Re: my soft shelled lopard tortoises!!!

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Posted by Terry on February 13, 1999 at 13:20:17:

In Reply to: my soft shelled lopard tortoises!!! posted by Megumi on February 13, 1999 at 12:21:13:

: Before I wrote:
: : I have two leopard tortoises. Both are about 4 years old. One is very small and hasn't really grown (4 inches long). The other one has grown a lot(7 inches) and has a pyramid shell. They both have soft shells. When I got them they were both about 2 1/2 inches. I don't understand why they are so different in size since they have the same diet. They are both very active and eat very well.
: : Is there a good vet in North Jersey that I could take them to? Is there something I should be feeding them that would help their shells be harder?
: : Thanks!

: My Addition to the first posting...

: I feed them once a day about two cups full of 4 out of the list here of mix greens from the organic store: romain, red, green lettuce, they are not too keen on dandelion leaves or kale they love zucchini, and yellow summer squash, I soak some alfalfa guinea pig pellets, they like any fruits, like banana, pears, and apples.

: I give them this vitamin formula called v/m/a once a week (that doesnt' have any animal protien cause I read that you can't give them too much protien,) they also eat hibiscus flowers that I can get from a florest. I heard rose petals are good for them too... but they have no interest in them...

: They are in a 4'x3' opened latex aquarium that my friend built for me. I keep their room between 75 to 80 degrees and make sure that the area is arid. They have a heat mat under their bed area, and I have two uvb lighting for them.

: Now the only thing is I have no idea where to get calcium supplements and the Vets I have gone to are CLUELESS!!!! and I taken fresh stools to one vet and asked them to do a stool sample and found no parasites... and the pets store more clueless.

: The more I read about leopard tortoises, I have a feeling these are wild caught. I bought them from a pet store out in the boonies of NY cause I felt so sorry for them because they where in such a tiny little fish bowl!!!

Hi, when you say soft shell, how soft exactly. Are you talking about the carapace ( top shell) or the plastron ( bottom shell).?
Can you take them outside during the day, I have 3 leopards, 2 babies ( only 2") and a sub adult 8". The babies have their own outdoor pen 6'-6'. During the day they go outside in the pen. Ok I live in Hawaii, so it's possible year round! But even if it is only warm enough in the summer or for a few hours a day, nothing is better for you torts than natural sunlight.Dont put them outside in a tank or small container( it will overheat quickly) But build them a good size pen. You can make a pen with fencing boards. Sink the bottom boards in the ground a couple of inches so they cant escape under. With 12 boards 8' long, you can build a good size pen fairly cheaply. Make sure they have hiding places , sun and shade.
For calcium I use Rep cal phosphorous free calcium with Vit d. You should be able to get it from a local pet store. Sprinkle it on the greens about 2-3 times a week. You can also give them cuttle bones to chew on. Take the hard backing of and leave the softer part in their enclosure. They will chew on it as they need it.
Go easy on the fruit, I give no fruit to my leopards at all. Like sulcatas fibre is very important so grazing outside on pestiside and fertilizer free grass is a good way to provide fibre. You can also clip grass and add it to their greens.
Romaine lettuce is good, but instead of the red and green lettuce I would feed them endive, and watercress, a small amount of collard greens , chicory, dandelions, opuntia cactus pads.
The red and green lettuce does not provide much nutricion.And fruits are too high in sugar, not good for them.
So change the diet , adding endive ,watercress , etc. Cut back on the fruits, sprinkle with the rep cal ( go easy on the vit powder calcium is more important) give them a cuttle bone( with the hard back removed) and make sure they go outside when it's warm enough.
Best of luck, Terry.
To find a vet try these sites.
http://www.sonic.net/melissk/society.html#societies

http://members.home.net/frankgould/veterinarians.htm

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Re: my soft shelled lopard tortoises!!! Marissa 2/13/99 (0)

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: : : Before I wrote: : : : I have two leopard tortoises. Both are about 4 years old. One is very small and hasn't really grown (4 inches long). The other one has grown a lot(7 inches) and has a pyramid shell. They both have soft shells. When I got them they were both about 2 1/2 inches. I don't understand why they are so different in size since they have the same diet. They are both very active and eat very well. : : : Is there a good vet in North Jersey that I could take them to? Is there something I should be feeding them that would help their shells be harder? : : : Thanks! : : My Addition to the first posting... : : I feed them once a day about two cups full of 4 out of the list here of mix greens from the organic store: romain, red, green lettuce, they are not too keen on dandelion leaves or kale they love zucchini, and yellow summer squash, I soak some alfalfa guinea pig pellets, they like any fruits, like banana, pears, and apples. : : I give them this vitamin formula called v/m/a once a week (that doesnt' have any animal protien cause I read that you can't give them too much protien,) they also eat hibiscus flowers that I can get from a florest. I heard rose petals are good for them too... but they have no interest in them... : : They are in a 4'x3' opened latex aquarium that my friend built for me. I keep their room between 75 to 80 degrees and make sure that the area is arid. They have a heat mat under their bed area, and I have two uvb lighting for them. : : Now the only thing is I have no idea where to get calcium supplements and the Vets I have gone to are CLUELESS!!!! and I taken fresh stools to one vet and asked them to do a stool sample and found no parasites... and the pets store more clueless. : : The more I read about leopard tortoises, I have a feeling these are wild caught. I bought them from a pet store out in the boonies of NY cause I felt so sorry for them because they where in such a tiny little fish bowl!!! : Hi, when you say soft shell, how soft exactly. Are you talking about the carapace ( top shell) or the plastron ( bottom shell).? : Can you take them outside during the day, I have 3 leopards, 2 babies ( only 2") and a sub adult 8". The babies have their own outdoor pen 6'-6'. During the day they go outside in the pen. Ok I live in Hawaii, so it's possible year round! But even if it is only warm enough in the summer or for a few hours a day, nothing is better for you torts than natural sunlight.Dont put them outside in a tank or small container( it will overheat quickly) But build them a good size pen. You can make a pen with fencing boards. Sink the bottom boards in the ground a couple of inches so they cant escape under. With 12 boards 8' long, you can build a good size pen fairly cheaply. Make sure they have hiding places , sun and shade. : For calcium I use Rep cal phosphorous free calcium with Vit d. You should be able to get it from a local pet store. Sprinkle it on the greens about 2-3 times a week. You can also give them cuttle bones to chew on. Take the hard backing of and leave the softer part in their enclosure. They will chew on it as they need it. : Go easy on the fruit, I give no fruit to my leopards at all. Like sulcatas fibre is very important so grazing outside on pestiside and fertilizer free grass is a good way to provide fibre. You can also clip grass and add it to their greens. : Romaine lettuce is good, but instead of the red and green lettuce I would feed them endive, and watercress, a small amount of collard greens , chicory, dandelions, opuntia cactus pads. : The red and green lettuce does not provide much nutricion.And fruits are too high in sugar, not good for them. : So change the diet , adding endive ,watercress , etc. Cut back on the fruits, sprinkle with the rep cal ( go easy on the vit powder calcium is more important) give them a cuttle bone( with the hard back removed) and make sure they go outside when it's warm enough. : Best of luck, Terry. : To find a vet try these sites. : http://www.sonic.net/melissk/society.html#societies : : http://members.home.net/frankgould/veterinarians.htm

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