Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a 2.5" baby leopard tortoise that I bought from a reptile show. For the past month he has done great but I just noticed that his face has started to peel, expecially around his eyes. He still eats great but this still worries me. I feed him everyday after he gets soaked for 15 min. The only reason I can think this is happening is he is too dry? I have read that leopards do not like humidity at all but I have also read that people keep there leopards at like medium humidity levels, Any Ideas??? Thanks

The tortoise is most likely just shedding. My Russians do it from time to time, and my sulcatas also do it, but I haven't seen the redfoots do it. I don't personally have any humidity for the tortoises in the house. I don't keep them on bedding in the house because mine usually end up getting bored, and eating the mulch. But they don't eat it outside for some reason.

I'm no expert on leopards, but I don't think you should be soaking them daily. They are after all a desert species and go without water for some time in the wild. Maybe you are soaking him too much? I soak my sulcata once a week and I put shallow water dish in his inclosure so he can go in if he wants and get out if he wants. Most tortoise get most of their water from the food they eat anyway. Maybe some one else on here can chime in with a little more experience with leopards.

Leopards actually drink quite a bit, so daily soaking is necessary. Leopards actually don't come from deserts, but grasslands in South Eastern and Southern Africa. They are usually found about oxbows, lakes, rivers, and any low spot that will collect rain. I remember one particular photo in which some rangers on a patrol photographed a leopard tortoise drinking water from a tire track that had filled with the previous night's rain. Believe it or not, they are actually good swimmers. Highfield's video on keeping leopard tortoises shows one fording a river many times deeper than the animal's length in South Africa. Despite this apparent aquadynamic ability, it is true that they have low tollerance for highly humid environments, though captive ones can develop a fair amount of resilience. Hatchlings and wildcaughts, however, should not be exposed to too much humidity and temperature fluctuation.

T.G.