Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can you guys help me out im looking at all the literatre but it doesn't give exact answers. What are the best substrates to use? What is the best diet? Right basking temp? Right
Ambient temp? Just everything a first time tort owners needs for a leopard. Thank you

There are no exact answers. Unless you wish to re-create the leopard's environment in Africa - wild hyenas and all.

Beyond that you need to continue reading and try to find some consensus. If they are telling you to feed the tortoise marshmallows and hot dogs - obviously it's a bad source.

If they tell you that tortoise's don't need to drink water - that they'll get all of their moisture from their food - then that's a bad source.

But if they say feed them grasses, hay, and a variety of greens, and maybe a little pelletted food, then that's OK.

Don't use walnut shells or pine/cedar for a substrate.

Sources I trust are www.tortoisetrust.org, www.tortoise.org, www.chelonia.org. If you can get some old Reptiles mags, Ed Pirog had an article on leopards a few years back.

So read, read, read. Then synthesize. Avoid the real whacky ones (hot dogs and walnut shells!) and then ask us more specific questions. You won't get far if you ask us to tell you EVERYTHING!

You'll be OK.

email me directly and I'll send you a copy of the article on Leopards. It should answer all your questions but I highly recommend that you continue your research.
pirog@cox.net

>>Can you guys help me out im looking at all the literatre but it doesn't give exact answers. What are the best substrates to use? What is the best diet? Right basking temp? Right
>>Ambient temp? Just everything a first time tort owners needs for a leopard. Thank you
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care