Hi!! :)

[DoubleR]

Hi everyone I'm new to this forum and new to owning a tortoise. I have a African Leopard Tortoise a few months old. I was able to see it from candling the eggs on up. I absolutely adore it but and lacking on the knowledge.
While looking for information on her change of behavior I found this forum and I'm so happy I did!
Looking forward to learning and hopefully one day sharing

---

Guess I should add I'm in CA and we own a livestock ranch. We plan on having a big pen in one of the pastures by the house for our tortoise when it gets to big for the house.
This is Torti

 

[TortyTom]

Welcome! You came to the right place to learn! We all love to see pics!

 

[DoubleR]

Thank you
I've done a lot of research and bought a lot of books but talking to real people is always better I just want to be sure I do things right.

 

[TortyTom]

A lot of the information you find in the books today, is old and wrong. It's sad but if I wouldn't have found this forum I would have been doing most things wrong. Beautiful tort by the way!

 

[DoubleR]

Thank you It's been acting off the last 4-5 days and I'm kind of worried. Trying to find some info to help
I live on a couple forums so I understand. As soon as I saw a tortoise forum I signed up
I also have a turtle.

 

[TortyTom]

Well describe whats going on with him and I'm sure someone with more exp then me will come along and offer some help. Make sure you read Tom's Thread below my signature. From what I hear, the care for a Leopard Tortoise is the same as a Sulcata.

 

[sissyofone]

Hello and Welcome to The Forum.

Sent from my X501_USA_Cricket using TortForum mobile app

 

[DoubleR]

Well describe whats going on with him and I'm sure someone with more exp then me will come along and offer some help. Make sure you read Tom's Thread below my signature. From what I hear, the care for a Leopard Tortoise is the same as a Sulcata.

Thank you Will read that for sure! Ill post it's symptoms in a thread Thanks!!

---

Hello and Welcome to The Forum.

Sent from my X501_USA_Cricket using TortForum mobile app

Thank you! I look forward to spending a good deal of time here

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

Three questions:
1. Was he started dry?
2. In his enclosure are you simulating an African desert or an African rain forest?
3. Are you using a coil type bulb for UV?

 

[DoubleR]

Hello and welcome.

Three questions:
1. Was he started dry?
2. In his enclosure are you simulating an African desert or an African rain forest?
3. Are you using a coil type bulb for UV?

Started dry? (Sorry I'm really new at turtles/tortoises)
Desert but with moist substrate designed by the Serpentarium for these style tortoises.
By the way it hatched 4/14/13
No coil style bulbs. That's what I purchased from Petsmart but was quickly changed by The Serpentarium.
A friend was the breeder and this was the 1st clutch. I've had it for a couple months now. It had constipation issues within weeks of bringing it home but those cleared up once I changed from what it was on prior (papertowels) to this substrate.
We've had a weird change of weather and that's when it started acting off.
I haven't found a bowel movement in 5 days and its pretty much stopped eating 95%.
It's fed Red Leaf Lettuce, squash, zucchini, and soaked Mizouri (sp) pellets.
Thank you in advance

 

[sissyofone]

Do you soak your little one? Try feeding him some dandylions and weeds from outside.

Sent from my X501_USA_Cricket using TortForum mobile app

 

[Tom]

Dry: Most breeders, books, vets and experts still mistakenly believe that this species is a desert animal and need to be kept dry and devoid of humidity. We now know this to be false and have a better understanding of the problems that have plagued leopard tortoise keepers for the last two or three decades. They need it warm and humid, they need a humid hide box, and they need frequent soaks when they are small. Damp substrate is a great start on your part. Click the links in my signature for more info.

 

[DoubleR]

Do you soak your little one? Try feeding him some dandylions and weeds from outside.

Sent from my X501_USA_Cricket using TortForum mobile app

Since the moist substrate I haven't been nearly as much. I moisten the pellets and lettuce before feeding and it has a good size shallow dish. For a while it went and drank on its own and wallowed in the water. I did soak it last week and then yesterday and today.
I have been Leary of what to feed because of so much mixed "this is ok and this isn't". I'm almost positive I saw dandelion at the store. Ill check in the morning! Thanks so much!!!!

---

Dry: Most breeders, books, vets and experts still mistakenly believe that this species is a desert animal and need to be kept dry and devoid of humidity. We now know this to be false and have a better understanding of the problems that have plagued leopard tortoise keepers for the last two or three decades. They need it warm and humid, they need a humid hide box, and they need frequent soaks when they are small. Damp substrate is a great start on your part. Click the links in my signature for more info.

Thank you so much! That's why the Serpentarium had me change I must keep it moist. I check the temps daily also. I live quite a ways away so I hadn't made it in to see them yet. So I turned to Internet

 

[sissyofone]

Since its a baby i would soak it twice a day in warm water for 15 to 30 minutes. Mine always poo in their water i just change water and put it bk in to finish soak. You also can buy a jar of carrot baby food mix it in with the soaks its full of vitamins and good for the tort. This will hopefully make him/her feel better.

 

[DoubleR]

Since its a baby i would soak it twice a day in warm water for 15 to 30 minutes. Mine always poo in their water i just change water and put it bk in to finish soak. You also can buy a jar of carrot baby food mix it in with the soaks its full of vitamins and good for the tort. This will hopefully make him/her feel better.

Sent from my X501_USA_Cricket using TortForum mobile app

I didn't know 2x daily was ok! Ill do that for sure! Ill also add the baby food carrots for a few days.
It normally does poop a lot in the water. Not a thing today or yesterday. That's why I was thinking constipation.

 

[sissyofone]

Sounds like he needs more fiber also. They need lots of leafy greens collard greens, turnips and mustard greens are fine. Also start offering him grass be sure its chemical free no pesticides. Read Toms Threads I follow his way Hot and Humid for raising my Sulcata Spunky and im glad i did. They say Sulcatas and Leos are raised alike as babies. Thats why i say check with Tom he has lots of experience.

 

[DoubleR]

Ya it's been eating more Mazuri lately now that I think about it. I wasn't sure what other greens were really ok. Ill be making a trip to the store in the morning.
I have an outdoor pen set up for it but the last 2 weeks they have fogged our area for West Nile mosquitoes by truck and plane 5 times so I won't put it out. I'm not really sure how long I should wait after they've sprayed. Any ideas?

 

[sissyofone]

Be careful with Mazuri. Sometimes they get addicted to it and dont want anything but Mazuri. Mine did that she only went like a day or so before she would touch her greens. So now i only give her Mazuri maybe twice a week more or less like a treat and sparingly. You can get organic spring mix at grocery store also.

Im not sure how long you should wait. Maybe start a thread about it and see what everyone says.



Please remember to read and follow Toms threads and your baby will do fine. Im no expert lol. Someone said or i read somewhere that their care as babies was very similar. Goodluck to you and keep us posted.

 

[DoubleR]

Thank you I read the threads. Lots of excellent strait forward info! I am suspecting its a combo of things suggested added into one problem. I WILL be getting the organize spring mix. I've looked at it dozens if times but had fear of what was in it it can't eat. Makes more sense the rotation of stuff leveling out the nutrition etc.
ill post an update Thanks again to all for the replies!

 

[sissyofone]

Goodluck with your baby..keep us posted..

Sent from my X501_USA_Cricket using TortForum mobile app