Leopards in New Orleans

[LRobb88]

Hi,
I've successfully kept sulcatas, redfoots, yellowfoots and cherryheads but I'm starting to investigate keeping leopard tortoises. The only thing is, I just moved to New Orleans where the relative humidity is very high -- so it's great for the south american species but perhaps not so much for the african species. The sulcata was raised in North Carolina where the humidity is also fairly high, and has thrived there given a hot, dry 4x dog house sized hide in a very large fenced yard. Does anyone have experience keeping Leopards in humid environments? should I stay away from it altogether?

Thanks
Logan

 

[nate.mann]

oh no, Leopards will do great there. keeping them as a hatchling is the exact same as a sulcata. heat and high humidity are the way to go for both species.


0.1.0 Sonoran Desert Tortoise
0.0.1 Leopard Tortoise
1.0.0 Bluenose Pitbull/American Bulldog

 

[LRobb88]

And as adults they can deal with the high humidity as long as the substrate isnt constantly wet?

 

[LRobb88]

Anyone have advice for keeping adult leopards in high humidity areas?

 

[diamondbp]

I live south of New Orleans and my leopards do just fine. I also have been raising sulcatas for over 10 years. No problems

 

[wellington]

Read Toms threads below for raising both sulcata and leopards the correct way. Hot and Humid. Their care is the same. Your humidity should do them fine even as adults. It's quite easy to lower the humidity or to give them a hide or area to go that isn't quite as high of a humidity as say it maybe outside for that day.

 

[LRobb88]

Great thanks all. A lot of the care sheets and research I've read is either not very detailed about adult humidity or states that hatchlings and juveniles should be raised with high humidity but that humid conditions with adults can cause respiratory issues, etc.

Thanks for clearing this up -- excited to start looking for juvies for my outdoor enclosures!

Logan

 

[Tom]

The trick for adults in that sort of environment seems to be a warm dry shelter. Just don't let them get cold with dampness.