I just acquired a young leopard tortoise and I'm wondering if it needs anything specific? Ive read that for feeding adults I should go with grass, dandelion, spring mix and the like. Is it the same for babies?
Thank you both! I went and picked up some collard greens, kale and turnip sprouts and I have that in there. I have her in a big container with a good substrtrate and moss mixture, and I have the heat and uv sources. We've been spraying the moss with a water bottle but the humidity dropped down to the 50s(which I though was acceptable?)
Also I've read some conflicting things, is fruit okay to give occasionally?
Thanks. I got her from a small reptile store in my town where my partner and I have been volunteering. We told them how we were going to set it up and they didn't mention needing a closed top. This is her current set up. There's a screen on top of a big container. Since I can't afford to go buy a new closed top enclosure, would draping towels over the screen work?(except where the lights are) I've been spraying the screen and letting the water drop from that and that actually seems to be helping the humidity stay up! Thanks again for all the help.Heat and Humidity is impossible to maintain in an open topped enclosure. My first baby enclosure was a glass terrarium that I hooked a fogger up to. Then they went into a converted coffee table with a glass lid that closed. The enclosure should be close to airtight to hold the humidity and the heat that you put in at a nice steady rate. The air will be recirculated every time you open the enclosure which will be once or twice a day to feed them and to soak them. The third enclosure was a 200 gallon aquarium and I got Plexiglass cut to fit for the top.
I mention all this because your first enclosure is never going to be your best effort. The second enclosure that you have is much easier to put together because you've already figured out what you've done wrong. the third, fourth and fifth enclosures are just plain fun!
Baby leopards (baby tortoises in general) need high humidity and high heat. If you search 'closed chamber' in the search bar above you'll learn exactly what needs done.
You need to get him set up right as quickly as possible because babies are very fragile and can easily die. If I had known I would not have gotten babies. They're a pain.
Thanks! I'll try the foil for now until I can get some glassTowels won't work. Lowe's Home Depot or some other hardware store sells plexiglass. most of the time they cut it to size for you also. I would cut one an inch or two bigger than the top and lay it on top of the screen. When they cut it have them leave a corner cut out for your lamp. Putting it on top of the screen will help with stability (especially if you can attach it together) as well as provide a screen for your lamp to sit on. Until you get that done I've seen people here use aluminum foil over the screen top. I think they had to duct tape it to get a real good seal. They probably just left a little corner open to get access.. pet store people don't know anything about tortoises except what they're told to try and sell. Here on the tortoise forum there's a lot of people with experience on tortoises and know what not to do. For instance those ramped water bowls that they sell at the pet stores? tipping hazards... People here on the Forum know that because tortoises have tipped over into the water upside down.
I've used these...they are great!!!!Read in new posts thread "well, hereeeees mo". They have a baby and have a cool set up they bought online from home Depot...
Here's what they bought...
http://m.homedepot.com/p/Lifetime-4-ft-x-4-ft-Two-Raised-Garden-Beds-with-One-Tent-Enclosure-60053/202963931?cm_mmc=SEM|THD|google|&mid=sm7U3qctY|dm_mtid_8903jx325196_pcrid_107016512728_pkw__pmt__product_202963931_slid_&gclid=Cj0KEQiAx7XBBRCdyNOw6PLHrYABEiQAJtyEQy1U9DzF2v32L6XLX4Du_90Ti_oavYl5mBQFx9a4o38aAvjN8P8HAQ
They showed the growth of their baby(before and after pic)and it was very smoooooooth.
Read in new posts thread "well, hereeeees mo". They have a baby and have a cool set up they bought online from home Depot...
Here's what they bought...
http://m.homedepot.com/p/Lifetime-4-ft-x-4-ft-Two-Raised-Garden-Beds-with-One-Tent-Enclosure-60053/202963931?cm_mmc=SEM|THD|google|&mid=sm7U3qctY|dm_mtid_8903jx325196_pcrid_107016512728_pkw__pmt__product_202963931_slid_&gclid=Cj0KEQiAx7XBBRCdyNOw6PLHrYABEiQAJtyEQy1U9DzF2v32L6XLX4Du_90Ti_oavYl5mBQFx9a4o38aAvjN8P8HAQ
They showed the growth of their baby(before and after pic)and it was very smoooooooth.
Okay so we put the lid on the container she's in and cut out a screen for the lights. The humindy went up to 99! Is that too much?Heat and Humidity is impossible to maintain in an open topped enclosure. My first baby enclosure was a glass terrarium that I hooked a fogger up to. Then they went into a converted coffee table with a glass lid that closed. The enclosure should be close to airtight to hold the humidity and the heat that you put in at a nice steady rate. The air will be recirculated every time you open the enclosure which will be once or twice a day to feed them and to soak them. The third enclosure was a 200 gallon aquarium and I got Plexiglass cut to fit for the top.
I mention all this because your first enclosure is never going to be your best effort. The second enclosure that you have is much easier to put together because you've already figured out what you've done wrong. the third, fourth and fifth enclosures are just plain fun!
Baby leopards (baby tortoises in general) need high humidity and high heat. If you search 'closed chamber' in the search bar above you'll learn exactly what needs done.
You need to get him set up right as quickly as possible because babies are very fragile and can easily die. If I had known I would not have gotten babies. They're a pain.