Recent content by Snow Leopard

Good news! Binky spent yesterday digging a nest and laying eggs. She’s eating well and seems to be doing well. Do they generally lay all of their eggs in one go, or do I need to keep everything set up for a while? Thanks again for the advice.

It’s actually dirt from an area near her outdoor pasture, I didn’t buy any sand. We have have a gravely type clayish soil (glacial till?). She has made a couple of outside nests in the past on this dirt/soil. It compacts well, and has some roots and organic matter that may help it hold...

I’ve gotten her set up with a kiddy pool full of compact sand/clay/soil/gravel. She seems interested, so we’ll see how it goes. So far she seems pretty active and is eating well. How long do you let it go on before intervening? What should I be looking out for to say she needs to be induced...

Thank you, that’s all very useful information. It gives me hope that she will be able to lay naturally. I have some ideas for nesting box set ups. I’ll start working on it today, and hopefully get something that Binky deems acceptable.

It’s good to hear that they were able to lay eggs indoors. I’ll get some soil and try to make it deep enough in her enclosure. Since she just started, hopefully she will be accept it. She has laid eggs successfully on her own outside. I’d like to avoid having her induced if possible, I think...

Has anyone had success making an indoor nesting box for a leopard tortoise? Mine has started nesting but it is too cold for me to be able to put her outside. I had the same problem about 4 years ago. I filled the enclosure with a deep sand/soil mixture but she didn’t seem to like it. I ended up...

Thank you so much. Is there any way to determine it’s approximate age? He still has a juvenile shell pattern, how long do they hold on to that? He hasn’t had the best care so is probably somewhat stunted.

Thank you, I was thinking Hermann’s tortoise, but I’m really not sure.

Hello. I’m hoping that can someone help me identify this tortoise. I work at an animal shelter and this little guy was surrendered to us. We are working to get him/her into an appropriate enclosure. It is 4” (10cm) long and weighs 150g (5.3 oz). The person that turned it in said that it is a...

Thanks for the advice. I will work on her nesting sites and bump up her calcium. I guess it’s just a game of wait and see.

Hi there, I posted this in the breeding section but did not get much response. I can delete if not allowed. Last week I noticed my leopard tortoise digging and straining. I was concerned about egg binding and took her to the vet for X-rays. They show that there are six eggs, are located in...

Due to the placement of the eggs and the fact that she still seems bright, the vet and I decided that it was not an emergency. It is winter here so she is indoors, I do have a nesting box set up, hopefully it meets her standards. She had a clutch of eggs a few years ago and drops a random egg...

Hi there, Last week I noticed my leopard tortoise digging and straining. I was concerned about egg binding and took her to the vet for X-rays. They show that there are six eggs, are located in located in the middle of the body cavity, nothing appears jammed in the pelvis. Two of the eggs have...

Hmmm, interesting to see the different opinions. It is only in winter that I am concerned, during the summer they are outside and there is lots of thick vegetation they can get under. The humidity in their enclosure right now is between 50-60%. I suppose I can put something together and see if...

Do you feel that humid hides are necessary for adult leopards? Do your leopards use their humid hides after they have gotten past the juvenile stage? At what point do you feel they are finished most of their growth? Mine have slowed down but I imagine they have growing left to do. Is there an...