving baby tortoises in and out of the house daily to get it. I think moving them around like that is upsetting to them and never did so with mine until they were three or so years of age. I always gave my baby (and adult) tortoises access to artificial UV light for 12-14 hours daily when they were not outside and they had fantastic growth.

You can do whatever you want, but you asked if your tortoise was growing properly and it isn't. I offered you viable suggestions to correct the problems, but you seem rather unwilling to accept the suggestions offered.

 

[LeChef]

You didn't say if the tortoise is eating well or at all. Also, many tortoises show absolutely no interest in cuttlebone. Have you ever seen the tortoise try to eat any of it? This is why I recommend dusting the food with powders so that if the tortoise eats its daily food, it gets the supplements rather than hoping one day it will take a bite of an unfamiliar white bone.

Tom and I happen to have different opinions regarding UV and moving baby tortoises in and out of the house daily to get it. I think moving them around like that is upsetting to them and never did so with mine until they were three or so years of age. I always gave my baby (and adult) tortoises access to artificial UV light for 12-14 hours daily when they were not outside and they had fantastic growth.

You can do whatever you want, but you asked if your tortoise was growing properly and it isn't. I offered you viable suggestions to correct the problems, but you seem rather unwilling to accept the suggestions offered.

I'm sorry if you thought my last comment sounded like I wasn't taking your advice because I am. I don't think I ever sounded unwilling to learn and better my care, that's why I'm here.

My tortoises enclosure is in the garage so I don't have a view of him 24/7, often I catch him sleeping, basking, sitting in his water dish, and eating whenever I put food in. I also have calcium powder for some of my other reptiles and I'll start adding that. I'd usually take him outside for a few hours 3 days a week, after soaking and putting some greens in a tub for him. But I'll start using my UVB bulb for him as well, it has a reptisun 10.0 uv bulb in there, gonna modify the tank so its not over the plastic and still keep humidity.