OK, sooo I just got back from meeting the guy with the torties... I picked out the two bottom ones, the light ones. the one on the top had been held back he said becuase it looked like it had a bit o' crusty nose so as a precaution he left it at home for some r&r. The darker one #3 looked to be more pyramid-y than I had expected, so I didn't choose it. Though the cream ones has slight pyramiding I'm thinking with a proper diet adjustment and good care things will be okay.
I brought home the one on the right today and he is happily "nomming" down on some hibiscus flowers in his flower bed tort yard. Ironically enouch I have a raised flowerbed with a queen palm growing in the middle that is PERFECT for an outside tort town... lotsa yummi flowers, plants and grass to chomp on and during all hours of the day has at least one nice shady spot to lounge. This one I think had the MOST outgoing active personality of the bunch, the other cream was a bit more shy.
I THINK this one might turn out to be a male, yeah I know it's a little early but compared to the other one I selected there is DEF some differences goin on in the backend. When I bring home the second one I will post comparison pics for an opinion poll.
Thanks everyone for all of your thoughts and comments, I'm so excited to be a torti parent. I can't wait to post MORE pics and names once I get em figured out...... HooooRay For Leopard Torts!
Good choice of torts and even better choice of breeder. He was very honest and forthwright with you. If anyone is looking for leopards you can give him a good recomindation.
OKay... here's the first pics of ma new little scute!
"How YOUUU Dooin!"
"Just scope'n out the new Pad"
"The Tort Garden... nice and weedy." HA! Who knew neglecting weed duty actually would turn out to be a GOOD THING in the flowerbed!
The tort garden isn't set up perfectly just yet but I will get in in order in the coming days, I used one of my Terra cotta pots for a temporary hide and will prob halfway bury it in the ground on its side to help keep it in place and stay cooler. I also filled 2 terra cotta water catch plates for the soaking dishes. I plan to thin out some of the grass that has grown up in there and plant some other tort friendly snacks that will flourish here in the Houston area.
The guy who I got them from has an add for some Indian Star hatchlings too.... I didn't see them in person but they are Beeeutiful in the pics.... Here's a link.
http://www.whipads.com/pets/index.php?a=2&b=149
....He also gave me some Calcium to get started with, some spinless cactus pads to plant and start a food supply and some Mazuri tort chow as a once or twice a month treat. I'm gonna research this stuff before continuing to give it to ma torti, I suspect this might be the culprit for the slight pyramiding that's going on. It was nice to see that he is very excited about his torts and cares for them, he even offered to help me with any questions or issues I may encounter for as long as I may keep tortoises.. Very Cool!... AND he works for the Anheuser-Busch Budweiser Brewery in Houston..... Very VERY cool INDEED!!! Tee-Hee! 80)
Yea! Your getting my two picks!!! Your tort "bed" looks great!!! Please tell me what the plant is in the fore-ground of your
last photo. Is it some kind of cactus? Oh, btw, your little tort looks real happy!
I'm getting my little leopards next wk!
Kay
Hi Kay,.
Aww thank ya for your nice words, I'm all torti giddy right now. I wish I had the day off from work so I could take quick trips out to peek on my little guy...
the plant in the fore ground is sometype of succulent I snagged a cutting from one day at the nursery, I know Bad Bad, but it's one of those that they call "Mother of thousands" and it produced BUNCHES of little baby clones right off of the edges of it's leaves.... so you see I couldn't help but to wisk a few of those little baby plants into the container of the plant I was purchasing, heh-heh.... If you would like some of the baby plants I could send ya some... I dunno if the torts will eat it or not. Those plants in the pic are about a year old, snagged em last summer.
You absolutly MUST post pix of your new "baby" when you get him/her!
Your Leo is adorable. Nice pad she/he has. Congratulations
Oh my! I would love a start. Are you in TX? Would the plant survive in MO.?
I just got a new camera & will post pics soon. Just found out I'll be getting
my little Leos tuesday & my little Red Foots wendsday!!!! Talk about being
tort giddy! LOL
Kay
OHHHHH Terrible Terrible HORRRRIIIIBBBBBBLE DAY!!!!! MY Little Tort has been MURDERED!! ... While I was at work My husband found the neighbors WRETCHED GHASTLY little dog in OUR backyard... my little tort is NO MORE! MY heart is Stricken.... Perhaps an Alligator Snapping turtle would've been a better choice.... I'm Heartbroken and the neighbor who owns the devil beast belongs to doesn't seem to give a crap that their dog escaped THEIR yard and killed someone elses pet! There will be consequences for their actions! I now have animal control on Speed Dial...
....Dreamer, Yes I'm in Texas, the land of the Evil wretched Devil Dogs and their Ghastly Unconcerned Owners... Wickedness I tell you PURE wickedness..... Anyway I dunno if they would survive a winter outside there, BUT you could always put them in a pot and bring them indoors for the winter, or even keep them as an inside plant year round. I've seen a bunch of people here keep them as indoor plants or patio plants in containers. I'D love to see pics of your new Torts when you get em! I still have another tort on hold with the breeder, THANK GOODNESS I didn't bring it home with the first one or she might have also met the same end!
*hugs* I am really sorry to hear what has happened. It won't bring your tortoise back, but those folks are legally required to pay for your lost tortoise (and morally too).
I am assuming you have an open backyard? Sounds like before you try getting the second tortoise, you need to do some fence building and some enclosure security work. If a dog got it this time, it will try again...or some other animal will. Take it as a wake up call that you need to rethink your pen a bit.
What had you use for the sides of the cage? For the lid? Was the only thing forming the wall in front the blocks? Was there any barriers all around your yard to keep things out? Just going by your photos of your poor tort.
What kind of a dog was it?