Leopard Tortoise Care

Leopard Tortoise Care
By Abhijit Naik

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Among the various tortoise species popular as pets, the American leopard tortoise is one of the largest. The article will throw some light on leopard tortoise care with special emphasis on its habitat and diet in captivity.

The leopard tortoise, sometimes referred to as the African leopard tortoise, is a tortoise species native to the African Savannas, right from Sudan to the southern Cape. The fact that they are amongst the largest tortoise species in the world doesn't hold people back from keeping leopard tortoises as pets. On an average this tortoise species can live for approximately 50 years in captivity, however, if proper care is taken, they are known to live longer. Before we move on to how to care for a leopard tortoise, you need to go through some of the basic facts about these creatures.

Leopard Tortoise Facts

The fourth largest species of tortoise in the world, the leopard tortoise can grow up to 18 inches in length and weigh approximately 18 lbs. Though this is the average size for this species, individuals much bigger than this have also been seen. These shy creatures are herbivorous in nature, most often feeding on a mix of dry and green grass. When it comes to breeding, leopard tortoises in captivity attain sexual maturity much earlier than their counterparts in the wild. One of the most important aspects of leopard tortoise care is providing them with a habitat similar to that in the wild.

Leopard Tortoise Habitat and Distribution

The leopard tortoise is found in several African nations, including Sudan, Namibia, Ethiopia, Angola, Botswana and Zambia. Being a grazing species of tortoise, the leopard tortoise species generally favor semi-arid and grassland habitat. Though they do inhabit regions with significant rainfall, the cases are quite rare. The species do not dig the ground, unless when it comes to laying eggs. In case of extreme temperatures, however, they do take shelter in the holes abandoned by some other animals.

Leopard Tortoise Care

If you intend to keep a leopard tortoise as a pet, the first thing you will have to do is to buy a leopard tortoise hatchling carefully. Make sure that the hatchling you choose has clean and glossy eyes, as cloudy eyes are signs of ill health in tortoise species. Given below are some more aspects of pet care, you need to take into consideration when keeping leopard tortoises as pets.

Habitat in Captivity: The habitat for your pet tortoise should be as similar as the natural habitat for this animal. An outdoor captive habitat is ideal, especially if you live in a region with a warm and dry climate. The substrate for your pet leopard tortoise habitat should ideally include bark, soft sand and dry grass.

Heat and Light: Supply adequate heat and light for your pet using a 100 watt UVB lamp, and a 60 watt red heat lamp. The ideal temperature should be between 80ºF - 85ºF. It is better if you monitor the temperature of your pet habitat, and ensure that it doesn't drop below 70ºF or exceed 100ºF, both of which can turn out to be harmful.

Leopard Tortoise Diet: Another important constituent of your pet leopard tortoise care sheet is their diet. Being herbivores, leopard tortoises are mostly known to feed on grass. However, you can include some fruits in their diet as well. One thing to make a note of is that your pet leopard tortoise diet should not include too much of wet matter, as this may lead to digestive problems.

This was a brief information about leopard tortoise species, with special emphasis on how to care for a leopard tortoise. If you follow the various attributes of leopard tortoise care provided in this article, your pet tortoise will undoubtedly stay healthy, and live a long life.