QUESTION FOR LEOPARD TORTOISE OWNERS -marks on head

[Mikayla777]

I have a baby Leopard tortoise. He is a hatchling. He has those typical brown markings on his head- they look like cracks. Just google leopard baby tortoises to see pictures of them. I'm wondering if anyone here knows if those markings will ever go away when he/she gets older. Or do they stay for good? Anyone here have experience with that? Thanks.

 

[biochemnerd808]

Hmmm, I'm not exactly sure if I understand what you are asking. Do you mean the scales on baby's head? The scales will roughly stay the same shape, but grow bigger as your tortoise grows bigger. The coloring may darken or lighten, depending on many factors (genetics, sun exposure etc.) - the cracks between the scales also may be more shallow or deeper depending on hydration and age of the tortoise.

 

[Gillian M]

@Lyn W please help.

Thank you.

 

[Mikayla777]

Hmmm, I'm not exactly sure if I understand what you are asking. Do you mean the scales on baby's head? The scales will roughly stay the same shape, but grow bigger as your tortoise grows bigger. The coloring may darken or lighten, depending on many factors (genetics, sun exposure etc.) - the cracks between the scales also may be more shallow or deeper depending on hydration and age of the tortoise.

I don't mean the scales. I mean the dark brown lines.

 

[Lyn W]

My leopard was about 3 or 4 when he adopted me but the colouring on his scales and shell has changed in the 8 years I've had him. I think that's pretty normal and they all have different markings.

This is the caresheet that will help him grow as healthily as possible -

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[biochemnerd808]

I don't mean the scales. I mean the dark brown lines.

The brown lines are literally just the gaps between the scales. They kay darken or lighten.

 

[Tom]

I have a baby Leopard tortoise. He is a hatchling. He has those typical brown markings on his head- they look like cracks. Just google leopard baby tortoises to see pictures of them. I'm wondering if anyone here knows if those markings will ever go away when he/she gets older. Or do they stay for good? Anyone here have experience with that? Thanks.

The basic pattern will change and evolve, but it fades and gets harder to see when they are living outside and the dirt accumulates. You just can't really see it when they get older. If I spent some time with a tooth brush and some warm water, I might find some patterning under there:

 

[Lokkje]

Scrubbed with a toothbrush an hour post soak recently-Mr. Snarky is 3 years old. Pic next to it is Snarky as a 1 year old. Basic scale pattern I think is about the same.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Sounds like nothing to worry about to me. I wish Levi was sparkling clean all the time. He's so pretty when he is...but alas, he's most often dirty because that's what happen when grown up tortoises live outside.