Intro to myself and our Leopards!

[seagoddessheather]

We got our first leopard tortoise 15 years ago and immediately fell in love! We now have four adults and they just had their first clutch of 11 babies hatch in August! We sold all but five of our babies and traded three for new bloodlines to mix in with those in our backyard. All of the babies were born in either late August or September. New Year's day we did beat dollar bill comparison so that next year we can see the growth! I am looking forward to getting to know all of you as well as learning more about how to care for all of our tortoises and their hatchlings!!

 

[seagoddessheather]

Here was the picture of the other three babies that we just traded for.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello and welcome to the TFO from AZ . I know the feeling , I started about 14 years ago I have 22 leopards and many more torts . But leopards Rule ! Have a great tort day !

 

[Jodie]

Very cool. Welcome and congrats on your hatchlings.

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the forum! Are you Heather? Your leopard tortoises are beautiful.

 

[seagoddessheather]

I am Heather! Thanks!

 

[ben awes]

Great looking leopards! Would you share length and weight of your adults?

I raised and bred leopards in Minnesota for 12 years. I sold my breeders last spring and kept just one hatchling. But I still love this species.

Thanks!

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Welcome! From 1 Leopard loving Heather to another

 

[diamondbp]

welcome to TFO! thanks for sharing your gorgeous group. I'm jealous

BTW do you mind sharing the sizes of the adults? I'm always curious about the size of breeding leos

 

[seagoddessheather]

Bob is our newest member to our adults - weighing in at 7 pounds and 11 inches long we think he is about eight years old.

Shelley is our youngest female and she is about 12 years old, she is 13 inches long and 18 pounds.


Pilot is our 15 year old male. He is 13 inches long and 13 pounds.

And then we have mama who is 15 years old and 18 inches long and 36 pounds

 

[diamondbp]

thanks so much for sharing the pics and info. SHelly's pattern is amazing, almost looks like a maze in certain scutes. You have a beautiful group. I look forward to future post!

 

[tortadise]

Welcome

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. Beautiful shelled family there. If you read Toms threads at the bottom of my post, you will read about the way leopards should be raised to become healthy, smooth adults. It's much different then the way you may have learned 15 years ago.

 

[wellington]

If you wouldn't mind, I would love to know how you did raise your torts and also their diet. They don't look as pyramided as most of the same age, thank you.

 

[seagoddessheather]

Wellington- Basically we were told to let them free graze on the yard, they would eat the grass, we would feed them hay, pellets,
and once or twice a week we would give them all the left over fruits and vegetables, including romaine and kale. We had planted a ton of hibiscus and grapevines as well as artichoke plants that they would eat. They had a bird bath top, that we would soak them in, and then we would also soak the "flower bed" that they made their home.

With the babies hatching… and we recently moved- which is what is making me research more so we can set up the best nesting yard and best plants and food to raise the new hatchlings! I appreciate the forums and the information given here!!

I did read Toms pages, they were very helpful- and besides the cuddle fish bone, I think we have been pretty good with their diets!

 

[gingerbee]

Wow beautiful torts and babies.

 

[seagoddessheather]

If you wouldn't mind, I would love to know how you did raise your torts and also their diet. They don't look as pyramided as most of the same age, thank you.

 

[wellington]

Beautiful yard. It sounds like you kept them more humid then most back then knew to do. Thanks for filling us in.

 

[puffy137]

Thank you for those lovely pictures Heather. Your tortoises are lucky to have such a great place & owner.

 

[seagoddessheather]

Hello and welcome to the TFO from AZ . I know the feeling , I started about 14 years ago I have 22 leopards and many more torts . But leopards Rule ! Have a great tort day !

Grandpa Turtle 144- do you have a vet in the Phoenix area??