Question about Leopard Tortoise shells

[Seiryu]

So I am pretty sure I am getting one here in July or August (waiting on them to be ready). But I still look on Kingsnake classifieds just to see what they have.

In terms of the shells. Does it MATTER how the shells look? I mean are any shell differences bad? I'm not talking about the extra scutes, I have heard extra are not bad, is this true though?

Some have darker linings, some are way lighter in color, some have weird patterning on each scute, some don't have any weird pattens, some have black and white linings etc. Specifically this ad.

http://market.kingsnake.com/detail.php?cat=50&de=694123

The one in the bottom right corner. Has like a star shaped pattern and most on this ad have like upside "U's" on the outside part.

And then there's this one. The lighter ones especially.

http://market.kingsnake.com/detail.php?cat=50&de=644404

They have more "Shaped" scutes. Like not a lot of weird shapes. Most are straight lines without a lot of circles, "U's" etc.

I'm asking because I havn't gotten mine yet and he'll have between 5-20 to choose from depending what he deems ready to sell. Thanks!

 

[Greg T]

All leopards are different, so choose one you like the look of and hopefully have an opportunity to play with to see what kind of personality they have. Shell coloring is simply preference and makes no real difference. I personally happen to like the lighter shells. Extra scutes really don't make a difference, but they do make them unique.

I bet you are happy with whichever one you choose!

 

[Seiryu]

All leopards are different, so choose one you like the look of and hopefully have an opportunity to play with to see what kind of personality they have. Shell coloring is simply preference and makes no real difference. I personally happen to like the lighter shells. Extra scutes really don't make a difference, but they do make them unique.

I bet you are happy with whichever one you choose!

Oh I am sure I will be . And thanks! I just wanted to make sure. Someone told me a while back that you should "choose the darker colored ones". But I never got the chance to ask why. Doesn't hurt to ask though. And I didn't want to get one that *might* have issues right off since i've never had a tortoise.

Gathering info. only does so much, experience trumps it everytime is the way I look at it.

 

[terrypin]

hi the pattern on hatchling tortoises is very variable even between clutch mates and what your are seeing here is just the embryonic scute pattern .as they grow some can be lighter than others and the original pattern doesnt seem to have any real bearing.you may find the lighter coloured hatchling at the top will grow lighter.i had one like this last year and it has stayed pale coloured this is a picture of it now and also a pair of clutch mates that hatched looking very different.
terry

 

[Seiryu]

So the top tortoise (by itself) is also one of the 2 in the bottom picture? Or all 3 tortoise are a different one?

 

[terrypin]

So the top tortoise (by itself) is also one of the 2 in the bottom picture? Or all 3 tortoise are a different one?

top tortoise hatched september time. the bottom two are from the same clutch as each other and not the top one.the bottom two hatched last december.i hope that is clearer.
terry

 

[Seiryu]

So the top tortoise (by itself) is also one of the 2 in the bottom picture? Or all 3 tortoise are a different one?

top tortoise hatched september time. the bottom two are from the same clutch as each other and not the top one.the bottom two hatched last december.i hope that is clearer.
terry

Yes thanks. I don't think I've seen a red one like the one on the bottom left.

 

[Flametorch]

I got my tortoise at the http://www.turtlesale.com/home/ place. I'm sorry if most people on here don't like to buy from big breeders/dealers like these, but my leopard tortoise came in excellent shape, and was very active (also a little jet lagged). But when it comes to ordering, you're going to probably get a random tortoise unless you want it to be a certain color

 

[Seiryu]

I got my tortoise at the http://www.turtlesale.com/home/ place. I'm sorry if most people on here don't like to buy from big breeders/dealers like these, but my leopard tortoise came in excellent shape, and was very active (also a little jet lagged). But when it comes to ordering, you're going to probably get a random tortoise unless you want it to be a certain color

Ya, I'm picking mine up from in-state. Two reasons I won't buy a shipped one.

1. They usually don't have health certificates. I've talked to a lot of the bigger dealers and none had them (which is illegal when shipping out of state). And also you have no idea what the tortoise has even if it looks good right off.

2. You don't get to see it first hand. In my research in finding places to possibly buy one. I talked to two pet store owners who ordered some, and maybe 5 out of 20 (between both) lived past 2months, with great husbandry. Some didn't even make it through the mail. But since they didn't have health certs, the guys really couldn't do much as they could have gotten in trouble as well.

I just wanted to make sure what to look for when I go to the reptile show next month.

 

[Flametorch]

at reptile shows they aren't allowed to sell you a tortoise under four inches, so if you looking for a hatxhling you won't get one; however, it is probably guaranteed that the ones in reptiles shows will be in really good condition to promote the seller's rep anyway

 

[Meg90]

You can get hatchlings at reptile shows. I have seen it first hand with Sully hatchlings. As long as the vendor is a hobbyist, aka, someone who cannot live completely off of the money he makes from selling at shows he can legally sell hatchlings under 4 inches. Commercial businesses like pet stores aren't supposed to have hatchlings because it goes against what the 4 inch law states: for educational use only. (You go to a pet store to buy a pet)

 

[Seiryu]

You can get hatchlings at reptile shows. I have seen it first hand with Sully hatchlings. As long as the vendor is a hobbyist, aka, someone who cannot live completely off of the money he makes from selling at shows he can legally sell hatchlings under 4 inches. Commercial businesses like pet stores aren't supposed to have hatchlings because it goes against what the 4 inch law states: for educational use only. (You go to a pet store to buy a pet)

Well if they can or can't I don't know. But I've gone to too many shows where multiple people had tortoises under 4" for them to be illegal. I just havn't been to a show recently when I decided to get a tortoise.

Thanks for all the replies though!

 

[tortoisenerd]

I've also seen pet stores that somehow sell tiny hatchlings (and I bought from one!).

 

[Millerlite]

the links you posted are from different breeders and clutches, which will have different patters, The 2nd link looks like the tortoises are older and grown a little though, you can see the pattern already breaking up, lepards patterns will start with the "U" and start breaking up and turn into spots.

As for where to buy, i would wait for the reptile expo, see if they have any you like. If not there are many breeders on kingsnake that will ship one and you would not be disappointing. I would however strongly recommend staying away from Turtlesales as they have one of the worse if not the worse reputation on the internet, For many years now there have been stories and threads started about how bad they are and how they do their business.

 

[Seiryu]

the links you posted are from different breeders and clutches, which will have different patters, The 2nd link looks like the tortoises are older and grown a little though, you can see the pattern already breaking up, lepards patterns will start with the "U" and start breaking up and turn into spots.

As for where to buy, i would wait for the reptile expo, see if they have any you like. If not there are many breeders on kingsnake that will ship one and you would not be disappointing. I would however strongly recommend staying away from Turtlesales as they have one of the worse if not the worse reputation on the internet, For many years now there have been stories and threads started about how bad they are and how they do their business.

Thanks. Yes I know they are different clutches. I just wasn't sure if there was anything I should look besides the obvious stuff. I found a guy that will hopefully be at the July show with some, but for sure by August.