Show us your Leopards!

[ShadowRancher]

A good question. I don't know. I have had her a year, and all the new growth you see happened in that time period. She's growing right now.I'm guessing that she'll be close to 20" and 45 pounds in just a couple of years. She's pretty faded and worn, but still my favorite.

I think we don't see nearly enough pics of adults. This is Giggerotta, my 10yo p.pardalis. She is 16" scl and 28 pounds.



Very Nice! I love the pattern of spots... or rather the lack of pattern!
If he's 10 and 16" @28 lbs, How much bigger will he get?

She's stunning! Think I've decided who to pine for

 

[Neal]

Here's a few I snapped at lunch. I'll try and get some better ones tomorrow with their shells cleaned off.

Camouflage

 

[Zamric]

Here's a few I snapped at lunch. I'll try and get some better ones tomorrow with their shells cleaned off.

Camouflage

Are all 3 of these Pardalis?(I can tell the 1st and 3rd are, but the second one I'm not sure about.) What are their ages and sizes?

The last one looks to be the youngest but I really like his color and spot pattern!

 

[Neal]

Actually only the last one is a South African leopard. The top two have South African traits, but they are not full. I just call them Babcocki...as far as I'm concerned, the two types of leopards in the US are G.P.P and everything else, even "hybrids" are G.P.B.

I've asked around and have yet to find anyone that knows the origins of their leopards. The best anyone has is where they were imported from, which doesn't necessarily mean they originated form that region.

 

[JeffG]

This is Big Momma. I got her as a hatchling in 2004. She is 12" now, but I haven't weighed her lately. She feels like she is made of led when I pick her up though.

[/u]

 

[Zamric]

I have notice a constant in all these pics.

Everyone seems to have some sort of pyramiding... is this normal for Leopards or is this something we have learned to avoid? Do they have smooth shells in the wild? Does anyone have pics of wild Leopards?

 

[Paddi]

So lovely.

 

[Neal]

I have notice a constant in all these pics.

Everyone seems to have some sort of pyramiding... is this normal for Leopards or is this something we have learned to avoid? Do they have smooth shells in the wild? Does anyone have pics of wild Leopards?

You can do a google search and see some wild leopard pictures. There will be some of those that show pyramiding, it's not as bad as we would see in captivity, but they do seem to have some pyramiding in the wild. The South African variety does not seem to be as prone to pyramiding as the other type.

 

[JeffG]

I think the pyramiding on my leopards is 99% caused by me. I did what I was told with them, but that was before anyone seemed to know the right way to raise them. I am considering getting some more now that I think I know what it takes to raise them smooth. I hate that my leopards are pyramided, but I love them to death. They are awesome torts!

 

[Irwin4530]

This is my Semmi,
she is not usually this "social"
so I snapped a picture!

 

[jackmac]

Here is my little friend,

I got him from Neal about 4 months back...

 

[Zamric]

Nice growth between the 2 pics!... are these 2 pics taken about a month apart?

 

[rhachic]

Hello, i'm new here and this happened to be the first thread that caught my eye so I'm going to share some progression pics of my kiddos I only have pics from up to summer 2010 online at this point, they're all about 5lbs now as they were all in the 3lb range by the end of the photos I put up so I will have to update more later I love these guys the best out of the 3 species I own (golden greek, leopard, and indian star).

Females: Sisters purchased as babies, confirmed crosses, picked up at Hamburg, PA reptile expo Summer 2008.

4 months old

8 months

1 year

1 year 5 months

1 year 7 months

1 year 10 months

Male: assumed cross, adopted at 4 years old with soft plastron and very low weight for his size. He was fed a commercial rainbow colored tortoise pellet diet ONLY and given no humidity or allowed to soak only provided small water dish once a week to drink from before I got him which led to his severe pyramiding and extremely soft plastron (it was literally squishy to the touch). I want to say he was in the area of 500 grams when I got him, but can double check that...either way very low for his age and size. He barely grew during the first few months I had him but very quickly gained weight and got a firm shell again thanks to a proper diet and care.

Winter 2008 approx 5 years old

5 months later, doubled his weight, hardened shell, a small amount of growth.

7 months after receiving, starting to show real growth! Note new growth is nearly all black...

1 year 6 months after receiving, he is 5 1/2 years old at this point. The animals next to him are the females from above that we raised from the start at only 1 year 8 months old (and almost the same weight!).

 

[Zamric]

I'm so happy you rescued that male! he has beautiful coloration and pattern

 

[rhachic]

me too! I think it's really interesting how he went from nearly a "blonde" to now having 90% black growth with me. Also, I was looking at them all when I got home tonight...my 2 girls are much much larger than in the last photo and both make the male look tiny after only a year! I can't wait for summer when I can let them graze outside again

 

[NudistApple]

Your torts are so beautiful rachic! That male is very lucky to have you. It's a shame the white on his shell was due to his bad living conditions, I find it to be so handsome.

 

[Bobby9779]

Some right beauties there. Really need to get some nice ones of ours up.

 

[zzzdanz]

I really need to stop looking at this thread or I might end up with 1....or 3.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

I really need to stop looking at this thread or I might end up with 1....or 3.

4, or 5.....

 

[Zamric]

Just 1 Would make me Happy!