Nwe Leopard Tortoise Keeper Needs Advice.

[azc]

Having just aqired a 10 year old ish Leopard tortise I have been reading this forum with interest.

I am assuming he is male from what I have read but would appreciate your oppinion. I have attached some pics.

I am not too sure what level of care he has had in the past and would value your oppinion as to his condition. He is 200mm measuring over the top of the shell abd weighs 785g.

He is now fed according to the advice I have found on this forum (grasses and weeds etc suplemented with calcuim (nutrobol) and is provided with heating and uv light.

I am in the process of bulding a new indoor enclosure 4' x 3' which I hope will be ok until I can move him outside next year and sort out outside accomidation.

If I wanted to get him some compamy I understand he would fight with another male, if I was to get a female would he bother her all the time, so would I need more than one or would another breed be better.

Thanks for your advice/comments in advance.

[kelz-b]

I don't keep Leopards but plenty of people do on here so hopefully they will answer your questions for you

[annsimpson1]

can I ask whether you bought him? private or from a shop? I don't keep leopards but that weight and size would suggest at least to me a youngster not a 10 yr old, I could be wrong but Leopards are one of the bigger species of torts and at 10 I'd imagine would be an awfull lot bigger. I'm glad though that he seems to have gone to a better home because, and please don't take this the wrong way, he obviously hasn't had a very good start. His shell looks badly deformed but I don't know whether that is a sign of a serious bone problem or just bad care and diet, hopefully someone with more leopard knowlege will come and help but good on you for taking him on.

[purplepixie]

Your leopard looks like it has suffered from no real care at all. Looks like he/she has been over fed on the wrong foods, and does not look like its had a lot of heat and UV.
At least now he/she has found someone who is getting the right diet and husbandry them Grasses and grazing grass is the way to go with this one, to at least get him/her onto a normal diet. Dont forget some weeds and flowers.
I would imagine that the age is incorrect, probably going by size. But this tortoise looks like it has been grown far to fast.
I dont think most leopards are as aggresive as meds and horsfields, and generally get along a lot better.
Terry on here is a great leopard keeper, and I am sure if you asked him, he would help out where he can.

[AnythingWithAShell]

Well done you for taking him

I have to agree with everything Ann and Purplepixie said really.

As for getting more, if you wanted to keep them all together, you'd have to get Leopards. So you'd need a huge space for them, as they do get pretty big. You shouldn't mix species of tort in the same enclosure.

My advice though would be to see how you get on this with guy. Like has been said, it looks like he had a rather rough start, and I'm not sure what the likelihood of him needing vets attention would be.

Pat yourself on the back though, keep giving this guy the right care and he'll be fine hopefully. I really like leopards. I so want one

[gaz0123]

i just got a leopard tortoise was found in my college field so i told them i keep reptiles and would be happy to give it a home it looks healthy is tame and a great pet

[EVIEMAY]

Hi - welcome to the forum.

It is very difficult to know a rough age for your little one - as leopards do grow at very different rates depending on husbandry.

As purplepixie has said he is very unlikely to be 10 years old but he looks like he has grown rapidly caused by incorrect feeding ect.

Terry on here has namy leopards and has kept very goor records of weight and growth he may have an idea how old this little one is.

I have a 9 year old female who is 11" and weighs 4 kgms and I have a 6 year old female who is 14" and weighs 7 kgms.

You definately need to supplement this little one with calcuim at least 5 days a week and then nutrobol maybe twice a week. Also supply a nice cuttlebone - I leave mine in the garden to get wet and weathered they seem to like it better then.

Also check his plastron it should feel firm and not soft or spongey - sometimes a lack of calcuim as the tortoise is growing can cause this.

Good luck with him and please feel free to ask questions - there are a few leopard keepers on here that will be pleased to help you.

[Denise aka Martini]

Hi i keep leopards and by no way is yours 10yrs old, 2 of mine are over 8yrs old and are 3times the size of yours, poor thing, the bumpy shell as has been already stated can be contributed to a few factors ie, poor diet or wrong lighting, when tortoises are fed excessive calcium, vitamin D3 and /or protein may develop deformed shells. This deformity commonly takes the form of pyramiding of the scutes, but you can also get an overgrown shell too, thick and too large for the body size of the animal. A different set of problems ( metabolic bone disorder) may occur if you dont provide enough heat, calcium, vitaminD3 or sunlight.
If a tortoise has been fed nothing but commercial tortoise foods then these have a high protein content and can cause too rapid a growth, they are ok now and again but added with other more natural foods.
Everyone has their own opinions on using commercial foods....

[EVIEMAY]

Leopards are very placid and I have not heard of males fighting - my largest female can be dominent at times but that is usually over food of the best basking spot!!

You are right about a male and female though - not really fair on the female unless you have an area where they can be seperated at times.

[azc]

Hi and thanks for the replies.

I got this tortoise from a friends daughter who was left with it when she split from her boyfriend. It was kept in a glass tank with a light at one end for tlght and heat (no uv).

Now in much better accomodation and hopefuly on a better diet. I have just recieved some seeds from Shell warrior which I only ordrered yesterday, so thanks very much.

Will the damage to the shell be corrected over time and if so should I be doing anything extra to help?

For the new enclosere I'm building would a strip vu light be best or if I were to use a compact would he receive enough uv if it was a one end.

I also think his top beak (not sure if thats what it's called) looks a bit long. Can it be clipped/filed, I have provided him with cuttlefish (don't think he knows what to do with it yet) so will that help.

thanks again for all your help/comments Adam