A clutch of leopard tortoises

[Levi the Leopard]

Here is a picture of my Levi and his clutchmates.

You can see some have single spots, some have the double spots in the scutes. All of them have speckled skin.
The breeder keeps both Babcocki and Pardalis leopards. I have read through some threads here and understand its not common for a pure line and very few breeders are known to have pure lines.

Levi was sold to me as a Babcocki, but because of his speckled skin and some of his clutchmates having double spots in the scutes, would it be safe to assume or label my leopard as a pardalis/babcocki cross or hybrid?

The breeder says the parents of this clutch were babcocki and I have photos of the parents. (Im not sure if I can post those pictures..)

So, what would you say??

View attachment 29886

 

[Eweezyfosheezy]

Beautiful little group! How does he know he has paradalis and babcocki? Does he keep them together? Some of those babies definitely look to have paradalis in their bloodlines.

 

[Tom]

You've got a mix there.

 

[Julius25]

Very nice

 

[Neal]

There's definitely some pardalis traits there, but for the most part I see babcocki traits. The breeder is probably not breeding pure pardalis with babcocki, and more likely breeding tortoises that already have mixed genetics.

That's just my guess.

 

[TheTortoiseWhisperer]

I REALLYYYYYYYYY WANT A LEOPARD TORTOISE FOR CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

 

[tortadise]

Cool. The bottom left and top middle are gonna be super nice. They are so light.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

There's definitely some pardalis traits there, but for the most part I see babcocki traits. The breeder is probably not breeding pure pardalis with babcocki, and more likely breeding tortoises that already have mixed genetics.

That's just my guess.

this is my guess too. already mixed genes. but what would i call my little guy? i felt funny referring to him as babcocki so i just relabeled him as Leopard tortoise in my signature

Cool. The bottom left and top middle are gonna be super nice. They are so light.

my guy is from the bottom left

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Beautiful little group! How does he know he has paradalis and babcocki? Does he keep them together? Some of those babies definitely look to have paradalis in their bloodlines.

im not sure if she keeps them together. like most breeders i wasn't allowed to visit her house for pick up. we met up at a local CVS i actually only ever heard her refer to them as babcocki but at one time i inquired about a larger one she was selling. story goes it was a 10" male from her breeding group but she was cutting down her breeding stock. when i received pictures he had a pattern like the pardalis enough so to make me think so. then as i remembered the double spotted scutes i figured it was possible.

either way i'm only asking out of curiosity. i felt funny labeling my guy a babcocki when it seems he could have mixed/ heavily mixed genetics???

i'll just stick to calling him my "leopard tortoise"

 

[Neal]

Here's my viewpoint - There are two types of leopards in the US, pure South African leopards, and the rest...no hybrids or mixes...just the rest which up until now I just referred to as babcocki, but I guess technically they wouldn't be called that either. Unless you buy a pure South African leopard tortoise from one of the few breeders in the US...your leopard tortoise belongs in the "other" category.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

cool. well put and thanks!

Here's my viewpoint - There are two types of leopards in the US, pure South African leopards, and the rest...no hybrids or mixes...just the rest which up until now I just referred to as babcocki, but I guess technically they wouldn't be called that either. Unless you buy a pure South African leopard tortoise from one of the few breeders in the US...your leopard tortoise belongs in the "other" category.

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the parents of my Levi

View attachment 29897
View attachment 29898

 

[Tom]

Here's my viewpoint - There are two types of leopards in the US, pure South African leopards, and the rest...no hybrids or mixes...just the rest which up until now I just referred to as babcocki, but I guess technically they wouldn't be called that either. Unless you buy a pure South African leopard tortoise from one of the few breeders in the US...your leopard tortoise belongs in the "other" category.

I agree that this does describe most of them. Rare exceptions to this...

 

[Neal]

the parents of my Levi

I see the dark skin on the male, but the carapace doesn't jump out at me as being South African, so I would say he is a mix of both types. It's hard to tell, but the female appears to be predominately babcocki or "other" as I am going to now put it.

This is just me guessing again.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

thanks you guys. i was glad to get your input on this.
im going to keep Levi labeled as "leopard tortoise" and am totally happy with that

 

[Tortus]

I got mine from a breeder in Arizona who said it's Babcocki, and many of those in the pic seem identical to mine as far as the spots go. Those in the pic are closest to mine than any other pics I've seen. Woody's reptiles.

 

[DesertGrandma]

I got mine from a breeder in Arizona who said it's Babcocki, and many of those in the pic seem identical to mine as far as the spots go. Those in the pic are closest to mine than any other pics I've seen. Woody's reptiles.

I've seen the ads on Kingsnake by Woody's reptiles. They are pretty babies. It sounds like he also had some that he sells as PP's, but don't know if they are pure or not. Is he is Phx or Tucson?

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What is his name?

 

[N2TORTS]

You've got a mix there.

Tom's right on the money ........
Good looking clutch ~

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There's definitely some pardalis traits there, but for the most part I see babcocki traits. The breeder is probably not breeding pure pardalis with babcocki, and more likely breeding tortoises that already have mixed genetics.

That's just my guess.

I would back that guess! ......

 

[TortoiseBoy1999]

He looks great though! But yes definitely a mix you have there. Mine is purely Babckoci see? I got him from Eweezyfosheezy

 

[DesertGrandma]

I got mine from a breeder in Arizona who said it's Babcocki, and many of those in the pic seem identical to mine as far as the spots go. Those in the pic are closest to mine than any other pics I've seen. Woody's reptiles.

I've seen the ads on Kingsnake by Woody's reptiles. They are pretty babies. It sounds like he also had some that he sells as PP's, but don't know if they are pure or not. Is he is Phx or Tucson?

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What is his name?

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Tortus..nevermind the question, i remember now