Looking to adopt or buy a subadult lepeord tortoise, located in tucson AZ

Hi! Im looking to get a sub adult lepeord tortoise (at least 8 inches) preferably male, although a female would be great too! Im located in tucson if anyone has an offer or knows how/where I can get one

Welcome to the Forum!

You've found a unique site that cares very much about the well-being of tortoises and turtles.

Have you had a chance to read this yet?

Show us pictures of the enclosure(s) you have and tell us about your experience with Tortoises.
We'll do what we can to help you, but we need to know a bit more.

Settle in here there's a LOT of great info!


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I havn't cared for a tortoise before, although I have some experience in water turtles, they are a lot more work... the enclosure is definitely not ready for a tortoise yet, it's still being prepared, and is about halfway done, I was looking for a reliable way to get a tortoise for the future (probably about a month so the bermuda grass I will be using can get strong roots) but I will say that the enclosure is about 110 square feet, as I said I'm planning to get a sub adult.

I can upgrade the enclosure to a larger size once he gets larger, im aware that size cant be permanent

Every species of tortoise needs to have very warm and humid conditions for the first two to three years of life - which can only be accomplished by having a closed chamber to hold the heat and humidity inside. I don't know enough about Leopards to give good advice as to if the size you are considering is big enough to do well outside of the closed chamber stage. Let's ask some of the members who are much more knowledgeable about Leopards than I am :

@Tom
@Markw84
@ZEROPILOT
@Yvonne G

Let's hear what they say, but while we are waiting, this will be good to peruse :



These are about good things to be aware of and avoid -



And these two have far too many ideas and examples of indoor and outdoor enclosures, but are fun to look through and borrow from -










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A 8 inch tortoise/leapard needs a very big enclosure. 110 square is not big enough. That size is just over the size needed for a Russian which is much smaller. A hatchling needs a closed chamber as mentioned above. The size enclosure you have now would work once the leopard was around 3-4 inches but only for a year or two if taken care and fed properly. I would suggest getting the enclosure triple the size it is and work on adding plants for food and shade, a misting system and a heated night box for those colder days and nights in winter.
Plan on paying for one, not very often a leopard is given away. Female will cost more than a male. Keep in mind, they should not be housed in pairs, so if you plan on more then one, you will need the same setup for a second one.

Sponge said:

I havn't cared for a tortoise before, although I have some experience in water turtles, they are a lot more work... the enclosure is definitely not ready for a tortoise yet, it's still being prepared, and is about halfway done, I was looking for a reliable way to get a tortoise for the future (probably about a month so the bermuda grass I will be using can get strong roots) but I will say that the enclosure is about 110 square feet, as I said I'm planning to get a sub adult.

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Hello and welcome!

10x11 feet is not terrible for an 8 inch leopard, but you might as well go bigger now while you are working on it.

The other important element you will need is a temperature controlled night box. The tortoise should sleep closed in the night box every night, and you can open the door to the box every morning so the tortoise can come out when it wants to. This box will offer shelter on hot days, warmth on cooler nights when they return in fall, and protection from rats, ants and other pests every night.

Here are two examples with safe and effective heating strategies:


I don't know of anyone selling large juveniles right now. Most people sell babies and you raise them yourself in an indoor closed chamber enclosure. Check with kapidolofarms.com and tortoisesupply.com. I think I recall @NorCal tortoise guy is breeding them too now. He might have older ones or know where to find them.

All of your questions are welcome!

Hmmm I've already built the walls so I don't know if building bigger ones is worth it, would a greek tortoise work in there? Im planning to plant a cactus, maybe a bush or 2, grass and build a partially under ground night house

Sponge said:

Hmmm I've already built the walls so I don't know if building bigger ones is worth it, would a greek tortoise work in there? Im planning to plant a cactus, maybe a bush or 2, grass and build a partially under ground night house

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A greek could work in there. I like the look of the hermanni too. How about rescuing a free desert tortoise? You could get a younger smaller one to start out with. It would be perfect for your climate and an underground hide out.

I did consider that, but I was looking for a more active tortoise that spends a bit more time outside. Could one of the larger subspecies of greek, like the Jumbo Ibera, work in there? Also thank you for those extra links for the nighthouse, it was very helpful!

Sponge said:

I did consider that, but I was looking for a more active tortoise that spends a bit more time outside. Could one of the larger subspecies of greek, (like the 12 inch one) work in there?

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DTs are as active or more active than a greek. Probably about the same as a hermanni. In your climate, any Testudo is going to hide from that heat all day. A DT will also hide from the mid day heat, but they are better adapted to that climate than any Testudo. Most DTs are very outgoing and friendly. They don't hide all day, and I think they would be out more than your other choices.

What about a Burmese start tortoise? They can easily fit within your confines, love the heat, are super outgoing, very hardy, easy to feed and you won't have to worry about brumation over winter. Seems like the perfect fit for what you've got there.

I think that I'll actually stick to a lepeord for now and upgrade the enclosure once he gets bigger, since I'm getting him at about 8 inches. the wall design is very movable under capable hands. Bermuda grass and a cactus is a proper enough diet right? Burmese would be fun, but I think a lepeord is a bit more manageable

You intro to the burmese is very interesting, so you say they are easier to take care of than leopards? That would be great. Do they have the same diet for the most part? Im conflicted whether to get a leopard or burmese, they both sound very good, what would be your advice? It sounds like a leopard is generally less amintnencd but i would have to upgrade the enclosure size later, and it sounds like the burmese have better personalities and my current enclosure size is just fine, but a bit more maintenence? Correct me if im wrong

Sorry, I was a little off on the side your enclosure now is going to be. However it's still not a proper size for an adult leopard and one of my leopards at approximately 3-4 years is way past 8inches. My hatchlings would be 3-6 inches at 3 years old. Won't take long for an 8 inch to outgrow the enclosure.
As far as diet, no grass and cactus is not a proper enough diet. Much more needs to be added.

Sponge said:

You intro to the burmese is very interesting, so you say they are easier to take care of than leopards? That would be great. Do they have the same diet for the most part? Im conflicted whether to get a leopard or burmese, they both sound very good, what would be your advice? It sounds like a leopard is generally less amintnencd but i would have to upgrade the enclosure size later, and it sounds like the burmese have better personalities and my current enclosure size is just fine, but a bit more maintenence? Correct me if im wrong

Click to expand...

The Burmese start are much more hardy and outgoing than regular leopards, and they stay smaller which is better for your smaller enclosure that you have built.

The daily maintenance is the same for both species. Diet is the same for both species. I think the stars might like the grass more than a leopard, but it depends on the genetics of the leopard you end up with. Some of them don't want to eat grass at all. My stars do eat grass when its offered.