Beautiful hatchlings amd adults. Looking forward to seeing more of these babies. I can't imagine the work that goes into all of this. It's a labor of love!
Leopards starting to hatch
- Thread starter tortadise
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I did find her history actually. She's 6 years old. The guy could never hatch the eggs(he chunked them after 6 months of incubation) so thought she was infertile. But low and behold her eggs take 8-12 months(depending on incubation method I use). She came from a guy(he couldn't remember his name per the seller) in Arizona from some very large adults. As he described them they fit the PP description. Mother is 25" and father is 22". Funny how some people give up on certain tortoises without researching. However though. I am currently working on genetic testing of other species for another cause. So when I figure all that out, I was going to get her tested against the results used for phylogeographic testing of PP versus PB, so that should be interesting to know if she is pure or not. None the less will fun to see that sort of research done.
Fun indeed, I hope you'll provide as many details as you can through that process.
Your female looks very similar (almost identical) to one I have and one that I sold off about a year ago...both came from a breeder here in AZ as well. Even a few of her hatchlings look identical to the one you just hatched out. I don't want to name drop here, but I would say there is a good chance that our females are from the same source. Having raised them from neonates and discussions with the breeder, I am sure the female I have and the one I sold off are not pure South African leopards. I was not able to confirm if mine were the result of intermingling of SA leopards and regular leopards...or perhaps they are SA leopards, just from a different locality than the type coming out of California.
Not trying to be a killjoy here, I just don't think you have a pure SA leopard. I'd love to be proven wrong though.
WOW! ! ! \
This is so cool! ! !
This is so cool! ! !
phebe121
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I love them so cute i cant wait till mime are old enough to havr babies i love that middle one in the glass bowl
Ah man you did end up selling that female. She was awesome. Almost twin like to mine. Your not killing anything, I'm not 100% certain either. It's a shame really. And now we can't get anymore in, which is sad. I have contacts in SA that would love to send 24-26" animals over for very very cheap. Sigh back in the good OL days. I'd say she has some in her for sure. But will find out when I figure out the protocol and pricing of the genetic testing. The other project kinda supersedes testing her.Fun indeed, I hope you'll provide as many details as you can through that process.
Your female looks very similar (almost identical) to one I have and one that I sold off about a year ago...both came from a breeder here in AZ as well. Even a few of her hatchlings look identical to the one you just hatched out. I don't want to name drop here, but I would say there is a good chance that our females are from the same source. Having raised them from neonates and discussions with the breeder, I am sure the female I have and the one I sold off are not pure South African leopards. I was not able to confirm if mine were the result of intermingling of SA leopards and regular leopards...or perhaps they are SA leopards, just from a different locality than the type coming out of California.
Not trying to be a killjoy here, I just don't think you have a pure SA leopard. I'd love to be proven wrong though.
Well interesting thing as to why I hatch out so many split scute ones is they are kept ambient for the first 3-5 months of incubation. The last 2 clutches which were laid a month and 2 months ago were cooled then incubated. She lays in the early summer when temperatures are warm enough to just leave in the greenhouse ambient. So they fluctuate so much in temperature. I'm going to keep quite a few of those back to raise up to larger individuals before surplussing them. Would be interested myself to find out the sex ratio with the ambient method.
Oh no, didn't sell that big one. Sorry I should have clarified, I sold a smaller female that came from the same breeder and looked just like yours and mine.
Big Jenny is still safe and sound with me. Still growing too.
Ah ok. Was gonna say. Duuuuuude I want dibs LOL. Although they may be sisters ha. How many eggs does jenny throw out annually for you? I got 64 total this year in 4 clutches.
I haven't been keeping records, but this year I hatched out at least 50 of hers.
This year she's laid 3 nests so far and she usually averages 11/clutch. She might lay two more times before calling it quits.
This year she's laid 3 nests so far and she usually averages 11/clutch. She might lay two more times before calling it quits.
Here yah go. Super splitty for sure.
And them next to another one that hatched few weeks ago
phebe121
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Adorable
She is a super beauty.
I love torts with extra scutes!
They just keep pipping out.
Some of the older ones and newer ones soaking it up.
phebe121
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Im so jealous i want babies
And some more. Still haven't gotten into a dent of the eggs remaining to hatch.
phebe121
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Wish mine where old enough to havr babies
It's fun hatching them out.
