Hello everyone!
We've had Leopard Tortoises, Bubba Ling and Dude A Ling for about 15 years. We were told they were both males. They have roamed around our yard happy and healthy with only minor issues over the years. In October of 2016, my husband came running in one morning yelling "Bubba's not a boy!" and that started our breeding adventure. We talked to the reptile experts who introduced us to these animals and they guided us on incubators and hatchlings. We incubated the eggs and only one hatched....of course named Hatch Ling, We still have him (possible female but we use male pronouns).
Bubba has laid eggs since late spring of 2017. We didn't expect to get many hatchlings after the first clutch only produced one, and ended up with about a 50% hatch rate from the 2017 clutches. We didn't want to sell or give them to the reptile stores because we were worried about he homes they would go to. Our main concern is that they are properly cared for. So we found people by word of mouth who would come learn about our successes and failures and would provide the proper inside AND outside environment for the animals. Outside is very important to us, I didn't want people who thought these were indoor/tank pets, they needed to know that they would need an outdoor environment.
Raising them last year was easy, we have two enclosures for the babies that are set up for optimal sun and protection from heat or cold:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003Q7GIYG/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20
The babies spent a lot of time in the sun and getting exercise. All seemed healthy and thrived and as soon as we felt they were ready, we found them homes. This year has been too cold or too wet and the babies are inside more than out, so this group isn't getting as much exercise or sun.
I recently read the "Hatchling Failure Syndrome" article and I'm that breeder! Rabbit pellet and soaking a few times a week, I'm the Beef Jerky Maker!!! I've been sick since I found that article two days ago and have been working to remedy the situation. I was taught and in my experience, too much moisture leads to respiratory issues. That is how Bubba got her name, she had an infection and was blowing bubbles out her nose. I think last years hatchlings benefitted from all of the sun and that my have counteracted the lack of moisture in proper shell development. I looked at the inside environment as somewhere to be when it was too cold or wet to be outside and didn't know it needed to be humid. I made sure they had a warm side, a cool side and UVB lighting. That is the extent of my indoor set up.
I do feed them a wide variety of foods - "weeds" from my yard, lots of succulents, hibiscus leaves and flowers, a variety of grocery store greens and lettuces and thought they received enough moisture from the foods they ate and the few soakings a week. I also have an area with grass and Bubba and Dude are free to graze as they want but it's not their favorite. I recently learned about more optimal grasses from this forum and have ordered a variety. I will be ripping out all of the old grass and planting the recommended varieties when they arrive. I'm looking into Mazuri as well.
The saddest part of this whole story is I have "educated" people in the same way I was "educated" and now I feel horrible. The one thing I didn't want for these animals, improper care, is what I myself was doing from the beginning. I was just getting ready to spread the word that we have animals to place with the proper homes if they are willing to learn about their care and can meet their needs. I'm glad I found you first and now I will do better. That said, I have 20 animals that maybe I shouldn't place yet but i don't have space to raise that many at a time PROPERLY at the moment. Is there an educated, responsible breeder that is better adept at placing theses babies that would be willing to rescue them as I build the proper set up for future hatchlings? I'm not looking to sell them, I don't care about money, I want them properly cared for.
Please don't lecture or bash. I am willing to make changes to ensure the health of any animal that may hatch from my pair. I don't intend to separate Bubba and Dude, they have been together too long and they are family. If you know of a tortoise spay or neuter program I'd be interested in that Breeding wasn't our goal but here we are and now we want to do it right. I would love any advice on finding proper homes for the babies I have now and even suggestions for better ways to find proper homes for any future hatchlings.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and any recommendations you may have. I am truly grateful that I found that article and I can be a better, although reluctant breeder.
We've had Leopard Tortoises, Bubba Ling and Dude A Ling for about 15 years. We were told they were both males. They have roamed around our yard happy and healthy with only minor issues over the years. In October of 2016, my husband came running in one morning yelling "Bubba's not a boy!" and that started our breeding adventure. We talked to the reptile experts who introduced us to these animals and they guided us on incubators and hatchlings. We incubated the eggs and only one hatched....of course named Hatch Ling, We still have him (possible female but we use male pronouns).
Bubba has laid eggs since late spring of 2017. We didn't expect to get many hatchlings after the first clutch only produced one, and ended up with about a 50% hatch rate from the 2017 clutches. We didn't want to sell or give them to the reptile stores because we were worried about he homes they would go to. Our main concern is that they are properly cared for. So we found people by word of mouth who would come learn about our successes and failures and would provide the proper inside AND outside environment for the animals. Outside is very important to us, I didn't want people who thought these were indoor/tank pets, they needed to know that they would need an outdoor environment.
Raising them last year was easy, we have two enclosures for the babies that are set up for optimal sun and protection from heat or cold:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003Q7GIYG/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20
The babies spent a lot of time in the sun and getting exercise. All seemed healthy and thrived and as soon as we felt they were ready, we found them homes. This year has been too cold or too wet and the babies are inside more than out, so this group isn't getting as much exercise or sun.
I recently read the "Hatchling Failure Syndrome" article and I'm that breeder! Rabbit pellet and soaking a few times a week, I'm the Beef Jerky Maker!!! I've been sick since I found that article two days ago and have been working to remedy the situation. I was taught and in my experience, too much moisture leads to respiratory issues. That is how Bubba got her name, she had an infection and was blowing bubbles out her nose. I think last years hatchlings benefitted from all of the sun and that my have counteracted the lack of moisture in proper shell development. I looked at the inside environment as somewhere to be when it was too cold or wet to be outside and didn't know it needed to be humid. I made sure they had a warm side, a cool side and UVB lighting. That is the extent of my indoor set up.
I do feed them a wide variety of foods - "weeds" from my yard, lots of succulents, hibiscus leaves and flowers, a variety of grocery store greens and lettuces and thought they received enough moisture from the foods they ate and the few soakings a week. I also have an area with grass and Bubba and Dude are free to graze as they want but it's not their favorite. I recently learned about more optimal grasses from this forum and have ordered a variety. I will be ripping out all of the old grass and planting the recommended varieties when they arrive. I'm looking into Mazuri as well.
The saddest part of this whole story is I have "educated" people in the same way I was "educated" and now I feel horrible. The one thing I didn't want for these animals, improper care, is what I myself was doing from the beginning. I was just getting ready to spread the word that we have animals to place with the proper homes if they are willing to learn about their care and can meet their needs. I'm glad I found you first and now I will do better. That said, I have 20 animals that maybe I shouldn't place yet but i don't have space to raise that many at a time PROPERLY at the moment. Is there an educated, responsible breeder that is better adept at placing theses babies that would be willing to rescue them as I build the proper set up for future hatchlings? I'm not looking to sell them, I don't care about money, I want them properly cared for.
Please don't lecture or bash. I am willing to make changes to ensure the health of any animal that may hatch from my pair. I don't intend to separate Bubba and Dude, they have been together too long and they are family. If you know of a tortoise spay or neuter program I'd be interested in that Breeding wasn't our goal but here we are and now we want to do it right. I would love any advice on finding proper homes for the babies I have now and even suggestions for better ways to find proper homes for any future hatchlings.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and any recommendations you may have. I am truly grateful that I found that article and I can be a better, although reluctant breeder.