4-6 month old leopard tortoise

[Leerayy12]

I currently have a 4-6 month old leopard tortoise hatchling. I have had it for a little over a week.

It was doing fine up until yesterday but honestly has hardly ate since I’ve brought it home and it ate nothing yesterday. Also wasn’t as active yesterday and has not been very active today. It usually sleeps a lot but basks and moves to nearby shelter near the heat lamp. Yesterday it hardly moved after basking and hid under a half pot for most of the day which hasn’t been typical. I will say I added a spider plant in the enclosure today but nothing else has changed.

I have read Tom’s documents and have been trying my best to set up a proper enclosure and I know what I have isn’t ideal because I have an open top which is letting humidity escape near the heat lamp area. I will put tinfoil around the heat lamp. I am currently waiting for a smart tortoise enclosure from Mark which should be done in 2-3 weeks.

I have been feeding Dandelion greens, spring mix, mustard greens, collard greens, green lettuce, red lettuce, Italian parsley, 1 pellet mazuri LS(soaked)and 1 pellet grassland tortoise diet(soaked).

Temps are 80-85 on low side with humid box (it never goes into this) and 95-100 under basking lamp which is an Arcadia 75W floodlight which I have zip tied in case of the clasp failing. Near the basking lamp it’s usually 90-95/97. I have a reptile systems T5 Ferguson zone 3 12% UV which is 12 in. From the substrate. I haven’t been able to get a T5 Arcadia tube anywhere.

I’m currently using coco coir hand packed for the bottom layer and forest floor over that. I’ve been misting daily and poring water in the corner of the tank which kinda makes it a little flooded.

I will say I’ve been struggling with humidity. It starts off above 80 after misting and drops to 60-70ish throughout the day but when lights go off it goes up to 80 again. Night temp is around 78 but sometimes drops to 75. I do daily soaks for 30-40 minutes with water every morning. I did do an electrolyte soak twice this week because the place where I got the tortoise from recommended to do it a few times a week. This morning after reading posts about babies not being active, not eating, shut eyes, I did a carrot soak which I saw it put its head under water several times and open its mouth. When I placed it in the tank after the soak, it has stayed in the same spot out in the open all day. It did turn in a circle 3 times and went to the dish but struggled to move and did not eat. When it rotates in a circle it’s butt is up in the air and it seems to not be lifting front legs to walk. Eyes were open a bit more after the soak but it’s still sleeping and has not basked all day.

I would love and appreciate any suggestions/advice that you guys can give me. I’d trying my best but I’m very stressed/distraughtThe place I got it from says that the behavior is normal because it’s only been with me 1 week and it’s somewhat typical to not eat but I don’t think they’re right.

 

[Leerayy12]

I was talking to Alex and the redfoot which suggested shutting off the uv which I just did. The tortoise turned in a circle with its head tucked into its shell and opened its eyes after I turned off the UV. But now closed its eyes and is sleeping.

 

[wellington]

First night temps never below 80, get them up. Second, you need to cover the big square opening where the lights/heat is, the humidity and heat is just getting sucked out of it. Use tin foil to cover it. The only uvb should come from a tube flourescent or the sun, no other type bulb.
Basking should be the flood bulb and one or two ceramic heat emitter for any needed day heat and night heat.

 

[Leerayy12]

First night temps never below 80, get them up. Second, you need to cover the big square opening where the lights/heat is, the humidity and heat is just getting sucked out of it. Use tin foil to cover it. The only uvb should come from a tube flourescent or the sun, no other type bulb.
Basking should be the flood bulb and one or two ceramic heat emitter for any needed day heat and night heat.

Thank you so much for your feedback. Very much appreciated! Would you suggest that I tinfoil the hole around the heat lamp? I still have to be able to get the light out to get the top off so I’m not sure how to do it. I believe I’m using a t5 tube fluorescent or am I not? Sorry, I’m confused because I thought I was and it was comparable to the Arcadia t5 tube. I don’t think day heat is a problem because the low end is around 83 but night heat definitely is. What do you suggest for CHE? Can I put that bulb into my current heat lamp or how does that work?

 

[Leerayy12]

Okay so I added the tinfoil and humidity near basking is going up to 72 so far! This is what I did. Hopefully that’s okay.

 

[jaizei]

I believe I’m using a t5 tube fluorescent or am I not?

Yes you are. What type of fixture are you using, specifically the reflector?

 

[Leerayy12]

Yes you are. What type of fixture are you using, specifically the reflector?

I’m using what came with the t5 tube with the reflector in low output position since it is 12 in away from the substrate and in zone 3. I have it clipped/hanging off the back of the tank inside the lid.

 

[wellington]

Thank you so much for your feedback. Very much appreciated! Would you suggest that I tinfoil the hole around the heat lamp? I still have to be able to get the light out to get the top off so I’m not sure how to do it. I believe I’m using a t5 tube fluorescent or am I not? Sorry, I’m confused because I thought I was and it was comparable to the Arcadia t5 tube. I don’t think day heat is a problem because the low end is around 83 but night heat definitely is. What do you suggest for CHE? Can I put that bulb into my current heat lamp or how does that work?

Okay, I didn't see the fluorescent so didn't think you were using one
Yes, get a name brand ceramic heat emitter. The cheap off brand ones do not work good or last as long. Been there learned that.
A named brand will last a very long times, many years. The che needs to be in a large done, 10 or 10.5 inch diameter with a ceramic socket. If that's what you have for basking, you can switch them out or get another dome
The tin foil job looks good, just what I was thinking. The only thing I would change with the fin foil is may be open it just enough so the ceramic socket where isn't covered. I'm not sure if the tin foil will make that over heat or not.

 

[wellington]

Okay, I didn't see the fluorescent so didn't think you were using one
Yes, get a name brand ceramic heat emitter. The cheap off brand ones do not work good or last as long. Been there learned that.
A named brand will last a very long times, many years. The che needs to be in a large done, 10 or 10.5 inch diameter with a ceramic socket. If that's what you have for basking, you can switch them out or get another dome
The tin foil job looks good, just what I was thinking. The only thing I would change with the fin foil is may be open it just enough so the ceramic socket where isn't covered. I'm not sure if the tin foil will make that over heat or not.

Oops never mind on the socket and tin foil, I see it's not covered, so it's good.

 

[Leerayy12]

Okay, so I’ll leave the tinfoil like that for now and hope that the heat is a little better tonight. Stores near me are closed right now so I can’t get a CHE. Do you have any recommendations? Do I need a thermostat with it or how does that work? I was thinking I could exchange it with the Arcadia bulb currently in there for night time.

should I just do a regular soak tomorrow morning instead of the carrot soak? I really don’t know what to do since it still hasn’t ate or moved all that much.

 

[wellington]

Yes you should put it on a thermostat so he doesn't get over heated. If you exchange it with the Arcadia, you have to change it back in the morning. Might be easier to get another dome.
The carrot soaks won't hurt. Add piedialyte to the soak water too.
Also cut back on the collard and mustard greens and replace with escarole, arugula, endive along with the other stuff you feed.

 

[Leerayy12]

So get another dome with CHE bulb and replace it in the current hole that I already made in the lid for the heat lamp? That could work.

I forgot to add that I have been adding arugula because that’s in the spring mix. I can go out and get the escarole and endive tomorrow.

I’ll continue with the carrot soak and add pedialyte. How much pedialyte do I do? Does the flavor matter? Today I did the soak in a tub for an hour under the hot lamp but the tortoise kept going away from the heat so the water it was in after awhile definitely was in the 80s and not 90-95.