- Joined
- Jan 14, 2013
- Messages
- 8
My name's Michelle, and I have myself a baby leopard tortoise named Squirtle first time owner so if I'm doing anything wrong, please let me know!
So Squirtle has pneumonia (says the vet) from the previous owner. The previous owner also fed him lettuce so he has taken a liking to that, even though leopard tortoises should be eating grasses and hay (I live in Canada, so we currently have snow). The vet recommended that I switch his diet over to alfalfa hay since he is young and it's full of nutrients. Now my problem is that he won't eat anymore, which may be because of the medicine that I have to put on the food. I tried putting it on lettuce since he would eat it, despite the lack of nutrients. He ate before the vet (last Friday) and hasn't had food since Friday except a bite or two of dandelion greens today.
I bathe him 1-2 times a day in warm water for 5 minutes, and he drinks almost every time, if not, he drinks water from his little pond in his house.
The humidity is at about 40-50.
And the heat is at 80-82 during the day and 78-79 during nighttime. I have problems getting the heat above this; I have two lamps and one turns off when it gets (what it believes to be) "too hot".
If anyone has any tips, that would be greatly appreciated since I was recently at the vet and do not want to have to go over there again unless its absolutely necessary (which may be the case). I'm worried for the little guy!
So Squirtle has pneumonia (says the vet) from the previous owner. The previous owner also fed him lettuce so he has taken a liking to that, even though leopard tortoises should be eating grasses and hay (I live in Canada, so we currently have snow). The vet recommended that I switch his diet over to alfalfa hay since he is young and it's full of nutrients. Now my problem is that he won't eat anymore, which may be because of the medicine that I have to put on the food. I tried putting it on lettuce since he would eat it, despite the lack of nutrients. He ate before the vet (last Friday) and hasn't had food since Friday except a bite or two of dandelion greens today.
I bathe him 1-2 times a day in warm water for 5 minutes, and he drinks almost every time, if not, he drinks water from his little pond in his house.
The humidity is at about 40-50.
And the heat is at 80-82 during the day and 78-79 during nighttime. I have problems getting the heat above this; I have two lamps and one turns off when it gets (what it believes to be) "too hot".
If anyone has any tips, that would be greatly appreciated since I was recently at the vet and do not want to have to go over there again unless its absolutely necessary (which may be the case). I'm worried for the little guy!