HELP!TO ALL TORTOISE OWNERS OUT THERE.....i need help?

Question

i bought a baby leopard tortoise about 9 weeks ago and when i weighed him when i got home,he was 4oz.at first he wasnt eating and after a lot of trial and error,ive found foods he actually likes.he haves a mixture of strawberries,little gem lettuce,cucumber,carrotts,cabbage and his pellets [all sprinkled with supplements] daily and eats really well.i bath him every other day and he goes to toilet regulary.he's still only 4oz though.should he have put on weight by now and am i doing anything wrong?
all answers and experiances are greatly appreciated.
thanks guys.

just to let you all know,my tortoise is an african leopard tortoise that DOES NOT go into hibernation.the reptile store i bought it from told me this,and i have done a lot of research and they definately dont hibernate.he lives in a vivarium,but thinking about getting a tortoise table.will that be ok?

sorry to drag on but,id be greatly happy if you could tell me what foods you all feed your tortoise on.thanks all.had fab answers so far.

Answer 1

hi there, i have a leopard tortoise the diet you are feeding him is wrong, they need 75% grasses, and the rest 25% weeds from your garden ie dandelion leaves, plantains, leopards need lots of fibre, your tort will not put on weight straight away, they put a little on over a period of time.

pellets are no good for your tortoise at all, there is no fibre in lettuce for him either, which makes his poos loose, a little cucumber is ok every now and then, but cabbage and carrots are a definate no no , bathing is very good, there is alot of mixed information out there about tortoise care can i please point in the direction of a very good website and forum where you can post questions

if i posted link wrong do search thanks

www.shelledwarriors.co.uk

please join this site as they can give you very good information which can make your torts life longer

can i please point out leopard tortoises do not hibernate

yes tortoise table is very good idea, as vivariums slowly cook tortoises for various reasons, high humidy, cant get even temp,

different tortoises are fed different things, most weeds as this is what they would in the wild, they would not come accross cabbage, carrots etc,

hermans it is weeds weeds and more weeds with the odd bit of romaine or little gem lettuce when things are short, but you can grow your own, no fruit as it un settles there stomachs

leopard 75% grass, chopped from the garden, hay, timothy hay, and weeds, perhaps odd bit cucumber as a treat,

red foots weeds and they can have fruit as well

tortoises are very stubborn if they are used to one food they turn there nose up at something they dont like the look off and not eat for a while but they will not starve they will eat when they are hungry

Answer 2

Turtles can make great pets for some people, but not all. I own 2 Red-Eared Slider Turtles and have been researching turtles and tortoises for about 2 years now so i think i can successfully answer your question. First off, turtles and tortoises are NOT the same. In fact they are COMPLETELY different in every way. Turtles can live between 20 and 80 years, depending on the species, and your average healthy tortoise will live an astonishing 150 years! Secondly, ALL TURTLES CAN CARRY SALMONELLA. There is no known way to tell if a turtle has salmonella yet so your best bet is to wash your hands after handling the turtle, its water, or anything else that the turtle has touched. Thirdly, most species of tortoises can get about 4 times bigger than turtles so most tortoises are housed in a pen outside (in a large, fenced off, backyard). Turtles, like the red-eared slider, will need a larger tank. Sometimes, 100 gallons!! Forthly, just the tortoise itself will cost you around $200-$1500, depending on how exotic the species is. On top of that you will need a big backyard that is fenced off, a shelter, a water dish, a food dish, food, etc... Turtles will cost you between 20$ and 500$ again depending on how rare the species is, PLUS, a floating dock (for aquatic turtles), vines/plants/rocks for scenery, a UVA/heat bulb + lamp, a UVB bulb + lamp, 1-2 filters (for aquatic turtles), a large aquarium + stand (if needed), etc... Also, something that most people don't know is that turtles and tortoises need to go to a vet just as much as a dog or cat does. Fifthly, i clean my turtles' 70 gallon tank about once every month but when i used to keep them in a 29 gallon tank, i had to clean it every week. Even though i only have to empty out the whole tank every month, i have to clean both of the filters, suck up the gunk at the bottom of the tank, and put a little more water in. In general, it's very teadious and kinda gross but i do it knowing that my turtles are getting the right care. im not sure, but im thinking that you could just pick up a tortoises poop with a baggie (like you would with a dog) if they are outside on grass. Sixthly, most turtles eat most veggies, commercial turtle pellets, live feeder fish, live ghost shrimp, dried shrimp, and some other things. Tortoises eat fruits and veggies, tortoise pellets, and some other things. In conclusion, a turtle or tortoise is only the right pet for you if: - you have lots of spare time, - are willing to dedicate most of your spare time to your tort or turt, - have space for an enormous aquarium for a turtle or have a big, fenced-off, backyard for a tortoise, - are ready to love, care for, and socialize your turtle/tortoise :)

Answer 3

My friend has 1.

Only soak twice a week.Also add a bit more grass to his diet.In the spring add wild plants like dandelion leaves too.


Never try and get it to hibernate.Only a few species of tortoise hibernate in the wild.Leopard tortoise's are from tropical areas of Africa and defiantly don't.

Answer 4

Blimey give him a chance. The fact that he is eating well is good, but bear in mind ounces are very small amounts of weight and an ounce will take a while to put on and to register. He probably lost some weight when you got him first so has just recovered. Dont weigh him too regularly and when you do weigh him you should notice a weight gain. :-)

Answer 5

Mine eats better when the food is floated in water, I have a brand new (never used) cat litter pan that I feed mine in. He enjoys dunking his head and eating and drinking at the same time! I do this at least once a day, sometimes twice...but every evening feed at minimum

Answer 6

we wash our tortoises once a week, and we give their supplements once a week, i think that they put on weight very slowly, but im sure yours will start getting bigger soon,

i take it that your tortoise is to young to hibernate,

ours are just over 2 years old and they are still not hibernating, i was told this was because they are still too young

Answer 7

Shouldn't he be hibernating ?
I live opposite a reptile house that sells tortoises

Answer 8

I thought you said you had a baby tortoise lol like you gave birth too it lol

Answer 9

Try this site for a good diet: http://www.petdoc.ws/TortDiet.html

I hope you have a plan for this when it gets bigger!