Leopard tortoise aggression

[DeanMckinney]

Does anyone have any experience with Leopards becoming aggressive with one another in a group setting with lots of space, visual barriers and 2 feeding stations? At what age do juveniles start to show aggression, if anyone has experienced this? I have always kept my animals by themselves but know someone who needs a foster and looking for info to help out. I know the male to female ratio but it seems it's mostly if not all females.

 

[wellington]

I have three leopards, small group. One female two males, thought it was going the other way, but surprise, surprise. I keep them apart in winter. But in 2014 when I moved to my new place with a big yard, I put the two males together. Didn't have the female yet. Lots of room to roam. The two males did fine for most of that summer with mild aggression that was like a bump or two and then they would go about their way. They were 3 at that time. When the female was added in things were okay, until she started to lay in June of last year. She was a little older. The one male took interest. The other make was still behind a bit in maturity, it was a rescue. When he finally caught up in size and a concaved plastron, that's when he took more interest and they had to be seperated. This year for the most part they all lived apart.

 

[wellington]

Btw, if they/you are looking to rehome a female, I'm in need of one. I'm located in Chicago.

 

[Yvonne G]

I have two groups of 1.2 and 1.1. I used to keep them all together until the SA leopards became sexually mature. When they were all together there was no fighting. They lived peaceably with each other.

 

[Tom]

I have the South African variety. All of the males were so aggressive that they had to be separated from the females at 18 months. Then they were so aggressive with each other in the all male group, that I had to separate all of them pretty soon after that. To this day the three males that I kept all have to live alone. They are extremely aggressive and territorial. They come after ME !!! Enclosure size, shape and visual barriers are irrelevant.

Many of the "regular" leopards here in the US are really genetic mixes from multiple localities. In this case, a person very well might see unusual aggression in what they think are "regular" leopards.

So no, there is no guarantee that adults leopards will get along, regardless of sexes, and regardless of the enclosure.

And don't forget a 6-12 month QUARANTINE period with fecal checks and a cloacal swab to check for intranuclear coccidiosis.

 

[Neal]

My experience has been that aggression in the regular type of leopard is not any more or less unusual than the South African variety. Group dynamics, general husbandry, enclosure design, availability of food etc may not make any sort of difference to a relentless aggressor, so I think you would be best off preparing for the possibility of separating individuals.

Males will start to show aggressive behavior soon after they start to develop their sexually dimorphic characteristics (tail grows longer and plastron begins to show concavity). Females tend to tolerate other females well, though can show signs of stress or aggression when they need to lay eggs.

 

[Kaliman1962]

Btw, if they/you are looking to rehome a female, I'm in need of one. I'm located in Chicago.

i'm in north suburbs, i'm looking for a baby leopard would love to exchange info since we live in a harsh winter state

 

[wellington]

Well, if you don't get one by summer/fall I'm hoping to have some.

My leopards live the winter in a heat third stall of our garage that was walled off from the car portion, insulated and heated with a oil filled radiator. During the day they also have a UVB light. They are kept warmer then us humans. Them 75 and up depending on location of temp being taken. Tort tables are usually 80. Us humans, 71-72 LOL
In summer they can come and go into/out of an addition we added to the stall. If needed, summer only its used, their indoor hide box will get heated only with a Che. Looking to do yet another make over. Adding another female and want something better then che for heating hide boxes thru summer and winter to lower the over all temp closer to 75 while providing them a box of at least 80 and then their basking bulb. One of these years I will be happy with the final result.

 

[DeanMckinney]

i'm in north suburbs, i'm looking for a baby leopard would love to exchange info since we live in a harsh winter state

If they rehome I will definitely let you know.