Chase here. Recently moved to South Texas from California. I've been wanting a Leo for many years, so recently I decided it was time. 20ish years ago I adopted 2 Desert Tortoise hatchlings, followed by a Sulcata hatchling. I raised them successfully having used both reptile carpet and rabbit pellets in their glass enclosures. I knew then to provide moist hides, but was ignorant to the higher humidity levels required for the little ones. I've only just learned the need for peat substrate and enclosed enclosures from this very forum. I wish I had known of this forum before I purchased a hatchling at a recent repticon show. If I had I would have waited to find a breeder who starts them appropriately. Sooo, now I'm not sure I've got a youngster who will make it. I've got him in a 40 breeder with peat substrate, a most hide, an undertank heater, halogen spot over a flat rock for basking, reptisun strip and ceramic heater at night. He's eating, but just doesn't seem right. I feel like he should be motoring all over the place. Anyway, thanx for all the helpful info on this forum.
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- Thread starter Chasen
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Welcome to the Forum.
Welcome! Some pics and details may help us help your little one. What are the temps and humidity in your enclosure? What are you feeding? I too raised a sulcata incorrectly for years based on outdated information. Glad you found your way here!
Hi and welcome! The light might be too bright. I like to use a tube-type fluorescent UVB bulb.
Hello and Welcome. Don't use the heat mat too dangerous. The halogen I'm not sure I would use that either, may be way too bright for little eyes and a small space.
A humid hide is not enough. The whole enclosure needs to be humid 80%.
Your temps need to be 80 day and night all over with a basking of 95-100.
Get things adjusted to the suggestions and see how he starts acting. Little ones do sleep a lot. The wake, eat, walk a little and back to sleep. They do this several times a day. Be sure to soak in warm water daily for 30 minutes and that there is a low sided shallow water dish available 24/7.
A humid hide is not enough. The whole enclosure needs to be humid 80%.
Your temps need to be 80 day and night all over with a basking of 95-100.
Get things adjusted to the suggestions and see how he starts acting. Little ones do sleep a lot. The wake, eat, walk a little and back to sleep. They do this several times a day. Be sure to soak in warm water daily for 30 minutes and that there is a low sided shallow water dish available 24/7.
Thank you all for your replies. I'll turn off the heat mat. My temps and humidity are at the recommended levels per this forum. Enclosed tank with moisten substrate and a moist hide as well. The basking light may not be halogen. It's a zoomed 50w reptibasking spot light that provides uv. Still no good? I'm feeding a variety of greens as well as a large portion of grass I cut up. I've tried cutting up the greens to the tiny little mouth fulls and I've tried whole leaves/grass blades so he can bite off his own. I'm not sure which is better. I do soak daily. Maybe I'm just being paranoid.. Thank you all again.
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- Jul 16, 2014
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Welcome, @Chasen
I do not keep your species of tortoise, but boy are you in the right place for the best help and advice on this planet!
I do not keep your species of tortoise, but boy are you in the right place for the best help and advice on this planet!
Thanx buddy, I'm going to need it. I was lucky in the past with the Sully and Desert hatchlings I started, but I'm feeling the fool at the moment for purchasing a Leo at a show.
Welcome to the forum!
Thank you
I don't think your zoomed 50w reptibasking spot light provides UVB. I copy/pasted the words from your post to my Friend Google and nowhere on the box pictured does it say UVB. The 50w basking light should be ok, but you'll still need UVB. Don't fall for the info provided with the spiral shaped compact fluorescent bulb. They're not good for baby tortoises' eyes.
Leopard tortoises will eat grass, but they much prefer to eat broad-leaf plants and weeds. So I wouldn't worry too much if he's not taking to the cut up grass you're offering.
And don't feel bad about buying a baby at a show. It happens to the best of us. Now you make the best of your situation and give him the best care you can. (that's an awful lot of "bests")
Leopard tortoises will eat grass, but they much prefer to eat broad-leaf plants and weeds. So I wouldn't worry too much if he's not taking to the cut up grass you're offering.
And don't feel bad about buying a baby at a show. It happens to the best of us. Now you make the best of your situation and give him the best care you can. (that's an awful lot of "bests")
I actually replaced the spot with a smaller watt incan bulb (I couldn't get the temp down on the basking tile), but I do have a fluor tube for uvb. Thanx for the support.
D Nickerson
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Welcome from PA
