Question about Leopards

[Greg T]

My adult male has been chasing one of my females around for most of the summer and mounting her several times, with eth last time this past weekend. This summer is the first time he's really shown himself and started mounting often. Question is now - what should I look for in case he managed to make something happen? Any different activities, characteristics I should watch for in her? A certain timeframe before she might try to lay eggs? I'm not sure she is even ready, but I'd like to know what I may expect just in case.

All information and opinions would be appreciated.

 

[Neal]

I usually don't even realize my females have nested until I see them the next day with dried mud all over their back end. If she is going to lay eggs, you may notice that shortly before hand she will become restless or you may see a few test holes dug. This may be hard to notice though if your tortoises are very active to begin with.

Most females usually have an egg laying season. A lot of ours in the Southwest nest in the early summer and last through the fall with nests dug every 3 - 6 weeks, but it can happen any time of year. If you know of any other leopard breeders in your area, I would contact them to see when their females typically nest. I'm not sure of any time frame of when mating occurs and when a female can lay fertile eggs.

 

[tortadise]

How big is she and he? Usually they have to start a egg cycle, ounce they develope and are ready to be dropped the female will usually dig test holes with her rear legs. No way of telling until she starts getting restleaa and digs around. Sometimes year one is a bunk, but will begin an egg cycle and start around each time every year. Usually female leopards can start laying around 10-11".

 

[Eweezyfosheezy]

I've only ever seen one test hole made by my females. Look out for them constantly sniffing the ground and pacing throughout the whole backyard. They will also be up and around later than usual, all of my leo's all hunker down for the night at around the same time of each other so if I see one of them up significantly later I know what's going on. Also watch out for your females mounting the others and a loss of appetite.

 

[jtrux]

We need pics of the torts Greg!

 

[Greg T]

I've only ever seen one test hole made by my females. Look out for them constantly sniffing the ground and pacing throughout the whole backyard. They will also be up and around later than usual, all of my leo's all hunker down for the night at around the same time of each other so if I see one of them up significantly later I know what's going on. Also watch out for your females mounting the others and a loss of appetite.

Thanks for all the input! They are both about 12" now. The female is a year or two older and hasn't laid eggs before. The male just came into his own this year and started acting like a teenager. You mentioned the female mounting the male, which I have seen a few times lately. She has chased and mounted him a few times, which I thought was strange or just payback. They do have their own territories in the backyard, so I'll keep an eye on her and where she wanders now.

Here's the last time I caught them together.

 

[jtrux]

Anything else come of this?

 

[Greg T]

I guess not. She has been acting normally and I haven't seen any test holes. They are going between their night enclosure in the garage and daytime outside because the temps have finally dropped below 50 at night for now, so I don't know if that will have any affect on her. Maybe something will happen next spring...

 

[Greg T]

Just like you said Eweezy, she started pacing back and forth down the fenceline about 2 weeks ago - actually made a trail down to dirt and wne I had to bring her inside, she paced her enclosure late at night. She finally dug a hole one evening, but gave up. The she dug another one the next night, but gave up. Through the next week she dug a few half holes and then she dug a nice deep one and when I got home, she had laid 11 eggs. Neal has been helping me through this. So now the eggs are tucked safely in an incubator just waiting to see how it turns out.

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[wellington]

Congrats. Hope you get 11 healthy beautiful leopards. Don't forget to share pics of them with us.

 

[Eweezyfosheezy]

Congratulations! Hopefully they are fertile for you, because those adults are beautiful.