Concerns about having leopard torts

[Mark L]

Hi there! This is Christine, Mark's wife. We recently were given two leopard torts and they are 1 month old. My husband is sold on them but to be honest I am not yet. I have a couple concerns please be honest with your responses. I am an animal/reptile lover and I want to make sure we can provide these torts with the best home possible. I realize this is a HUGE commitment and I need to make sure we can handle taking care of these torts for the rest of our lives. I will get attached and I don't want to have to find them new homes a few years down the road for a reason we could of addressed before. Here are my concerns.

Can dogs and torts live together or will we have to keep them separate? We recently put down our 15 year old lab and 12 year old pit bull and we plan to get more dogs in the future, probably not for 3-4 years but we will be getting dogs, large breeds.

What kid of medical problems do they get? I know you can never predict the health of your pets but I am curious to know if they need annual check ups, vaccines? etc?

How often do they mate and at what age do they start? We have two young children, 3 years and 21 months, and I saw some videos and its a little X rated, at least very loud, lol. Also how often to they hatch babies? Since we cant sex them for a few years I am wondering if we will have babies to find homes for every so often.

Is it better to have two or one? I feel only having one would eliminate some of my concerns above but if they prefer to be in pairs, I wouldn't want to take one away and make it lonely.

When they are adults what is the ideal habitat for them? Outdoor/indoor enclosure or free roaming in the yard? We live on the central coast of Cali, it never gets below 50 year round.

Do they dig? I was told they dig big holes in your yard and you can't find them or dig there way out under your fence.

Do they hibernate?

How bad is the poopy pick up with adults?

Do they have individual personalities? I have only ever owned lizards and they are not very interactive.

My husband has answered all these questions to the best of his ability but he is biased. I know all of you on here are very passionate about your torts and would not want a tort going to home that couldn't handle them that is why I am asking here.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi there! This is Christine, Mark's wife.

Here are my concerns.

Can dogs and torts live together or will we have to keep them separate? We recently put down our 15 year old lab and 12 year old pit bull and we plan to get more dogs in the future, probably not for 3-4 years but we will be getting dogs, large breeds.

I would never allow my dog, whatever size it is, to be alone with my turtle or tortoise. I have a doberman, and she never gets out where the tortoises are unless she's with me.

What kid of medical problems do they get? I know you can never predict the health of your pets but I am curious to know if they need annual check ups, vaccines? etc?

If you house them correctly and treat them right, chances are very good they will never need to see a vet

How often do they mate and at what age do they start? We have two young children, 3 years and 21 months, and I saw some videos and its a little X rated, at least very loud, lol. Also how often to they hatch babies? Since we cant sex them for a few years I am wondering if we will have babies to find homes for every so often.

If your two babies are clutch mates, there's a good chance they are the same sex. If you do happen to have an actual pair, the male wants to breed frequently. When you have only two it's best to set them up in separate yards. A female can lay three clutches plus or minus a year. Baby leopards aren't too hard to find homes for.

Is it better to have two or one? I feel only having one would eliminate some of my concerns above but if they prefer to be in pairs, I wouldn't want to take one away and make it lonely.

Leopards are sort of the exception to the rule (at least the leopards I've had dealings with). I have never had a problem with two females in the same habitat.

When they are adults what is the ideal habitat for them? Outdoor/indoor enclosure or free roaming in the yard? We live on the central coast of Cali, it never gets below 50 year round.

I always tell people that a tortoise is a wild animal, as opposed to being a domesticated animal, and as such, it needs a nice big outdoor yard. You may also need a heated house for those cold nights.

Do they dig? I was told they dig big holes in your yard and you can't find them or dig there way out under your fence.

We're talking leopards, right? Leopard tortoises don't dig. They just find a nice bush to sit under, then they smooch their bodies back and forth and make a sort of indentation in the dirt. I've been keeping tortoises for 30 years or so, and none that I've had ever tried to dig under the fence unless they could see daylight under the fence.

Do they hibernate?

It depends upon where in Africa your particular strain comes from. Most do not hibernate, however, I have one that wants to hibernate every winter.

How bad is the poopy pick up with adults?

When they get to be adult tortoises, the poop brigade can be a bit much. Sometimes it would be like a large dog poop, and no matter what size, it needs to be picked up daily.

Do they have individual personalities? I have only ever owned lizards and they are not very interactive.

Tortoises are not interactive either. I see nothing but a pretty rock when I step into my leopard pen. But if I sneak a peak around the edge of the fence, I might be able to see them walking or eating.

My husband has answered all these questions to the best of his ability but he is biased. I know all of you on here are very passionate about your torts and would not want a tort going to home that couldn't handle them that is why I am asking here.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Yvonne answered you very well. Honest answers and clearly explained.

If it were me, I'd rehome 1 and keep 1. Anyone expressing even the slightest reservations with tortoise ownership should eliminate any possibility of "pair dynamics" and the possible/probable issues that can come with it.

My 10" leopard has free range of my backyard. There is nothing special about my yard other than a secure fence, a grass lawn and some bushes along the house he hides in. He also has a heated tort house (think dog house) that he can go into and go out of as he pleases. I do lock him up each night for his safety though. I have a 4 year old and 5 year old who enjoy tossing him a leaf to eat, occasionally picking him up to relocate him (as I direct) or locking his door each evening. That's the extent of our involvement or interaction. To me, they are attractive, moving lawn ornaments.

 

[Tom]

Yvonne answered your questions very well, but as usual, I feel compelled to answer in my own words.

1. Dogs and torts must be kept separate. The consequence of you having to learn this the hard way is catastrophic. Please take our word for it.
2. Rarely are there health issues if you house them correctly. Leopards on the central coast might be an issue. They don't like cold and clammy. Just be sure they always have a warm area to retreat to when they live outside. Indoors won't be an issue.
3. Mating is not really an issue unless you make it one. I told my young daughter they were wrestling. It was an amazing experience for here to get to see them laying eggs, digging them up, incubating, and hatching out little mini tortoises. This will never be an issue if you keep just one.
4. Better to have just one, or separate enclosures. Tortoises should not be kept in pairs.
5. Ideal habitat would be outs doors with a proper heated shelter. I grew up on the Southern coast and we'd have below freezing nights once in a while. I can't believe you don't ever get below 50.
6. Leopards don't dig.
7. They do not hibernate.
8. How bad is it? How do we answer that? They poop. You pick it up and toss it. No big deal. Its not bad at all. If you are used to big dogs, tortoises are easier and much less smelly than that.
9. Yes they have individual personalities. Most leopards are shy, some are not shy at all. Hand feeding and interaction tends to make them less shy. I would say that tortoises are more "interactive" than most lizards. Tortoises will follow you around and seek you out, once they get older and associate you with their food. Most lizards are not going to come to you if they are loose in the yard.

Please ask more questions. As many as you like. Tortoises are not for everyone. Many of our friends and families simply don't get it. We simply don't get what they don't get. Tortoises are awesome, but better that you fully understand what you are getting into.

 

[leopard777]

i pretty sure tortoise poopy pick up is much pleasant smelling then dog 's poop

 

[mike taylor]

Welcome to TFO! These guys and girls answered all your questions perfectly . I will only add one thing . Tortoises are like potato chips you can't just have one . I started two years ago . Now I have three sulcatas, two leopards, five red foots, two sliders, and two snappers . Potato chips I tell you.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

This is for Mark when my wife don't quite agree with me I just say " remember dear I'm the one with good taste I choose her but she choose me ! " leopards Rule I have 23

 

[Mark L]

awesome thanks everyone.......... all your comments have definitely put my mind at ease on a lot of issue however to say they are like potato chips scares me, YIKES my hubby is one that will fall prey to that lol I think we have compromised to just keep one and go from there

 

[Tom]

awesome thanks everyone.......... all your comments have definitely put my mind at ease on a lot of issue however to say they are like potato chips scares me, YIKES my hubby is one that will fall prey to that lol I think we have compromised to just keep one and go from there

You could get one more and have a nice trio. Groups usually get along. Just not pairs.

Did that make your hubby smile?

 

[leigti]

You could get one more and have a nice trio. Groups usually get along. Just not pairs.

Did that make your hubby smile?

As true as that is @ Tom I'm not sure that helped comparing them to potato chips is about right, I swore I'd never have more than one. Now I have two and will soon have three.

 

[mike taylor]

I like even numbers so get two more . Haha

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I think we have compromised to just keep one and go from there

I really think this is GREAT. You'll enjoy having just one.
I had around 30 (stopped counting at 30) and lived in SoCal. When I moved to Oregon I only kept 1. There are times I "miss the masses" but it's soooooo much easier being back to 1. You don't have to deal with, be concerned with or worry about ANY of the issues that come with multiples, whether same species or different.