Hi, I'm new to the forum. Ive just been given a 16 yrs old leopard tortoise. He lives indoors but goes out on sunny/warm days. I've been reading all sorts on the internet and have lots of questions.
Does he need a basking lamp?
We have a night thermostat so the temp in the house never goes below 11C

Is he ok just sleeping in a corner of the room? Last night he slept between a radiator and dog bed !

Can i feed him anything other than cabbage? - are there things i shouldn't give him ( i know he shouldn't have fruit)
He doesn't seem to be eating much at the mo, Ive been giving him 2/3 leaves a day - but sometimes it doesn't look like its been touched - only walked thru'- I chop it up and put it in a low dish.
He is use to drinking/ eating out of a dog bowl

How often does he need a calcium/ vit D supplement ?
I'd welcome any advise
Thx

hi im new aswell before you got him how did he live?

Hi,
He lived in a conservatory- he didn't have any lamps or anything other than an oil filled radiator in the winter. He went outside on warmer days.

Just want to make sure i'm doing everything right so he'll be happy and healthy with us !

hi i dont keep leopards myself as there too big and need alot of space,but i do think this tortoise needs an enclosure making with heat lamps and uv,i think alot of leopard owners use heated sheds or out building for adults,also i would look into his diet as it needs to be more weeds and grass i would have a look on the tortoise trust website they have alot of good information on there hope this helps you a little

Thanks for that i'll check out the website.

Hi I keep leopards too!
I find they need a lot of heat! Mine are in a large enclosure with 2x 250watt heat bulbs- I also let them outside on the sunny days in summer, and let them run about the house when they are active.
Ideally they need to be kept at 28-37 deg C. Otherwise they can get running noses which are very hard to clear- and often need antibiotics- and the cold can lead to far more serious problems.
I feed mine zoomed grassland pellets (soaked)- its specially formulated for leopards... as well as a wide variety of food- dark green leaves- (not iceberg lettuce), i do give them small amounts of fruit occasionally- as they do eat fruits in the wild- pear, raspberries, strawberries, banana, apple, tomato.. Also dandelion leaves and grass. Go to a reputable reptile pet shop and they will recommend a calcium/vitamin powder to sprinkle on top.
I also bathe my tortoise weekly or fortnightly-- so that they can get hydrated- if the tortoise isn't that active its important to do this. Sometimes when you first get them they can be shy and inactive so get a large bath or basin to fit and fill it with luke warm water- ensure your tort can stick his head up and let him soak for 15-20 mins.. you can pour the water over his shell. then completely dry him off- best to put him under the heat lamp as well so he is 100% dry.

Hope this helps!
All the best with him!
Oh-- can i ask what size he is if he's 16 years?
Thanks