Where did I go wrong?

[Kasia]

Space, yes. But his ability to be outside will be limited to summer months with a heated hide box. Where I live, it's below 50° outside from October to March. We only get warmer summer weather from May-August, maybe into September if we are lucky. So I will need to build a suitable indoor enclosure as well, as the leo will be spending at least a few months each year indoors.

And I am sorry, did you mean years 1-5, or 15.5 years foe the growth rate?

Sorry for using a comma - English is not my first language I meant first one and a half to two years. You will need a big shed did you consider any smaller species?

 

[Thomas Lamar]

Sorry for using a comma - English is not my first language I meant first one and a half to two years. You will need a big shed did you consider any smaller species?

Actually, I have considered both Egyptians and Russians. Both stay considerably smaller, and they require much less space. Only thing is that Egyptians seem very rare and expensive, and with their critical conservation status, I feel that they should be in the hands of someone more capable of care and breeding. I have also read Egyptians are quite fragile.

I guess my first tort was a leopard, and researching them and looking at pictures of their shell patterns caused them to grow on me. That's why I am sort of set on one, despite the housing requirements.

 

[Kasia]

Some people do it so if you're committed it should be fine. I keep mine for winter months at the attic. I have 2 m X 2 m enclosure build for him but his a very small male little over 1.2 kg and just about 3.5 years old.

 

[Kasia]

Aaa I forgot to mention that if you're looking for character I would go with a Russian. I got one Russian and one Leopard. For me character wise Russian is more of a people tort much more outgoing and personable. I think some forum members will probably disagree
http://tortaddiction.blogspot.com/2014/06/baby-russian-tortoise-update.html?m=1
And little Russians look like adorable little green buttons. Of course if your still considering

 

[teresaf]

Aaa I forgot to mention that if you're looking for character I would go with a Russian. I got one Russian and one Leopard. For me character wise Russian is more of a people tort much more outgoing and personable. I think some forum members will probably disagree
http://tortaddiction.blogspot.com/2014/06/baby-russian-tortoise-update.html?m=1
And little Russians look like adorable little green buttons. Of course if your still considering

I've heard this many times. Russians as very personable. I have a leopard and two Burmese black mountain tortoises and the leopard is very reserved in comparison.

 

[lisa127]

I'm wondering if temp readings were correct. 100 watts and 150 watts are both very high wattage for a 20 gallon tank.

I'm sorry about your baby.

 

[Thomas Lamar]

I'm wondering if temp readings were correct. 100 watts and 150 watts are both very high wattage for a 20 gallon tank.

I'm sorry about your baby.

Thank you. And I was using an infrared laser thermometer, so I am assuming they were accurate. But, to be fair, I didn't start using one until the week Wilson passed away. The morning I found him deceased I planned to downgrade to the 100watt from the 150 and see the difference. Before that, I was only using a thermo strip on the tank side- a decision I now very much regret.

 

[Thomas Lamar]

5. Open tops make things very difficult, as you've seen. Buy or build a closed chamber instead. Makes your life easier, and the tortoises life better.

So, if I were to attempt this again, I should pull my 80 gallon tank out of storage, and cut a piece of opaque acrylic or plywood the shape of the top, and cut holes for the light fixtures, as well as a small air exchange hole in a corner? Because crafting a closed chamber with the lights affixed inside is a bit above my craft level.

 

[teresaf]

So, if I were to attempt this again, I should pull my 80 gallon tank out of storage, and cut a piece of opaque acrylic or plywood the shape of the top, and cut holes for the light fixtures, as well as a small air exchange hole in a corner? Because crafting a closed chamber with the lights affixed inside is a bit above my craft level.

Don't worry about an air exchange hole. 80 gallons is plenty of air to last until the next time you open it up to take him out and give him a bath or feed him. the more airtight the better so that you can get the temperatures just perfect. The very biggest biggest biggest help would be getting accurate thermometers/hygrometers with probes that you can drop into the tanks and when you pass by the tank you could look at the readings on the mechanism on top and know they're perfect all the time.

 

[Tom]

So, if I were to attempt this again, I should pull my 80 gallon tank out of storage, and cut a piece of opaque acrylic or plywood the shape of the top, and cut holes for the light fixtures, as well as a small air exchange hole in a corner? Because crafting a closed chamber with the lights affixed inside is a bit above my craft level.

Doing that would be better than an open top, but having holes on top for the lights and having the lights outside creates a chimney effect. It draws your heat and humidity up and out. If you are not able to build a closed chamber, or have one built for you, look to Reptile Basics or Animal Plastics to buy one. Like these:
http://www.apcages.com/home/terrestrial/terrestrial.htm
Just click on the size you like. They will even install the light fixtures for you.

 

[Thomas Lamar]

Doing that would be better than an open top, but having holes on top for the lights and having the lights outside creates a chimney effect. It draws your heat and humidity up and out. If you are not able to build a closed chamber, or have one built for you, look to Reptile Basics or Animal Plastics to buy one. Like these:
http://www.apcages.com/home/terrestrial/terrestrial.htm
Just click on the size you like. They will even install the light fixtures for you.

Those look great. Thanks Tom! Now, it was mentioned earlier in this thread that a Leo needs this very strictly regulated heat and humidity during its peak growth, which is 1-3 years. I would sooner just go big and have one enclosure until the leo is older and humidity management isn't as demanding. What size would you recommend? Or should I just purchase the largest available?

 

[Tom]

Those look great. Thanks Tom! Now, it was mentioned earlier in this thread that a Leo needs this very strictly regulated heat and humidity during its peak growth, which is 1-3 years. I would sooner just go big and have one enclosure until the leo is older and humidity management isn't as demanding. What size would you recommend? Or should I just purchase the largest available?

I've had the best results starting babies in large closed chambers. I build 4x8' chambers, and sometimes divide them in half. The 4x8' size will last my tortoises until they are 8-10" long and need to move outside full time. I don't know what your plan is for when your tortoise reaches that size, but a 4x8' will at least last you that long. This larger size also makes it easy to heat and humidify. It makes for a stable environment, which is very good for babies.

Animal Plastics largest cage is a 3x8' and that should work just as well.

 

[Reptilian Feline]

I'm keeping my new little leo in the same hospital box I set up for the first one, but that is because the replacement comes from the same breeder and I don't trust him. If I had been able to get one from someplace else, I would have put it in a larger enclosure.

 

[Jeffrey Jeffries]

Get back on the horse
Sounds like you have a good attention to detail and now you'll be more vigilant than the next guy.

I can relate to a spoiled baby. The week I got it, it would not eat a single bite of anything green, so in desperation I gave it a few of those dubious, little fruity pebble-looking things (Fluker's Land Turtle diet for tortoises). I knew this was bad because it's high in oats and corn despite the token extra fiber and calcium. He wouldn't eat any grass or lettuce or leaf or ZooMed Grassland Tortoise diet. Finally I started soaking things in the leftover juice from water-soaking the dang Flukers "fruity pebbles". Then he started eating cactus pad without the juice, then purselane succulents and lettuce, kale, and collards. Now he likes sampling all variety of edible leaves (Florida red/sugar maple, paper mulberry, squash, hibiscus, chickweed, dandelion, phlox...) but still won't eat St. Augustine grass or ZooMed Grassland diet without the Fluker's fruity pebble juice, lol. Boy he loves purselane succulents.

 

[Alaskamike]

I know this thread is a couple weeks old , but thought I might comment.

All good suggestions for sure.

Couple things -
I know many start babies out in fish tanks. They are waterproof , you can see inside , and it's easy to put a lid on 'em. What I don't like is the limited floor space , which is what really matters. As Tom mentioned , it is much harder to provide temp variables with limited floor space.

The inverted bookcase is a much better solution. I used one for leopards & got a piece of plexiglass for top, I did put an extra piece of plywood around sides raising the height 12 more inches. . I drilled holes in top just big enough for the plug to fit through. I used a low level heat lamp ( I think it was 65 watt ) & raised & lowered it till the basking spot was 95f. Once I got that right I plugged the hole up with plumbers puddy. That kept the humidity & heat from quickly escaping. Did same with my UV light.

Not as fun to watch them having only looking down to see , but I was able to keep humidity around 80% with ease.
I no longer have that set up & no more babies. Only one leopard now , Elder , & he is 5 yo.

Second suggestion.
What about starting with a one - two year old ? Yes it is a bit more $ but - if you get one started well ( off forum here are several) they are still small. A bit more tolerant & loads of fun.

You would need as big a container as possible ( 4x8 would be ideal ) but .... If you start with a baby again in 2 yrs you'd need that anyway. Building one simply could be done by anyone with basic woodworking skills. Maybe a friend could help.

Good fortune whatever you decide