Little leo no more

My new leopard tort, the replacement for the first one that died, has died as well. I am now asking questions on Facebook about the breeder and unfortunately he does have a reputation as a bad breeder of all reptiles, not just leo torts. People in the group where I'm posting are sad and angry and has also pointed me towards a good breeder here in Sweden.

I am very very grateful for all your help!!!! *hugs* I now have enough info to make a good decision on a leo tort and know how to set everything up properly from the start. I have not given up on the leos, just need to take a breather and look and plan better than before.

The heating and lighting won't be money thrown away, they will be used, either for a new leo (depening on size) or for Medusa or some of the other "kritters" here at home.

Once again - thank you all for your help!

I am so sorry.
Poor little tort.

Sorry to hear that. Unfortunately there are breeders out there just in it for the money. Do some research and find a good breeder to try again.

You tried. You did everything you could for the baby, but you were not able to overcome the damage that the breeder did. Sorry that this happened, and wishing the best for you going forward.

It too bad more "breeders" won't spend the time as you did researching the newest and best proven techniques. I think many have no idea the extent of the damage they do as they sell off hatchlings before the real results of what they're doing becomes evident.

I'm so sorry about poor little Leo

My sincere apologies. That is just such a bummer. In my anecdotal observation, this seems to be more common with leopards. I'm not sure if they are more delicate or just have more persistent bad information following them around. In my own research, I have got some mixed Leo info from breeders that I would consider solid in regards to other species. I'm currently looking (slowly) for a hatchling and I think your methodical approach will serve you well.
Cheers!

SteveW said:

My sincere apologies. That is just such a bummer. In my anecdotal observation, this seems to be more common with leopards. I'm not sure if they are more delicate or just have more persistent bad information following them around. In my own research, I have got some mixed Leo info from breeders that I would consider solid in regards to other species. I'm currently looking (slowly) for a hatchling and I think your methodical approach will serve you well.
Cheers!

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I do think you're right in that so many breeders follow old advice and that the leos are more delicate in the beginning.

I made mistakes, of course I did, but the breeder was hard to get info from and that certainly didn't help. The facebook thread is not fun... the breeder has his supporters and seem to think that the deaths were all my fault. Some say that it was wrong to get a pretty little tort when I didn't know how delicate baby leos are... they say I should have gotten one that was a year old... accordig to the paper, they were over a year old. Those people seem to miss the size, weight and age info I gave when I started the thread on FB. It's hard to wade through the more agressively defencive of the breeder posts, but I have to. I wish I could throw Tom at them, and Mark as well, just to make them listen to the facts.

Reptilian Feline said:

I do think you're right in that so many breeders follow old advice and that the leos are more delicate in the beginning.

I made mistakes, of course I did, but the breeder was hard to get info from and that certainly didn't help. The facebook thread is not fun... the breeder has his supporters and seem to think that the deaths were all my fault. Some say that it was wrong to get a pretty little tort when I didn't know how delicate baby leos are... they say I should have gotten one that was a year old... accordig to the paper, they were over a year old. Those people seem to miss the size, weight and age info I gave when I started the thread on FB. It's hard to wade through the more agressively defencive of the breeder posts, but I have to. I wish I could throw Tom at them, and Mark as well, just to make them listen to the facts.

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Some of these people are only after your money.
They didn't ask your experience but still sold you the baby leopard and then said it was your fault for not having experience ?
Paaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!!!

To be honest, he asked if I wanted a care sheet, and I said I had read many of them online already, and said that little ones needed more humidity in their hides and he said "yes, they do" and seemed fine with that. That was before I came here to find out how to really do it. I doupt the care sheet would have helped.

But you're right, Adam, he should have asked about my experiense of tortoises and leopards in particular.

So sorry to hear this. It certainly wasn't your fault. Best wishes going forward!

So to hear. If you try again my advice would be a yearling or older tort.

So very sorry. I think if you find a good breeder that starts them out right, you will find they are not quit so delicate.

Raymo2477 said:

So to hear. If you try again my advice would be a yearling or older tort.

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They were supposed to be over a year old.

I was given a link to a breeder in Sweden, but my hubby wanted a redfoot, and the herp shop we visit had them so I'm going to be a redfoot momma soon and they are both more than a year old and from a good breeder. I will get my bearings back, get more cofident about torts, and then maybe in a few years, when the dogs are no more, a new leo might find home with us.