Leopard Tortoise

[Tortuga_terrestre]

I purchased this leo for $ 40! He was in bad shape..Runny Nose..Swollen eyes the works. He is currenty being kept in a 40 gallon enclosure..MVB..Daily Soakings (Twice a day) Reptive Supplement(Every other day). I keep his enclosure nice and humid. He grazes outside when its warm.. He eats spring mix, dandellions, Mazuri every other day, Hibiscus Leaves & Flowers. He has alot of Pyramding in my opinion for his Age. If I continue this daily routine, Will his pyramiding be less noticable?? Being a P.pardalis/P.Backoki hybrid.. How big will he get?? Oh yeah, he has made a full recovery..He received a shot of Baytril, 7 days of Nose drops. I dont have a scale, but he feels heavier. Very Active after being soaked.

These Pictures was sent by the seller:

Recent Pictures in his outdoor enclosure:

Tom's Leopards: Tom set the bar High!

Its not what it looks like hahahahaha. I visited Tom's Ranch in January.

Almost Forgot: Tom

 

[Neal]

Who knows how big it'll get, tortoises vary in size so much..anywhere from 16 - 30 inches.

So, your tortoise will get a lot bigger, if the new growth is smooth the shell might not be bad at all.

 

[Laura]

looks like you got a great deal!!

 

[coreyc]

Congrats on the new leo he looks good keep the pic's coming

 

[jeffbens0n]

So the pardalis pardalis have two spots per scute. And all of the ones I have seen have been very dark spots. The babcocki seem to have lighter spots, and this one has two spots(like a pardalis pardalis) but they are lighter(like babcocki). Can these factors be used to determine that this is indeed a cross? or is this not always the case? Just curious!

 

[yagyujubei]

How do you know that this is a Babcocki/pardalis cross?

 

[jeffbens0n]

How do you know that this is a Babcocki/pardalis cross?

I am just taking the posters word for it that it is. I am wondering if the coloration of this tort(if indeed it is a cross) can be a determining factor in identifying a cross.

 

[yagyujubei]

How do you know that this is a Babcocki/pardalis cross?

I am just taking the posters word for it that it is. I am wondering if the coloration of this tort(if indeed it is a cross) can be a determining factor in identifying a cross.

---

I have a gpp with brown spots.

 

[montana]

Great pictures ...

 

[Tortuga_terrestre]

He came from a Breeder who kept his P.pardalis herd with his P.Babcocki herd. The breeders website:

http://www.jeffpriceartglass.com/leopardtortoise/

Also this leo has spots on his skin like a P.pardalis and Ive never seen consistant 2 dots on the scutes on a P.Babcocki.

 

[jeffbens0n]

He came from a Breeder who kept his P.pardalis herd with his P.Babcocki herd. The breeders website:

http://www.jeffpriceartglass.com/leopardtortoise/

Also this leo has spots on his skin like a P.pardalis and Ive never seen consistant 2 dots on the scutes on a P.Babcocki.

The site says he kept his babcocki separate. And it looks like they have all Pardalis pardalis. Did they tell you that yours is a mix or just that they are unsure, that he could be either?

Their site also mentions that they preach low humidity for all leopards, i wonder if they need to be updated with some recent info or if the website is just old?

 

[Tortuga_terrestre]

He came from a Breeder who kept his P.pardalis herd with his P.Babcocki herd. The breeders website:

http://www.jeffpriceartglass.com/leopardtortoise/

Also this leo has spots on his skin like a P.pardalis and Ive never seen consistant 2 dots on the scutes on a P.Babcocki.

The site says he kept his babcocki separate. And it looks like they have all Pardalis pardalis. Did they tell you that yours is a mix or just that they are unsure, that he could be either?

Their site also mentions that they preach low humidity for all leopards, i wonder if they need to be updated with some recent info or if the website is just old?

I posted this thread last year regarding this breeder and this was the feedback : http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-P-Pardalis-Leopard-Tortoise#axzz1DUDxKNsm

 

[jeffbens0n]

[/quote]
I posted this thread last year regarding this breeder and this was the feedback : http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-P-Pardalis-Leopard-Tortoise#axzz1DUDxKNsm



[/quote]

Very interesting! Thanks! Its amazing to see how information regarding raising young tortoises has changed in a year!

 

[yagyujubei]

I might consider this purebred until I saw evidence to the contrary. I am not sure what the reason would be to produce crosses. As far as I can see Jeff Price has a good rep, and I just can't see any signs of babcocki in this particular tortoise. All his pics of leopards look like either one or the other. I see no obvious intergrades. He states on his website that they are kept seperatly.

 

[Badgemash]

I love the pictures! Your babies are soooo cute, and it's awesome seeing Tom's menagerie.

Mr.T started to pyramid a bit like that (he was started on the dry set up before we got him), but he's been in the moist set up for about 7 months and his new growth is much smoother (ha ha, Chris just looked over my shoulder and asked "who is that little guy? He looks like Mr.T"). I think some of the susceptibility to pyramiding is down to individual genetics, Octavia and Mr.T are from the same breeder (maybe even the same clutch, not certain), were both started off dry, kept together in the same cage, same humidity, same food, everything identical since last May, but Octavia is perfectly smooth and Mr.T has been nicknamed "The Pyramidy Little Bugger."

I suspect he'll smooth out with time and the high quality care that you're giving him. I love his big round eyes, he looks very sweet.

-Devon

 

[Tortuga_terrestre]

Yeah is Awesome! When I purchased him I was skeptical if he was going to make it. On the way home, all I could think about was, How much is this going to cost me?..But deep down I knew I did the right thing. He originally wanted $80, but brought him down to $40 due to his health. I cant wait to see him get bigger!

I love the pictures! Your babies are soooo cute, and it's awesome seeing Tom's menagerie.

Mr.T started to pyramid a bit like that (he was started on the dry set up before we got him), but he's been in the moist set up for about 7 months and his new growth is much smoother (ha ha, Chris just looked over my shoulder and asked "who is that little guy? He looks like Mr.T"). I think some of the susceptibility to pyramiding is down to individual genetics, Octavia and Mr.T are from the same breeder (maybe even the same clutch, not certain), were both started off dry, kept together in the same cage, same humidity, same food, everything identical since last May, but Octavia is perfectly smooth and Mr.T has been nicknamed "The Pyramidy Little Bugger."

I suspect he'll smooth out with time and the high quality care that you're giving him. I love his big round eyes, he looks very sweet.

-Devon

 

[Tom]

Nice pics TT. I forgot you took all those pics. You new tortoise is a looker. Glad he's doing okay health wise.

 

[Tortuga_terrestre]

Thanks, I just wish he was smoother.

Nice pics TT. I forgot you took all those pics. You new tortoise is a looker. Glad he's doing okay health wise.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

He looks good in the pictures, clear eyes. Toms place in outstanding, how neat!

 

[onarock]

2 dot scutes is more speculation than fact in my estimation. I think the physical attributes of what people would describe as one or the other is more hobby based than scientific. 2 dot scutes do appear in clades that people consider to be gpp but its more regional than a rule. The fact is, there are gpp that dont reach more than 30 lbs and have only 1 dot on their vertebral scutes. The discussion on what is or isnt gpp is two fold depending on what side you stand on... the hobby or science. Hobbyist are going to tell you that all gpp get much larger than their babcocki counterparts, that they are more cold weather tollerant, that their hatchlings have 2 dots on their vertebral scutes. And, its just not true.

So the pardalis pardalis have two spots per scute. And all of the ones I have seen have been very dark spots. The babcocki seem to have lighter spots, and this one has two spots(like a pardalis pardalis) but they are lighter(like babcocki). Can these factors be used to determine that this is indeed a cross? or is this not always the case? Just curious!