Leopard Tortoise

Care Sheet

Leopard Tortoise CB20

Leopard tortoises come from Africa, inhabiting savannas where hot temperatures and high UVB are present. They require both Heat and UVB in captivity which takes the form of a basking lamp and UVB tube, or a dual Heat & UVB bulb along with a Calcium +D3 supplement powder.

Leopard tortoises require a diet of dark leafy greens with the occasional tomato treat once every week or so. It is important that they are not fed watery veg like cucumber, peppers and tomato’s often as they disrupt the bowels and cause watery stool as well as not providing the essential vitamins your tortoise needs.

You may enjoy taking your tortoise out during the peak summer heat, we recommend minimising this time to 15-30 minutes so that your tortoise doesn’t get cold. Be ware of wild plants which may be poisonous to your pet.

Platinum Tortoise Table Kit

HOUSING YOUR LEOPARD TORTOISE

There are a few different types of tortoise enclosure available which are based around a table or a vivarium style. Depending on the size of your tortoise when you buy it , or if you care for mammals in your home you may wish to choose a vivarium set up to ensure that the small tortoise received the heat it needs, or to keep pets from disturbing the tortoise.

Table options are nice as they allow you to interact with the tortoise but you should ensure to measure your temperatures regularly and when weather changes affecting the ambient temperature in order for the tortoise to get all the heat it needs. Horsefield tortoises also need UVB which can be in the form of a tube for vivarium set ups or a dual D3/heat bulb for table set ups. Thermostats should be used with heat bulbs but cannot be used for dual mercury vapour bulbs.

There are a range of substrates available for your tortoise which are an option of absorbent lignocel and aspen beddings or there is a choice of tortoise life bio substrate which is highly absorbent and completely natural.  Provide fairly shallow water and food bowls to allow your tortoise to access the contents. Provide a hiding space for your tortoise and plenty of substrate for it to dig and bury at night. Heat mats may be needed in winter as an addition to your tortoise table to provide extra belly heat or a larger heat lamp or rock can be provided in a vivarium set up.  Put some wood and décor in the enclosure so that your tortoise can climb on different textures as it would in the wild.

Spot clean your tortoise daily and clean every 3-4 weeks fully, replacing substrate. Clean water and food bowls daily and provide fresh water. Soak your tortoise in warm water 2-3 times a week as they absorb water through the cloaca. Lots of tortoises choose to go to the toilet in the water, if you notice your tortoise is not going to the toilet then a warm soak for 10 mins can help to relieve this.

HOUSING YOUR LEOPARD TORTOISE

There are a few different types of tortoise enclosure available which are based around a table or a vivarium style. Depending on the size of your tortoise when you buy it , or if you care for mammals in your home you may wish to choose a vivarium set up to ensure that the small tortoise received the heat it needs, or to keep pets from disturbing the tortoise.

Table options are nice as they allow you to interact with the tortoise but you should ensure to measure your temperatures regularly and when weather changes affecting the ambient temperature in order for the tortoise to get all the heat it needs. Horsefield tortoises also need UVB which can be in the form of a tube for vivarium set ups or a dual D3/heat bulb for table set ups. Thermostats should be used with heat bulbs but cannot be used for dual mercury vapour bulbs.

There are a range of substrates available for your tortoise which are an option of absorbent lignocel and aspen beddings or there is a choice of tortoise life bio substrate which is highly absorbent and completely natural.  Provide fairly shallow water and food bowls to allow your tortoise to access the contents. Provide a hiding space for your tortoise and plenty of substrate for it to dig and bury at night. Heat mats may be needed in winter as an addition to your tortoise table to provide extra belly heat or a larger heat lamp or rock can be provided in a vivarium set up.  Put some wood and décor in the enclosure so that your tortoise can climb on different textures as it would in the wild.

Spot clean your tortoise daily and clean every 3-4 weeks fully, replacing substrate. Clean water and food bowls daily and provide fresh water. Soak your tortoise in warm water 2-3 times a week as they absorb water through the cloaca. Lots of tortoises choose to go to the toilet in the water, if you notice your tortoise is not going to the toilet then a warm soak for 10 mins can help to relieve this.

Platinum Tortoise Table Kit

HANDLING YOUR LEOPARD TORTOISE

Tortoises are independent animals who although do well in captivity are not the kind of pet that enjoys a cuddle. Leopard Tortoises like to be on the ground or a surface so that they can walk around at will and do not enjoy held in one place.

Try to collect your tortoise from beneath, never pull its legs or put your hands close to its mouth. Tortoises have a hard beak so their bite can be painful- always keep fingers away from their mouths. Tortoises pull their legs in to protect themselves so be careful not to put fingers under their shell where they can be trapped.  Tortoises should be kept level and not tipped or rolled over for long periods of time as this can upset the chemicals in their brains.

GENERAL CARE

Genus, Species Stigmochelys pardalis
Adult Size 15-18 inches
Habitat Desert Savannah, Scrubland
Lifespan 75 (+) years
Diet Dark leafy greens daily, dusted with Calcium + D3 powder (twice a week)
Ambient Temp (f) 78-95
Basking Temp (f) 115-120
Humidity (%) 40-60 UVI 1.0 – 2.6 (Shade) UVI: 2.9 – 7.4 (Max bask)
Locality Africa Difficulty 3
Breeding Age 6-8 years
Social Structure Live alone or with opposite sex, groups of females

GENERAL CARE

Genus, Species Stigmochelys pardalis
Adult Size 15-18 inches
Habitat Desert Savannah, Scrubland
Lifespan 75 (+) years
Diet Dark leafy greens daily, dusted with Calcium + D3 powder (twice a week)
Ambient Temp (f) 78-95
Basking Temp (f) 115-120
Humidity (%) 40-60 UVI 1.0 – 2.6 (Shade) UVI: 2.9 – 7.4 (Max bask)
Locality Africa Difficulty 3
Breeding Age 6-8 years
Social Structure Live alone or with opposite sex, groups of females

Leopard Tortoise CB20

SEXING YOUR LEOPARD TORTOISE

Sexing tortoises is different depending on species. Tortoises can be very hard to sex when small, but once a tortoise is large enough to start to develop more distinctive characteristics there are a couple of noticeable differences.

Male Leopard tortoises are generally quite a bit smaller as adults. Males will have a longer tail. Females have a small tail and are larger as adults.

As adults, females will have a flat plaston and a male plastron will be curved. This allows them to mate.

SHOPPING LIST

SHOPPING LIST

HEALTH CHECK

Eyes– Eyes should be clear and open wide. Look out for any swollen eye lids or swelling around the eye as this can signify an eye infection which are common in tortoises. Turtle eyes is a great product to treat the eyes with and requires a couple of drops daily to clear the infection. You can also use saline and a cotton pad to gently swab the eyes daily. Separate tortoises which show signs of infection to avoid spreading.

Shell– The shell should be smooth with no chips or signs of pyramiding. Scutes which raise and point at the top are referred to as pyramiding in tortoises and are a sign of MBD (metabolic bone disease) which means that the tortoise has not received enough UVB and calcium + D3. it is important to change your UVB bulb every 6-8 months and dust food with calcium +D3 powder twice a week. The UVB and D3 work in hand to keep your tortoises shell and bones strong.

Stool– your tortoises stool should be firm and moist. Watery stools are caused by feeding your tortoise too many high water content fruits or vegetables. Encourage leafy greens like Kale, Spring Greens and Cabbage instead of things like lettuce, cucumber and tomato.

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