crtnyrc
Member
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2015
- Messages
- 32
We have a leopard tortoise that is 1.5 months old. We bought it from someone who ordered it online and then didn't want it. We've kept reptiles and tortoises before, but not one this young. I have read Tom's care sheet and am trying to follow that to a T. We've only had the tortoise for about a week.
I live in Iowa and it is very cold right now. I am battling humidity issues, but will be putting plexiglass over the tank to create a better closed chamber tomorrow. For now, I've tented tin foil over the tank. Basking is 95-100 and the ambient temp in the tank stays between 85-90 with a humidity that fluctuates between 50%-70%. I've been doing soaks in the morning and evening because of the humidity being low. The substrate is coconut coir with sphagnum moss on one end. I mist the whole thing when the tort is soaking. I have a UVB, but it is coil so I will be returning it. I have to special order a tube UVB, so it might be a week until there is UVB in the tank. We only had a tank available at such short notice, but I put paper around the bottom, so the tort can't see through. It is a 40g breeder tank.
We have been feeding endive and escarole primarily. I bought some wheat grass and planted it in the tank. The tort never seemed interested. I have ordered seeds for dandelion and other weeds and edible grasses according to the tortoise table, but I have to wait for them to grow. The first few days the tort would wake up for the soaking and poop and then be a little active and eat a lot then sleep. Pretty much like a human baby. Sleep, poop, eat, sleep, poop, eat. Yesterday, the tort was still active after a bath and pooped, but wouldn't eat. It walked around and explored the tank a lot and then went back to sleep. Today, is the same. Nothing has changed about it, except that it isn't interested in food. I should add that the tort changes areas in the tank and then goes back to sleep, so it seems like it is regulating its temps. It doesn't stay in one spot all the time. I am a chronic worrier. Should I be worried that it sleeps all the time? How long should it not eat before I get too worried? I would expect it to be normal for it to not eat after being shipped and moved, but to stop eating a week after being settled seems a little strange. I've never had a hatchling, though, so I don't really know what normal behavior would be. I've been lurking here reading posts and everyone seems very knowledgable. If there is something I should do differently, please tell me. If not, please just tell me when my worrying is founded : )
I live in Iowa and it is very cold right now. I am battling humidity issues, but will be putting plexiglass over the tank to create a better closed chamber tomorrow. For now, I've tented tin foil over the tank. Basking is 95-100 and the ambient temp in the tank stays between 85-90 with a humidity that fluctuates between 50%-70%. I've been doing soaks in the morning and evening because of the humidity being low. The substrate is coconut coir with sphagnum moss on one end. I mist the whole thing when the tort is soaking. I have a UVB, but it is coil so I will be returning it. I have to special order a tube UVB, so it might be a week until there is UVB in the tank. We only had a tank available at such short notice, but I put paper around the bottom, so the tort can't see through. It is a 40g breeder tank.
We have been feeding endive and escarole primarily. I bought some wheat grass and planted it in the tank. The tort never seemed interested. I have ordered seeds for dandelion and other weeds and edible grasses according to the tortoise table, but I have to wait for them to grow. The first few days the tort would wake up for the soaking and poop and then be a little active and eat a lot then sleep. Pretty much like a human baby. Sleep, poop, eat, sleep, poop, eat. Yesterday, the tort was still active after a bath and pooped, but wouldn't eat. It walked around and explored the tank a lot and then went back to sleep. Today, is the same. Nothing has changed about it, except that it isn't interested in food. I should add that the tort changes areas in the tank and then goes back to sleep, so it seems like it is regulating its temps. It doesn't stay in one spot all the time. I am a chronic worrier. Should I be worried that it sleeps all the time? How long should it not eat before I get too worried? I would expect it to be normal for it to not eat after being shipped and moved, but to stop eating a week after being settled seems a little strange. I've never had a hatchling, though, so I don't really know what normal behavior would be. I've been lurking here reading posts and everyone seems very knowledgable. If there is something I should do differently, please tell me. If not, please just tell me when my worrying is founded : )
