Leopard tortoise info thread - Page 2

Becks · 22-09-2006, 11:51 AM

this is somethink i have come across on size of leopards
Size: On average,
leopard tortoises reach about 16-18 inches
and can be 40-50 pounds

(although some reach up to 24 inches and 70 lbs).

that is between 3st 2lb and 4st 6lb fully grown

22-09-2006, 12:05 PM

We can't wait for him to grow! (Not too quick of course) we are looking forward to him being a BIG part of the family.

We are expecting the worse and imagining that he will be around 20" and 3.1/2st

Just wondered how quick do they grow and at what age do they reach the 10-12 inch mark?

Becks · 22-09-2006, 12:07 PM

i think that 1 would be hard to answer and u will probly
only get a rough idea as all torts have different growth rates..
depends on the tort its self and the diet fed to the tort ..
but im sure some 1 could give u a rough idea

luv becks xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

tortoise_crazy · 22-09-2006, 04:13 PM

our leopards took about 9 years to get to around the 9 inch mark, you can get them there a lot quicker but it is not worth it. we keep our shed heated to 22 degrees at night and a day time temperature of back ground 30 degrees and a hot spot of 35 degrees, this seeem to work well for us as they do go in the garden most times of the year to graze and when they cool down they go back in to warm through again, even in winter the natural light is most beneficial, they have even ventured out when there has been snow on the ground, but this was after been warmed up after about 3 hours and with me being there to watch them, we use a 250 watt infra red lamp to warm them through as it is powerfull enough to penetrate them through their shells and right into the centre of the body.
phil

tortoise_crazy · 22-09-2006, 04:19 PM

since we have put the 250 watt infra red lamp in we find that we no longer have the tortoises retain eggs over winter, i believe it is because they can warm up totally in the shed and this means that they are heated up enough to go out and lay eggs in most weathers even in a thunder storm about 2 weeks ago.
phil

22-09-2006, 04:24 PM

I am so glad that we started this thread as we are keen to hear about keeping the beautiful torts.

As Jez is 9 months he is based inside and will be now through this winter but certainly next year he will outside as much as poss. I am going to work on an outside enclosure very soon so that we can get it planted up and as natural as possible for him.

Do you incubate and hatch any of the eggs?

carl20 · 22-09-2006, 04:24 PM

leos are good because they grow at a noticeable rate but this means a much greater need for a careful diet,
i have never seen my torts dig the sand/soil at all, they do like to sit in the grass or weirdly they lay accross the grass so that they are on a tilt, like a hammak. If i remove there hides then they bury in a bit of thick hay to sleep.
As for growth i find it amazing how badly i can guess a torts scl because they look so big but there scl is still quite small, if u mean 10-12 inch scl this can vary a lot between tortoises as they all have different growth rates. phil or terry will give u a better guess than me but i would guess on a proper diet that just over an inch a year is what you can expect.

Your tort is likely babcocki and based on what i have read about captive leos it will probably not get near as big as they can in the wild.

where did u get jez from, did u see the parents, im sure genes play a factor like in ppl.

carl20 · 22-09-2006, 04:26 PM

love the pics phil, on the first pic is that a leg or a tail

i think i asked u this b4 but dont they stand on the eggs by accident

tortoise_crazy · 22-09-2006, 04:55 PM

yes we do hatch eggs but this year we have had a problem with theincubator the thermostat stuck on but some of the eggs still seem to be ok. that is a foot, they are ever so carefull it is amazing to watch them digging a nest as the way the leg seems to be double jointed how they hold earth on their claws and twist it around sothey get it out of the whole and when it comes to re arranging the eggs in the nest the do very slow, gentlle and deliberate moves, they have only broken one egg and that was because she layed on the edge of the nest after rearranging the eggs, when the eggs fall in the whole they sre sort of wrapped in gooie substance which makes them drop to the bottom slowly.
phil

22-09-2006, 04:57 PM

Gorgeous photos....

Its so exciting to think what our Leo will be like in
years to come.

22-09-2006, 11:51 AM	#11
Becks Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Somerset UK Posts: 4,035	this is somethink i have come across on size of leopards Size: On average, leopard tortoises reach about 16-18 inches and can be 40-50 pounds (although some reach up to 24 inches and 70 lbs). that is between 3st 2lb and 4st 6lb fully grown __________________ horsfields ,redfoots ,southern and northan morrocans, map turtle . http://www.redfoottortoiseplace.piczo.com

22-09-2006, 12:07 PM	#13
Becks Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Somerset UK Posts: 4,035	i think that 1 would be hard to answer and u will probly only get a rough idea as all torts have different growth rates.. depends on the tort its self and the diet fed to the tort .. but im sure some 1 could give u a rough idea luv becks xxxxxxxxxxxxxx __________________ horsfields ,redfoots ,southern and northan morrocans, map turtle . http://www.redfoottortoiseplace.piczo.com

22-09-2006, 04:24 PM	#17
carl20 Member Hatchling Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: north east Posts: 516	leos are good because they grow at a noticeable rate but this means a much greater need for a careful diet, i have never seen my torts dig the sand/soil at all, they do like to sit in the grass or weirdly they lay accross the grass so that they are on a tilt, like a hammak. If i remove there hides then they bury in a bit of thick hay to sleep. As for growth i find it amazing how badly i can guess a torts scl because they look so big but there scl is still quite small, if u mean 10-12 inch scl this can vary a lot between tortoises as they all have different growth rates. phil or terry will give u a better guess than me but i would guess on a proper diet that just over an inch a year is what you can expect. Your tort is likely babcocki and based on what i have read about captive leos it will probably not get near as big as they can in the wild. where did u get jez from, did u see the parents, im sure genes play a factor like in ppl. __________________

22-09-2006, 04:26 PM	#18
carl20 Member Hatchling Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: north east Posts: 516	love the pics phil, on the first pic is that a leg or a tail i think i asked u this b4 but dont they stand on the eggs by accident __________________

22-09-2006, 12:05 PM	#12
converted Guest Posts: n/a	We can't wait for him to grow! (Not too quick of course) we are looking forward to him being a BIG part of the family. We are expecting the worse and imagining that he will be around 20" and 3.1/2st Just wondered how quick do they grow and at what age do they reach the 10-12 inch mark?

22-09-2006, 04:13 PM	#14
tortoise_crazy Junior Member Egg Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: east sussex Posts: 34	our leopards took about 9 years to get to around the 9 inch mark, you can get them there a lot quicker but it is not worth it. we keep our shed heated to 22 degrees at night and a day time temperature of back ground 30 degrees and a hot spot of 35 degrees, this seeem to work well for us as they do go in the garden most times of the year to graze and when they cool down they go back in to warm through again, even in winter the natural light is most beneficial, they have even ventured out when there has been snow on the ground, but this was after been warmed up after about 3 hours and with me being there to watch them, we use a 250 watt infra red lamp to warm them through as it is powerfull enough to penetrate them through their shells and right into the centre of the body. phil

22-09-2006, 04:19 PM	#15
tortoise_crazy Junior Member Egg Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: east sussex Posts: 34	since we have put the 250 watt infra red lamp in we find that we no longer have the tortoises retain eggs over winter, i believe it is because they can warm up totally in the shed and this means that they are heated up enough to go out and lay eggs in most weathers even in a thunder storm about 2 weeks ago. phil

22-09-2006, 04:55 PM	#19
tortoise_crazy Junior Member Egg Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: east sussex Posts: 34	yes we do hatch eggs but this year we have had a problem with theincubator the thermostat stuck on but some of the eggs still seem to be ok. that is a foot, they are ever so carefull it is amazing to watch them digging a nest as the way the leg seems to be double jointed how they hold earth on their claws and twist it around sothey get it out of the whole and when it comes to re arranging the eggs in the nest the do very slow, gentlle and deliberate moves, they have only broken one egg and that was because she layed on the edge of the nest after rearranging the eggs, when the eggs fall in the whole they sre sort of wrapped in gooie substance which makes them drop to the bottom slowly. phil

22-09-2006, 04:57 PM	#20
Glitter Guest Posts: n/a	Gorgeous photos.... Its so exciting to think what our Leo will be like in years to come.

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