Leopard advice please
 

Been asked to foster a leopard for 12 mths while the owner sorts out some personal problems

I've been told that she still just about fits on to a sheet of a4 paper and she is a very good escape artist

So this weekend I will be making her an enclosure on the piece of overgrown ground that I pictured on here recently, which my dad very kindly came and cleared for me this week.
http://upload4.postimage.org/823890/leopard.jpg
As you can see area is currently soil/pea shingle. what is best underfoot for Leopards. Idea is that we will create another wall on right hand side and then move the trellis work from existing left hand fence to new one on right hand side.

I knew this was a possiblilty so I have done some research but I know you guys are experts so thought I would ask for your advice as well before we start construction.

Spoken with Julie (HTS) the plan is to move Leopard into greenhouse once my iberas have hibernated and use that as her winter quarters. Julie is arranging for the owner to purchase a heater to keep the greenhouse warm enough. I already have heat lamps and uv lamps installed in greenhouse.

So what else do I need to know? Food - what is best? what do you feed your leopards. whilst doing research on various Leopard websites seen things like watermelon, carrot, 80% greens ie brussel tops 20% fruit, advice is all very different. TT website states that Leopards are happy to graze on lawn grass but what else can they have?

Leopard is currently in temporary home until we are ready for her. Must admit a bit worried about other thread on Leopards re them dying through stress of moving but I will discuss that with Julie next week

Thanks

Lisa

Re: Leopard advice please
 

Hi Lisa

>As you can see area is currently soil/pea shingle. what is best underfoot for Leopards. >

You will really need to grass it to give her natural grazing (of course with the usual planting etc for shading)

>Spoken with Julie (HTS) the plan is to move Leopard into greenhouse once my iberas have hibernated and use that as her winter quarters. Julie is arranging for the owner to purchase a heater to keep the greenhouse warm enough. I already have heat lamps and uv lamps installed in greenhouse.

I have to say Lisa, it wont be easy heating a greenhouse to a high enough temp during the dead of winter for a leopard. I think you should plan lots of extra insulation in the greenhouse to make it easier. Also perhaps think about heating an enclosed area of the greenhouse such as a large wooden sleeping box and obviously have your basking lamps outside of this. This will then give her the choice of being really toasty in the sleeping box, basking under the lights or cooler areas within the greenhouse.

>So what else do I need to know? Food - what is best? what do you feed your leopards. >

Very high fibre. Lots of grass and hay preferably. If you can get her onto hay, you will find it a god send in the winter. Obviously weeds and flowers can be added to that but as much fibre as possible, more than you give your iberas etc.

And if she is the size of A4 paper or larger,then watch the glass in the greenhouse, as he/she
could do some damage to it and his/herself.
Greenhouses are very difficult to keep hot enough for Leopards. I tried with graecas and only just
managed.

greenhouse is on concrete blocks so that torts cannot see out. it also has a wooden sleep box

we may construct her another house/shed type building as I agree I think the greenhouse will be hard to keep warm enough.
okay what would you guys suggest would be a better winter accomodation


I have a 80' garden which is mainly grass so we can put her out to graze. how about if I plant part of the area with a mixture of weed seeds and grass. what mix should I use and what type of grass. may get a few rolls of turf to start off with. as for weed seeds I have a variety if I do not have it I will buy it. obviously it will take a little while to grow but I can pick weeds until then

as I said I appreciate your advice so please keep it coming. she will not move here until we are set up correctly

thanks again

Lisa

Ahh yes if on concrete blocks then it will be ok, they can hold some heat. Perhaps you could make a sort cover/roof
about halfway up the greenhouse. to pull from one end to the other during the night when its coldest.
Might help keep the heat towards the floor. Bubble wrap does help. Or if possible double bubble wrap.
Not sure I have explained well, but just a few ideas that could work.
I hope others pop up with others for you too<g>.

Sandy thank you it did make sense to me

Although I don't keep Leopards myself, your problem keeping the greenhouse warm in winter is a practicle one I might be able to advise with.

I would make a warm box for inside the greenhouse a bit like a tortoise kennel type mini shed set up, with access to the cooler part of the greenhouse to thermoregulate much the same as Sandy advised.

You could also line the greeenhouse with polstryrene insulation from builders merchants on the glass walls to stop as much heat loss as possible.

Remember its easier to keep smaller areas hot than bit open spaces so sub divide the greenhouse up almost into rooms for hot, warm and cool areas.

Hope this of some help to you. And also well done for being a foster Mum.

Ade :D

Thank you

hubby is carpenter should have put my brain in gear we have loads of the polystyrene insulation sheets laying around why didn't I think of that :lol:

I am a carpenter too thats what I would do myself.

Should have a great job done with professional as other half anyway. You will have to post pics of the greenhouse being transformed.

Ade :D

had a word with other half ..................... so looks like saturday will be construction day fingers crossed nothing else more important comes up. so will hopefully have some pictures to post over weekend

so saturday I need - no rain, hubby in good mood, kids occupied, few materials and hopefully it will result in a nice new tortoise enclosure.

so keep your fingers crossed for me