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    Why is my Leopard Tortoise so small at 15 years old?

    Hi all, attached are pictures of my 11-15 year old leopard tortoise. Some background information; I am actually a former zookeeper and specialized in saltwater aquatics and reptiles. I've worked with many shelled friends, from sea turtles to baby desert tortoises. For my husband and my 1 yr...
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    Winter outdoors in Southern California

    Earlier in the year we purchased a home in Eastern San Diego. This is our first winter season here. Because we are in eastern county, it gets very hot during the summer and very cool during the winter (in comparison to the rest of southern california). My Leopard has always lived outdoors in a...
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    Tortoise Indentification

    I work at a small nature center that has two Desert tortoises... or so we think. They are both adult males, approx. 20 years or age. The facility has had them since before I have worked there and they acquired them through a person that was relinquishing them. One of them is for sure a...
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    Help me improve my outdoor enclosure- looks so blah!

    I have had my male leopard tortoise for 1 year now, he is approximately 5 years old. He lives outdoors full time, except for during the winter time where he gets to stay in the guest bathroom, and even then... it's SoCal. I am wondering what I can do to spruce up his enclosure. It used to...
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    Outdoor tortoise HOUSE suggestions?

    Hi all! I have a 5 yr old (guesstimate) male Leopard tortoise who lives fully outdoors. He has a 12'x12' pen with a little house that I made for him to go in to at night. It is plywood on the bottom and the top half is a plastic bin. The two pieces are connected by hinges so I can lift up...
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    Difference between the subspecies of Leopard Tortoises

    Can anyone explain to me the different subspecies of leopards? I was told I have the "smaller" type of leopard tortoise. I attached a picture below of my male tort, who was said to be around 4 or 5 years old. He is 9" long. Does that sound right or is he possibly older? Thanks!
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    Outdoor heating... extension cord?

    I just purchased a size "small" (18x12) K&H outdoor/indoor heating pad. Because I haven't had an outdoor heat source for night time until today, I have been bringing my leopard tortoise in at night, where I have a crate and heat lamp set up for him and he has free run of one of our bathrooms...
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    Outdoor heating

    What type of heating pad do you all recommend for outdoor use? What wattage should I be looking into? How do you ensure your tortoise does not burn itself?
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    Best way to heat an outdoor enclosure?

    I built my leopard tortoise a large wooden box, caulked it and put a sealant on it. I am trying to decipher what heating method to go with, but I am leaning toward a heat pad. Whether I go with a ceramic lamp or a heat pad, I still need to somehow keep the cords inside the box and run an...
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    Hello for SoCal- outdoor heat source opinions?

    Hi all! My name is Lexi and I am from Sunny Southern California. My hubs and I just got a new Leopard tortoise, who we are assuming is around 5, based on his size. He unfortunately has terrible pyramiding (hopefully the picture I attached shows up), but now that he is in our care he gets a...
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