Leopard Tortoise — Fact Sheet

Stigmochelys pardalis · Leopard Tortoise

📋 At a glance

🏠 Enclosure

• Outdoor summer enclosure strongly recommended; adults need major floor space
• Indoor adult minimum: very large heated pen; 200 x 100 cm is only a bare minimum
• Juveniles: open tortoise table, upgraded as they grow
• Substrate: dry soil/sand mix with some digging depth
• Avoid: small glass tanks, damp substrate, weak UVB, slippery floors

🪨 Enclosure furniture

• Hot basking zone + dry cool zone + hides + shade
• Flat stones, dry grasses, edible weeds, visual barriers
• Outdoor grass enclosure is ideal in warm weather

💡 Lighting

• UVB essential indoors
• Best: T5 HO UVB plus separate basking heat or a measured mercury vapor system
• Outdoor direct sun is excellent; glass/plastic blocks UVB
• Photoperiod: 10-12 h with seasonal adjustment; no night light

🌡️ Temperature

• Basking spot: 45-50 °C

• Warm zone: 28-32 °C

• Cool zone: 20-24 °C

• Night: 18-22 °C

• Do not allow prolonged drops below 15 °C

• Use a wide gradient and measure basking surface directly

• Avoid hibernation, damp chill, and heat rocks

💧 Humidity & water

• Adults: low to moderate humidity, usually 30-50%
• Hatchlings: slightly higher humidity, usually 50-60%, plus humid hide
• Shallow clean water dish always available
• Juveniles: weekly short lukewarm soaks
• Avoid chronically wet substrate and stagnant air

🥬 Diet

Feed freely:

• Grass hay: timothy, meadow, orchard grass
• Fresh grasses and safe wild weeds
• Dandelion (Taraxacum spp.)
• Plantain (Plantago spp.)
• Mallow (Malva spp.)
• Hibiscus and mulberry leaves

In moderation:

• Clover (Trifolium spp.)
• Endive, chicory, arugula
• Pumpkin, carrot, sweet potato, spineless Opuntia

Avoid:

• Fruit
• Animal products, dog/cat food, dairy, bread
• Legumes and cabbage in large amounts

Supplements:

• Cuttlefish bone available at all times
• Calcium dusting for juveniles and females; UVB still required

🩺 Health — warning signs

• Shell pyramiding → diet, humidity, hydration, or UVB problem
• Soft shell → UVB/calcium deficit
• Nasal discharge or wheezing → respiratory disease
• Swollen eyes → dehydration, infection, vitamin issue
• Refusal to eat → temperature, stress, disease
• Obesity → too little space or too rich diet

Consult a reptile-experienced vet for respiratory signs, shell deformity, injury, repeated weakness, or prolonged anorexia.