Baby Leopard is not very active

[marujita]

Hi Everybody

My baby Leopard seems to stay at a corner in her box most of the day. If I take her out, she walks non stop. However, back in her box she goes to her favorite corner and just stays there. Comes out to eat once or twice a day. I take her out for a walk every day and then I give her a bath and feed her Mazuri and lettuce mix. After reading all the advice on this forum, I have been very attentive to the humidity and the temperature, and it seems to be working well for her. She seems to be alert, she eats OK and she poops in the water. So, I do not think she is sick. She is growing really fast and she now knows us and comes to us if she is hungry. I am attaching pictures of her enclosure to see if what I am doing is OK. Will appreciate any comments/advice/critics. I thought that a fountain will help with the humidity so I added one to the enclosure. Would like to know if what I am doing is OK or should I do something else. Thanks!

 

[wellington]

Read this thread http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-The-End-Of-Pyramiding-II-The-Leopards
Just from my own experience with my leopard. I used wood chips in the beginning and he didn't seem to move around much. I swithed to only coconut coir. It is easier to keep damp longer and he seems to like it better. I think the chips were ruff to walk on and more pokey. Also the light facing the corner. Is that a MVB or just a plain bulb? If it is a MVB it needs to point straight down, not on a slant/angle. Do you know what the temps and humidity levels are? The temps with good humidity should not go below 80, with basking at 95-100. The substrate looks pretty dry. You may need to raise the humidity. Also make sure the plants are on the edible list. I would also try and vary her/his diet more. Add more greens than just lettuce mix, which should be spring mix, bok choy, dandelion greens, endive, just to name a few. Try to give us the level readings of temp, humidity and the kind of lighting you are using. Also they still are babies and do sleep a lot

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Just from my own experience with my leopard. I used wood chips in the beginning and he didn't seem to move around much. I swithed to only coconut coir. It is easier to keep damp longer and he seems to like it better. I think the chips were ruff to walk on and more pokey. Also the light facing the corner. Is that a MVB or just a plain bulb? If it is a MVB it needs to point straight down, not on a slant/angle. Do you know what the temps and humidity levels are? The temps with good humidity should not go below 80, with basking at 95-100. The substrate looks pretty dry. You may need to raise the humidity. Also make sure the plants are on the edible list. I would also try and vary her/his diet more. Add more greens than just lettuce mix, which should be spring mix, bok choy, dandelion greens, endive, just to name a few. Try to give us the level readings of temp, humidity and the kind of lighting you are using. Also they still are babies and do sleep a lot

Also do you have a cuttle bone for him to chew on for calcium or some kind of other calcium you are using. Does he get outside everyday for sun light or are you in a cold area?

 

[Greg T]

This doesn't sound all that strange for a leopard really. I think it depends on different things, maybe a substrate change or the temperatures could be tweaked, but it could also just be her personality. Out of my three, one will walk and roam all day while my other two stay in their chosen areas of the yard, only to roam around a few times to eat grass. I think your little guy likes to roam when you take her out, but seems to feel safe inside his enclosure and that corner is "her safe place." All of mine have chosen their own safe places in the yard and I can find them there almost every single night.

 

[marujita]

Thank you all. I try to keep the temperature around 90. She has an MVB lamp, the one at the corner, and a heat lamp. The heat lamp is the one on an angle. I keep spraying water about three to four times a day. The other day I read someone telling to damp a lot of water and mix it up with your hands, so I am doing that now + the spraying. I will see to replace the bark chips for the coconut coir the next cleaning. How do I measure the humidity? About the food choices. I have offered her dandelions, other greens like kale, and she is not interested. She eats little of the salad mix and a lot of the Mazuri pellets. I take her out every day in the sun and let her walk around. I give her a bath every day in warm water. She seems to like it and then is when she eats from my hand. She eats from her plate also but not much. Should I cover her box so she feels safe and walks more? She seems very shy and wanting to hide all the time. Maybe is her personality as Greg says?

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Ah, about the bone, I thought that was for older tortoises, but I will get one. Thanks.

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Would it be better to place the MVB lamp in the middle instead of the corner? I think she likes the heat.

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The plants in the box are sweet potato (I read is OK) and the other one can't remember the name but it is a succulent that I read is OK also. She does not eat them though.

 

[wellington]

I would leave the basking light in the corner and the temp to be 95-100.
I would lower the temp in the rest of the area to 80-85, day and nite, Keeping hot and humid. Try chopping the greens up very small and mix them in with the Mazuri. Then gradually more greens less Mazuri. I would also add a lid to at least half the enclosure, will help with humidity. You can get humdidty/temp all in one gauges at home depot etc. A heat reading gun is the best to read temps. also should be able to find at home depot. My leopard, 9 months does not move around a lot either. However will when let out. I also found that every time I would change up the cage, he would investigate more for a few days, then was board with it, or familiar with it.
Just my opinion and how I keep mine,

 

[marujita]

Thank you, Barb. This really helps me. I will chop the greens, that is a great idea. And will get the temperature/humidity barometer at HD. Do you think that a humidifier also could help? I feel like I spend the day spraying her box! Thanks again

Milena

 

[wellington]

Thank you, Barb. This really helps me. I will chop the greens, that is a great idea. And will get the temperature/humidity barometer at HD. Do you think that a humidifier also could help? I feel like I spend the day spraying her box! Thanks again

Milena

Yes, I have a humidifier in my enclosure. I don't have the time to spray 10+ times a day. It has made things a lot easier.