Leopard Tortoise

[Neddy]

Leo's don't hibernate but it isn't unusual for them to slow down at this time of year.

What do you feed exactly on a daily basis? I have recently introduced pellets now I know there are some strong opinions about this but he seems a lot happier and has put on weight which is great, plus I know he is getting the right nutrients.

Just a thought

[Burgers]

I feed him a whole bunch of weed every day that I collect from outside. I give him some that is roughly the same size as him so it's a decent size heap. But it just goes to waste because he won't even look at it

However I DID get him to eat a bit of banana today I know it's bad and can lead to fatty liver etc etc he has it very very little and if he eats something even if it is bad happy!

He hates pellets with a passion he always has done when he was little I used to feed him pellets but my vet said they were bad so I weened him of them (that was a task in itself!!!) and now he is off it he doesn't even touch it now he would sooner walk through it than eat it! So I'm afraid pellets are a no go to

[EJ]

Find another vet. If the tortoise was on pellets it would have the energy it needs given the proper environmental conditions or it would have the reserves to survive hibernating the winter... Leopards do hibernate in the parts of its range that requires it... Just like every chelonian.

Originally Posted by Burgers

I feed him a whole bunch of weed every day that I collect from outside. I give him some that is roughly the same size as him so it's a decent size heap. But it just goes to waste because he won't even look at it

However I DID get him to eat a bit of banana today I know it's bad and can lead to fatty liver etc etc he has it very very little and if he eats something even if it is bad happy!

He hates pellets with a passion he always has done when he was little I used to feed him pellets but my vet said they were bad so I weened him of them (that was a task in itself!!!) and now he is off it he doesn't even touch it now he would sooner walk through it than eat it! So I'm afraid pellets are a no go to

[Evie]

My male slows right down in winter - he barely eats and stays in the sleeping area of the enclosure for most of the day.

[Burgers]

Aparently the pellets can lead to increased growth and can make a tortoise grow to quickly when it's younger so that and the vets advice lead me to stop using them plus I have access to all sorts of wild plants all year round and I figure why settle for imitation stuff when I have all the reall things right outside my window

[EJ]

That's aparently not true for those that actually use such diets. You would not be 'settling' for a nutritionally balanced diet. You would be providing a known nutritionally balanced diet. Where as with a plant based diet the risks of either providing too much of a bad thing or not enough of a good thing is so much greated.

I'm not having a problem with my tortoises feeding and acting normally.

Originally Posted by Burgers

Aparently the pellets can lead to increased growth and can make a tortoise grow to quickly when it's younger so that and the vets advice lead me to stop using them plus I have access to all sorts of wild plants all year round and I figure why settle for imitation stuff when I have all the reall things right outside my window

[longbowassassin]

Originally Posted by EJ

Find another vet. If the tortoise was on pellets it would have the energy it needs given the proper environmental conditions or it would have the reserves to survive hibernating the winter... Leopards do hibernate in the parts of its range that requires it... Just like every chelonian.

Do you advocate hibernating a leopard tortoise ?

[EJ]

I do not advocate hibernating Leopards, Sulcatas... but I do it based on my own experience. It can be very risky but it can be done.

Originally Posted by longbowassassin

Do you advocate hibernating a leopard tortoise ?

[Levi]

Originally Posted by longbowassassin

Do you advocate hibernating a leopard tortoise ?

Ed likes to mention that he hibernates 'Non-Hibernating Species' occasionally, that's Redfoots, Leopards and Sulcatas. (for up to 6 months)

http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...&postcount=108

As far as I know some keepers just keep them cool, above 10°C I believe. They do this for convenience in the winter months, too many torts too little space and it saves money on heating etc. (Either that or they are just experimenting on them !)

Considering hibernation of any species is not a necessity I really can't see why they "risk" it ?

Surely the obvious answer is to have less tortoises rather than try hibernate non-hibernating species or build bigger better winter housing for them. I'm not sure what Ed's current opinion on hibernation is but this is what he said last November.

"I don't approve of hibernation. It is not a necessity.

I do not condemn those who do choose to hibernate... but I don't approve of the practice."

http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...&postcount=115

It will be interesting to see if anything has changed this year, if I don't approve of something I generally don't do it.

[EJ]

This is pretty presumptuous of you.

I'm glad I have friends who know me so well they can speak for me and my actions. Hale to the all knowing keepers of the tortoise world... I salute you (and you know the salute I'm offering).

I just realized... you take policing to a whole new incredible level... I salute you again.

Originally Posted by Levi

Ed likes to mention that he hibernates 'Non-Hibernating Species' occasionally, that's Redfoots, Leopards and Sulcatas. (for up to 6 months)

http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...&postcount=108

As far as I know some keepers just keep them cool, above 10°C I believe. They do this for convenience in the winter months, too many torts too little space and it saves money on heating etc. (Either that or they are just experimenting on them !)

Considering hibernation of any species is not a necessity I really can't see why they "risk" it ?

Surely the obvious answer is to have less tortoises rather than try hibernate non-hibernating species or build bigger better winter housing for them. I'm not sure what Ed's current opinion on hibernation is but this is what he said last November.

"I don't approve of hibernation. It is not a necessity.

I do not condemn those who do choose to hibernate... but I don't approve of the practice."

http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...&postcount=115

It will be interesting to see if anything has changed this year, if I don't approve of something I generally don't do it.