What to feed your baby leopard tortoise | happytortoises

This is a video on what I recommend feeding your hatchling/young leopard tortoise. There are many conflicting and confusing views on what to feed leopard tortoises on the internet and some information can actually harm your tortoise, so this video is to give you the basic guidelines on what I recommend feeding your hatchling leopard tortoise to give it the best start in life.
Although the video is quite lengthy it does go into lots of detail on this topic and hopefully will make this often confusing subject easier to understand.
Please post any questions you have in the comments below and subscribe if you want to see more videos. Also, please feel free to share with me and others your knowledge and experiences relating to feeding your leopard tortoises.
My other videos I've referenced in this video:
"Hatchling leopard tortoises - getting ready for your baby tortoise" - • Getting set-up for you...
"Hatchling leopard tortoises - weighing and measuring" = • Video
"Grow your own tortoise food" = coming soon!
My Links:
INSTAGRAM : / happytortoises

[@Kronby1]

I have dreamt of owning my own tortoise since i was 4 years old (19 years now) and have therefore done alot of studying. I pretty much knew everything in this guide, but i have had to gather my info from atleast 15 different places. This is without doubt the most complete guide i have seen and therefore in my opinion the best, well done.

[@jackpepper2501]

Brilliant! Grow the grasses and plants in a tray to allow natural feeding for the baby leopard tortoise. Never would have thought of that. Thank you for sharing.

[@happytortoises]

No problem! Thanks for your comment 😊

[@beckybarnes1484]

Excellent vids. Been keeping a hatchling leopard for just over a year. It appears to be thriving and growing well and will continue to do so with guidance from these videos. 😀

[@TheNox1138]

Thank you very much for this video! I love hearing about how you prepare your little ones food. You are awesome!

[@melbellejames3524]

I have read/researched/watched many articles/videos in preparation for the arrival of my baby leopard tortoise and your videos have been the most helpful and informative by far - so factual yet without an overload to the brain! Thank you very much.

[@happytortoises]

Aw thank-you so much for the lovely feedback! 🙏😊 I'm so pleased you've found my videos useful in getting ready for your new arrival! 🐢😍 When does he/she arrive?

[@melbellejames3524]

I can collect Stanley as soon as my set-up is complete - which I am almost there!

[@happytortoises]

Very exciting! Cute name! 🐢😍

[@redefv]

This is amazing info. I live in Gilbert, Arizona. Gilbert was the hay capitol of America circa 1920 when the town was first incorporated. The town still exports a lot of hay. I grow a massive amount of hibiscus too.

[@marlonb.8243]

This is very helpful and straightforward. Thank you.

[@happytortoises]

Thanks so much for the lovely feedback & glad you found the video helpful 🙏😊

[@lenipavoni2823]

Great video, glad I watched it all, great to find out what to feed them in the winter 😊

[@happytortoises]

Leni Pavoni aw, thanks for your lovely comment! & pleased you enjoyed it! 😁👍💚🐢

[@Eclecticgirl17]

Thank you do much!!!!!! You are a life saver. Good work!

[@happytortoises]

Thanks for your lovely feedback, I really appreciate it... and I'm pleased you found the video useful 😁💚🐢

[@elliotwicander1978]

love your videos keep it up:) you have helped me so much whit my leopard tortoise

[@happytortoises]

Thank-you so much for the lovely and encouraging feedback 🙏 😁💚 Very pleased that you have found my videos useful 💚🐢

[@joelireland5477]

Thanks for the pointers, my leopard is coming thursday next week. cannot wait.

[@happytortoises]

you're welcome! 😊 Hope your leopard tortoise is settling in OK!

[@levipartridge8361]

watched most of your videos enjoyed them very informing

[@happytortoises]

Thanks so much for your comment and lovely feedback, really appreciate it 🙏 😁💚

[@MrFuturehistory]

Hey... Thanks a lot for all the info in this video!

[@happytortoises]

No problem! I know it's a long video to watch but hopefully has some useful info and tips in there 😊

[@andersnrregren9087]

So good info

[@Lalofrancom]

Great!! Very helpful!!

[@happytortoises]

Thanks for your feedback! I'm glad you found it helpful 😊

[@celiasy7509]

Thank you your attentive explication and profession advice, it that possible to make à vidéo on indian star turtle feeding ?

[@kingaborycka1578]

Thank you I found this video very useful to feed my baby leopard tortoise

[@happytortoises]

Thanks for your comment - I'm glad you found it useful 😊

[@TV-vh8de]

i Really enjoyed your video. In Korea most of people feed chicory as main dish, but you didn't mention in video. what do you think?

[@zerofootprints7807]

Thank you 🐢❤️🐢

[@happytortoises]

You're welcome! 😊🐢

[@anncarey8587]

Hi, thank you for your videos, they are very informative and the best we have watched. Last week we acquired our two male 18 month old Leopard Tortoises. They came with a vivarium which isn't suitable and we have bought them a large guinea pig cage. Could you please tell us the best heat lamp and uva/uvb set up to buy for them. As autumn is approaching we will keep them indoors over winter but once we are into spring we will convert the summer house for them so they can live outdoors. Will they be old enough by then to live outside with the correct warmth ? We will be keeping them in the conservatory which does drop cold at night and will be difficult to keep at 20+ deg. Our intention is to enclose an area of approx 2' x 2' x 18" using a heat lamp for warmth. Their bedtime temperature at the moment is 25 deg. Would this be sufficient for them and can they still have access to the rest of the table. Also how many times a day should we be feeding them. As they are grazers we are feeding 4-5 times a day, is this too much ? Thank you very much for your time, Ann and Tom

[@Vyzinn]

thx

[@justinsaad5802]

Can you also tell us how to take care of different age groups (juvenile adult ect )

[@happytortoises]

Thanks for your comment and great video suggestion. Yes of course, I'll add that to my video list 😊

[@tristanbrooks3287]

Would you advise for or against planting my tortoises enclosure with all the nessesary plants/weeds/cactus that would be in their natural habitat and just supplement where nessesary? I live in South Africa and will hopefully be getting 2 hatchling leopard tortoises soon...

[@avinashcj398]

Hello, hope you ae doing well, all the way from India whos is very passionate on tortoise and their evolution, I have planned adopt yearling leopard tortoise under the species stigmachelys pardalis babcoki. I would be very happy if you guide me little more and walk with me as i dont have anyone whos gonna help me out nearby my place,im all dependent on yours videos, very much useful information but its very hard to match againt My place where i belong. Hoping to see your reply soon. Great thanks for these videos and informations. To be frank never spent this much time on anyother video just seeing slideshow and a person speaking. Really interesting how you present it and walk thru it. Thanks once again. Happy tortoise living.

[@shellysaphira7274]

i found a sample pack of hays that had oat hay is oat hay ok for leopard tortoises?

[@tasharae888]

Thank uuu 🐢💚

[@happytortoises]

No problem! Glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@bentleyangeldekao7768]

8:34 what is the plant labeled Mind your own Business 🤣

[@5amaz394]

I had to search it up. Apparently that's the name of the plant it's also called "baby's tears" too😂

[@stephaniereynoso4953]

My 6 month old leopard tortoise has been pretty lethargic, eyes are closed often, shell is just starting to soften. He has been on a steady diet of Timothy hay & skinless prickly cactus, soaked regularly throughout the week, UVB & heat bulbs are new. Not sure what I am doing wrong. Any suggestions? Worried he won't make it.

[@robertshank9778]

Thank you for this video, I'm about to add one of these beautiful lil guys to my family...

[@happytortoises]

You're welcome! I'm glad you found it helpful! Good luck with your new additional 😊

[@hssportsinmichigan]

I want to grow timothy hay, dandelion in the enclosure, I saw a video they did that. After watching your video, I am switching Timothy to Orchard grass or Crab grass

[@happytortoises]

Thanks for your message - glad you've found the video helpful. Love that you're giving them fresh, high fibre foods (& they'll love it too!) 😊💚🐢

[@danieliusseibakas8503]

What is the age when the hatchling is no more a hatchling? Does the feeding change once they are older?

[@leemarshall8291]

Would you feed your hatchling a serving once a day of food the same size as it’s shell like you shown

[@happytortoises]

yes I would offer that sized portion of food to a hatchling 😊 If they have just hatched they may not eat straight away, until their egg sac has been absorbed.

[@cuteanimals6730]

I have the 3 cut of Timothy hay but I am going to grow Timothy grass 😁

[@happytortoises]

Brilliant! 😊 your tortoise will love it (& it grows quickly!) 😊💚🐢

[@joaopedroanjos2769]

So you don’t advise to leave the food there all day? Because mine doesn’t eat everything so I just leave it there and he eats it throughout the day

[@happytortoises]

Yes I leave the food there all day and clear away any uneaten food each evening 😊

[@hayangakoyatakiko6904]

my red foot tort won't really eat any veggies only fruits :( since the day I got her I've been laying different types of veggies on the plate I'm a bit worried now

[@happytortoises]

Redfoot tortoises can tolerate fruits but it's always best to give as part of a varied diet. Have you tried feeding any tortoise-safe weeds / flowers rather than veggies? 😊🐢

[@hayangakoyatakiko6904]

happytortoises my tortoise is eating veggies now thank god! I upgraded her to a bigger enclosure and I think much happier! Do you know where I can buy plants for the enclosure here in the USA or website for safe nibble once? Just thought I’d ask

[@happytortoises]

That's great your tortoise is eating a more varied diet now 😊🐢 & she'll love having a bigger enclosure I'm sure! You can buy seeds online for weeds/flowers that are tortoise-safe - if you check out the 'tortoise table plant database' website, it shows which weeds/flowers/shrubs etc are safe for tortoises. I wouldn't recommend buying plants from a garden centre or florist as these are most likely treated with chemicals. Unfortunately I don't know any US suppliers of plants that haven't been treated, but maybe you could ask your local tortoise group? Hope that helps? 😊💚🐢

[@romeoserback]

I noticed carrots aren't mentioned or included. Is it safe?

[@happytortoises]

weeds and flowers (& grasses!) are best for leopards, however the very occasional pinch of grated carrot should be OK. There's a website called 'tortoise table plant database' that you may find helpful to search for other foods to see if they're safe or not 😊💚🐢

[@nscshd]

I am always give my pardalis caisim & letuce, is that ok ?

[@happytortoises]

romaine lettuce is OK as part of a varied diet (along with the usual grasses). I'm not sure what caisim is? If this is bok choy, then OK to feed in moderation 😊

[@alphavixx197]

also my tortoise wont eat the diet food what should I do

[@happytortoises]

Which country are you from? Do you have any tortoise-safe weeds/plants you can try? (a really useful website is the 'tortoise table plant database' that may give some suggestions on other food you can give your tortoise) 💚🐢

[@faizerwan6011]

Just got my baby leopard tortoise, but she don't want to eat timothy hays

[@sdqsdq6274]

why is that you dont feed mazuri diet ?

[@happytortoises]

I prefer to give fresh weeds/flowers/grasses whenever possible. The pellets I use in winter when grasses are limited is the Zoomed Grassland Tortoise Food. I've not tried Mazuri - no reason why other than I've not looked into exactly what is in the pellets! Maybe I should do a video review on pelleted tortoise food at some point if you/others would find it useful?

[@GoldenAgeK9]

Some say leopard tortoises can eat fruits but only a small portion , is this true?

[@happytortoises]

I personally prefer to avoid giving fruits to my leopards as it can cause gut problems/diarrhoea.. I know others feed a small piece of fruit on the odd occasion to leopards (e.g. once a month) 😊🐢

[@eman.elemary]

What about greek tortoises!

[@happytortoises]

I'll be doing videos on greek tortoises soon 😊 They can have the same tortoise-safe weeds and flowers as seen in this video (but no grasses/hays)

[@joaopedroanjos8248]

my baby tortoise loves dandelions, mellowsand lettuce, but that's it! he won't eat hay nor roses or the rest :(

[@happytortoises]

Yes, some tortoises are fussy, but it's worth persisting with a varied diet to keep them healthy. You could try chopping up the 'new' items smaller and mix in well with their favourites 😊

[@kunalmapuskar6075]

how to feed baby stare tortoise

[@happytortoises]

Indian star tortoises have almost the identical diet to leopard tortoises. These are another beautiful species and I hope one day that I will be able to add this species to my collection and then do some videos on their care. 😊💚🐢

[@jasper777777]

They eat the same thing as my rabbits.

[@alphavixx197]

I don't live in the UK though

[@Shin230Shin]

Hello, 😄 We have recently purchased a baby leopard who is 6 months old. We have named him/her dodo. We are equally from U.K, west Yorkshire. May i request you to share any of your contact details, so that we can address our questions or queries related to our dodo's health ? Email address would be fine 😄😄😄.

[@juanriverol7527]

How about cannabis leaves LOL