How much grass in a leopards diet?

[Elohi]

Oh. And ask Greg if his babies are hybrids.

There were some babies in the clutch my pair came from that had dual spots.

 

[Elohi]

There were some babies in the clutch my pair came from that had dual spots.

@Greg T

 

[Elohi]

I'm pretty sure I remember him saying they were babcocki's.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Levi (my 2.5yr old Leopard) now primarily eats grass. It didn't used to be that way, though. He mostly ate the broadleaf weeds, succulents and other plants growing in his pen. But it's like a switch went off one day and BAM...he LOVES grass. It makes me super happy to see him graze on the lawn. He has weeds in his yard but even so, he primarily goes for the grass.

I'm thinking age has something to do with it in my case. I've added grass clippings to his wet greens/Mazuri from the beginning but he never took to grazing like he does now.

I also think Levi is a mix. Many of his clutchmates had double spots on the scutes but his VERY freckled skin, longer body, larger size and new love for grass (all p.p. characteristics) lead me to guess he's mix.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I'm pretty sure I remember him saying they were babcocki's.

Isn't it the general consensus that most Leopards in the states are hybrids? Unless you KNOW you have pure SA or pure Babcocki, don't the rest fall into the category of mutt..to one degree or another?

 

[Tom]

Isn't it the general consensus that most Leopards in the states are hybrids? Unless you KNOW you have pure SA or pure Babcocki, don't the rest fall into the category of mutt..to one degree or another?

Its a total unknown. There are 11 clades dispersed throughout the wild leopard range. Many of these were imported at one time or another, and they have been mixed randomly over all these years. There might be some that were never mixed, some that were mixed once, others that are a hodge podge of many types. Some are mixed with SA leopards, others are mixed with other "regular leopards from several localities.

Its pretty obvious when they are mixed with SA leopards and there are at least 6 people on this forum knowingly, intentionally making crosses much to my dismay.

 

[Elohi]

Its a total unknown. There are 11 clades dispersed throughout the wild leopard range. Many of these were imported at one time or another, and they have been mixed randomly over all these years. There might be some that were never mixed, some that were mixed once, others that are a hodge podge of many types. Some are mixed with SA leopards, others are mixed with other "regular leopards from several localities.

Its pretty obvious when they are mixed with SA leopards and there are at least 6 people on this forum knowingly, intentionally making crosses much to my dismay.

Is this why there is such a wild variance in growth rates? Or is that just how all tortoises are?

 

[tortadise]

Is this why there is such a wild variance in growth rates? Or is that just how all tortoises are?

Id say yes. Especially with few people I know that have locale pure specific Leo's. For example pure mozbique leopards are very very small. Adult egg laying females are the size of a football and males about te size of a hermans. Somalian leopards are massive big as sulcatas almost. Tanzania,Kenya are medium sized(depending on range northern Kenyan can get quite large) South African can vary greatly. Eastern locales can reach 24-28" and Karoo (western locale) can reach 20-24" much smaller but yet a completely different climate and ecosystem. Genetic testing against the clads phylogenetics is the only way to be completely sure in this case. Or know exactly where the adults originated from if imports. Which is very very uncommon.

 

[Elohi]

Freckles has snacked on grass since she was very small but is hesitant and just pecks at mazuri and grassland pellets. In fact if I give them softened pellets of either or both while I clean their enclosure, she will pace while the others eat but the instant I put anything green in there, she's all up in the middle of the dish pigging out.

 

[Tom]

Is this why there is such a wild variance in growth rates?

This is just one of many possible reasons.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

@Tom, have your SA males continued to grow in length? Last I recall they were 13"scl give or take..

I know that's not about eating grass but Elohi wont mind, I'm sure she'll want to know that, too

 

[Elohi]

I'm wondering if Beans is going to continue on this break neck growth speed, if he will slow down, or if his two smaller ones are going to suddenly catch up. He's literally more than twice the weight of each of the others.

 

[Tom]

@Tom, have your SA males continued to grow in length? Last I recall they were 13"scl give or take..

I know that's not about eating grass but Elohi wont mind, I'm sure she'll want to know that, too

Oh yeah. Big males are now around 16" and the females started sprouting like crazy mid summer and grew a lot. They are now around 14-15" too. I'll have to put a tape measure under them. The males need two hands for lifting now.

 

[thomas0604]

I've been grinding up orchard grass hay in a small food processor and sprinkling the dry grass bits over the greens I feed my leopards.
View attachment 107392
View attachment 107393
My questions are, how much grass/hay is optimal in their diet? And Do leopards ever get to a point that they will eat soft dry hay? I'd prefer to feed fresh grass and do put Bermuda clippings in their food on occasion but they don't seem to eat much of it. It's possible I didn't make it small enough to make eating it from a dish acceptable for them. They will eat a little grass while outside but the much prefer leafy greens and weeds over any sort of grass.
But they do eat the ground up hay when it is wet and sticking to their other greens. They probably wouldn't touch it if it was just a big pile of wet hay but I their greens they don't appear to avoid it.

I am wondering the machine you use for blend the hay. What do you use? Is it the one to make the juice? I used that before but it was terrible. Because of the light weight of the hay, the hay at the bottom of the cylinder is blended but the top is not. The hay at the top could not "fall". Could you tell the trick for that? Thanks a lot.

 

[Elohi]

I am wondering the machine you use for blend the hay. What do you use? Is it the one to make the juice? I used that before but it was terrible. Because of the light weight of the hay, the hay at the bottom of the cylinder is blended but the top is not. The hay at the top could not "fall". Could you tell the trick for that? Thanks a lot.

It's a small food processor. It has tiered blades.

 

[HLogic]

BTW, the longstanding myth about cactus and it's oxalate properties is without foundation! Or, at least, it doesn't interfere with calcium absorption!

Not necessarily, the upside is that most of the oxalate found in nopalea & opuntia is calcium oxalate so it is already bound to calcium and does not bind as much as those plants that have less stable oxalate salts or unoxidized oxalic acid.

 

[thomas0604]

Oh I see. I think I could find something with the tiered blades. Thank you so much! It's really help!

 

[Elohi]

Oh I see. I think I could find something with the tiered blades. Thank you so much! It's really help!

The particular one I am using is an inexpensive ninja food processor. It's small and works great for this purpose.

 

[thomas0604]

That is awesome! Thanks a lot! I found that! I will get that tomorrow!

 

[thomas0604]

It is wonderful! Easy to operate and high efficiency! Thanks for your advice.