Yearling leopard tortoise update

[JDDV97]

Hello, I purchased a leopard tortoise about one month ago and just wanted to show some of his updates . he’s been eating organic spring mix and wet mazuri food , he’s fed once every 48 hours & with calcium powder (1x a week) , I soak him for at least 30 minutes every morning in 85-95 F water I scrub his shell once a week , I posted a pictures of his reads, cool side and basking side, he on T5 4-5 hours around lunch . And 12 hours of basking light .can anyone recommend their favorite LED strips for enclosure ? I assume they take up less space because I already have two flukers lamp clamps in the greenhous.
And gets about 30-60 min of outdoor time every 48 hours supervised. Looking to switch to a 6 foot enclosure soon and looking to add more elevation and small hills for exercise. Looking to get him a sibling around the same age if I have to buy a second greenhouse, I will or I can put a wall somewhere in the greenhouse to separate them. I give them tortoise eyedrop’s maybe once a week. I’ve yet to see him bite his cuttle bone. he has about three different different hides to choose from and sleeps about 18 to 20 hours of the day. I have no idea how old he is, but the person I bought him from told me he was about a year old. Don’t know if anyone can verify that. Can anyone recommend Tortoise toys / excercise products for engagement with him. I want to get him a walking wheel and that ball where you can put spinach inside of so he can roll it around while eating. Any recommendations or tips ? My main concern is for his shell to be smooth and avoid pyramiding.

Basking 90-92F WITH 73 humidity
Cool side 84-85F WITH 85 Humidity

@Tom @wellington @Yvonne G @Littleredfootbigredheart

 

[JDDV97]

Move the enclosure around the basking is now at 91F and the cool is now at 84F .

 

[Ink]

Very cute leopard. I am wondering if his bottom jaw on his beak is cracking? What do you "scrub" the shell with and why? Tortoises do NOT do well in pairs. 6' isn't even big enough for one tortoise. Baby tortoises sleep a lot. What else do you feed your tortoise? I only read spinach.

 

[JDDV97]

Very cute leopard. I am wondering if his bottom jaw on his beak is cracking? What do you "scrub" the shell with and why? Tortoises do NOT do well in pairs. 6' isn't even big enough for one tortoise. Baby tortoises sleep a lot. What else do you feed your tortoise? I only read spinach.

Yeah his bottom beak is cracking. I believe from under bite . I’ve switched to basking stone to feed . But been told it’s self correcting . Any further advice or if it looks bad ?


I scrub with this brush and only water
Posted pic below bought off Amazon .

Currently only eats baby organic spring mix , cucumbers and clovers and wet Mazuri with calcium powder .

And 6 feet’s seems completely big enough for on yearling no ?

And I’m aware of completion in pairs , would split a 6ft in half for 2 yearlings if needed . Or buy second green house

 

[Ink]

If you need to brush the tortoise a SOFT bristle toothbrush is fine. I don't know the texture of the brush you are using. What is the basking stone you are using?

 

[Ink]

@zovick should be able to help you about the bottom beak. I just noticed the cracks. Leopard tortoise full grown should be in a large space. Do you have room for at least 4'x8' enclosure for 1 tortoise?

 

[JDDV97]

If you need to brush the tortoise a SOFT bristle toothbrush is fine. I don't know the texture of the brush you are using. What is the basking stone you are using?

 

[JDDV97]

@zovick should be able to help you about the bottom beak. I just noticed the cracks. Leopard tortoise full grown should be in a large space. Do you have room for at least 4'x8' enclosure for 1 tortoise?

He’s a yearling he’s currently in 3x3 greenhouse .

 

[Ink]

Slate is just fine. I understand about his size right now, however I am asking about long term. Are you able to have 2 enclosures that big with lighting and everything else.

 

[zovick]

Yeah his bottom beak is cracking. I believe from under bite . I’ve switched to basking stone to feed . But been told it’s self correcting . Any further advice or if it looks bad ?


I scrub with this brush and only water
Posted pic below bought off Amazon .

Currently only eats baby organic spring mix , cucumbers and clovers and wet Mazuri with calcium powder .

And 6 feet’s seems completely big enough for on yearling no ?

And I’m aware of completion in pairs , would split a 6ft in half for 2 yearlings if needed . Or buy second green house

From what I am seeing, the underbite your tortoise has will NOT correct itself and will only become worse over time. I would recommend a vet visit with a competent exotics vet to reshape both the upper and lower beaks to correct the problem. Also note that correcting underbites like the one your tortoise has will take several visits over an extended period of time.

 

[wellington]

You need to seperate them ASAP and feed a big pile to each every day, enough that it will last all day for them to graze off and on.

 

[Ink]

They only have one, however is thinking about getting another tortoise. @wellington FYI

I was making sure the op has enough space if the op was to get another.

 

[JDDV97]

You need to seperate them ASAP and feed a big pile to each every day, enough that it will last all day for them to graze off and on.

You need to seperate them ASAP and feed a big pile to each every day, enough that it will last all day for them to graze off and on.

I don’t own a second tortoise, but I didn’t mention I would put up a wall if so

 

[JDDV97]

They only have one, however is thinking about getting another tortoise. @wellington FYI

I was making sure the op has enough space if the op was to get another.

As far as for indoor and outdoor yes. But I am being a little picky with the second one I would like to purchase I am wanting to pay extra for a high white leopard.

 

[wellington]

I don’t own a second tortoise, but I didn’t mention I would put up a wall if so

Okay. I don't think you had a second one but I read someone else's post and they reference a second one.
If you do get a second one, the enclosure you mention, 3x6 is too small to split. You will need a second enclosure.
However, if you got a larger/longer pop up greenhouse, they come 12 feet long, you could split that giving each one a 3x6.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hello, I purchased a leopard tortoise about one month ago and just wanted to show some of his updates . he’s been eating organic spring mix and wet mazuri food , he’s fed once every 48 hours & with calcium powder (1x a week) , I soak him for at least 30 minutes every morning in 85-95 F water I scrub his shell once a week , I posted a pictures of his reads, cool side and basking side, he on T5 4-5 hours around lunch . And 12 hours of basking light .can anyone recommend their favorite LED strips for enclosure ? I assume they take up less space because I already have two flukers lamp clamps in the greenhous.
And gets about 30-60 min of outdoor time every 48 hours supervised. Looking to switch to a 6 foot enclosure soon and looking to add more elevation and small hills for exercise. Looking to get him a sibling around the same age if I have to buy a second greenhouse, I will or I can put a wall somewhere in the greenhouse to separate them. I give them tortoise eyedrop’s maybe once a week. I’ve yet to see him bite his cuttle bone. he has about three different different hides to choose from and sleeps about 18 to 20 hours of the day. I have no idea how old he is, but the person I bought him from told me he was about a year old. Don’t know if anyone can verify that. Can anyone recommend Tortoise toys / excercise products for engagement with him. I want to get him a walking wheel and that ball where you can put spinach inside of so he can roll it around while eating. Any recommendations or tips ? My main concern is for his shell to be smooth and avoid pyramiding.

Basking 90-92F WITH 73 humidity
Cool side 84-85F WITH 85 Humidity

@Tom @wellington @Yvonne G @Littleredfootbigredheart

Hi! Thanks for the update on your little one

He/she is looking great!
Feed wise, feed everyday once lights go on, enough for them to graze throughout the day, which at his age won’t be loads. Every 48hrs isn’t a natural feeding cycle for them.
Soak routine is great! Lighting sounds perfect, LED wise, we personally use white python brand, I’m sure there’s cheaper options but we just really liked the quality and easy assembly, you can also easily add extension strips, I’m not sure if that brand is available where you are so maybe folks can chime in from your side of the pond because I’m not sure how I’d mount those specific ones in a greenhouse set up.
Ooo exciting renovations happening! Yeah in regards to a sibling it’s good you plan to keep them separate as you know pair dynamics don’t work. Personally I’d set up a separate enclosure altogether because you’ll want to have a safe quarantine period which won’t be achievable in the same one with a barrier, it’d be different had they been clutch mates, a barrier may have worked. Obviously these two won’t ever be able to live together unless the plan is to get a 3rd and wait for them to all be old enough to sex.
Is there a reason you do the eye drops?
Looking at the photos, he has a little growth so he could be up to a year old, impossible to say exact age without a hatch date but he’s definitely under 2, a year or just under sounds about right.
Enrichment wise, the wheel is a cute idea! Search it up on the forum, there’s a member or two who’ve had success with themoutside of that, it’s good to create visual barriers to encourage them to explore their space, you’re already doing a good job doing that with the logs n such! I’ve seen a few people use those balls, I’ve always worried about them getting their leg or head stuck, but it’s worth putting it in there and monitoring it, you can take it out when you’re out

In terms of smooth growth, keeping your humidity steady in the 80’s will be leading factor for that, which it seems you’re achieving no problem, so no worries there

Move the enclosure around the basking is now at 91F and the cool is now at 84F .

Try and keep basking around 95f if you can

 

[wellington]

Hi! Thanks for the update on your little one

He/she is looking great!
Feed wise, feed everyday once lights go on, enough for them to graze throughout the day, which at his age won’t be loads. Every 48hrs isn’t a natural feeding cycle for them.
Soak routine is great! Lighting sounds perfect, LED wise, we personally use white python brand, I’m sure there’s cheaper options but we just really liked the quality and easy assembly, you can also easily add extension strips, I’m not sure if that brand is available where you are so maybe folks can chime in from your side of the pond because I’m not sure how I’d mount those specific ones in a greenhouse set up.
Ooo exciting renovations happening! Yeah in regards to a sibling it’s good you plan to keep them separate as you know pair dynamics don’t work. Personally I’d set up a separate enclosure altogether because you’ll want to have a safe quarantine period which won’t be achievable in the same one with a barrier, it’d be different had they been clutch mates, a barrier may have worked. Obviously these two won’t ever be able to live together unless the plan is to get a 3rd and wait for them to all be old enough to sex.
Is there a reason you do the eye drops?
Looking at the photos, he has a little growth so he could be up to a year old, impossible to say exact age without a hatch date but he’s definitely under 2, a year or just under sounds about right.
Enrichment wise, the wheel is a cute idea! Search it up on the forum, there’s a member or two who’ve had success with themoutside of that, it’s good to create visual barriers to encourage them to explore their space, you’re already doing a good job doing that with the logs n such! I’ve seen a few people use those balls, I’ve always worried about them getting their leg or head stuck, but it’s worth putting it in there and monitoring it, you can take it out when you’re out

In terms of smooth growth, keeping your humidity steady in the 80’s will be leading factor for that, which it seems you’re achieving no problem, so no worries there

Try and keep basking around 95f if you can

The enclosure the OP is using now would be the quarantine enclosure and then added to the larger enclosure when it's over.
However, if the same enclosure was used, and nothing could pass thru from one to the other, as far as pee or poop, there shouldn't be a problem either. After all, most don't really quarantine in a separate room.

 

[JDDV97]

So turtles can stay in groups of 3 but not in pairs of 2?

Okay I will do some research on the led strips. I would think strip lights an are better than bulbs because you can keep around perimeter of greenhouse roof no? And I already have UVB, CHE, & T5 . Therefore strips would also take up much less space than bulb with clamp lamp.

@Littleredfootbigredheart @wellington @Tom

 

[wellington]

So turtles can stay in groups of 3 but not in pairs of 2?

Okay I will do some research on the led strips. I would think strip lights an are better than bulbs because you can keep around perimeter of greenhouse roof no? And I already have UVB, CHE, & T5 . Therefore strips would also take up much less space than bulb with clamp lamp.

@Littleredfootbigredheart @wellington @Tom

That's only if it's 1 male and 2 females or all 3 females. Never 2 males

 

[JDDV97]

That's only if it's 1 male and 2 females or all 3 females. Never 2 males

However, one female and one male will not work ? Or 2 females alone ?