2010 South African Leopard Thread.

[Cherbear]

Well, I've had my guy for a month now and thought I'd post how he's doing. He was 46g when I got him and today he's 86g. He's also grown approx. a half inch. His shell seems to be nice and smooth so far. Still has a nice appetite. I spray him 2 or three times a day.

One month ago:

Today:

 

[DeanS]

Well, I've had my guy for a month now and thought I'd post how he's doing. He was 46g when I got him and today he's 86g. He's also grown approx. a half inch. His shell seems to be nice and smooth so far. Still has a nice appetite. I spray him 2 or three times a day.

One month ago:

Today:

That's fantastic! Keep up the good work...and keep us posted!

 

[laura808]

I really want a leopard now!!!

 

[Yvonne G]

My camera's not nearly as nice as Tom's. When I try to get a close-up it comes out blurry, so I apologize for that.

My leopard tortoises live here (not from SA):

Just inside the door and looking to the right:

Just inside the door and looking straight ahead:

I'll show what's inside that tort table in a minute, but first, this is my babies a couple months ago when I first got them:

And alongside the famous glove for size comparison:

And a look inside the tort table, the babies as of 12-2-10:

And the blurry close-up:

 

[spikethebest]

Very nice Yvonne! thanks for sharing!

 

[coreyc]

Just a few recent pic's

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[/img]Just a few recent pic's

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[Yvonne G]

So I built my two babies (from Tom) a nice tort table in the leopard shed. Then I fed them a couple pieces of soaked Mazuri...went back out there a couple hours later and the Mazuri was swarming with red ants!

I had been applying an experiment on the two babies. I was using the "spray 'til they drip" method with one of them, but painting the new growth areas on the other one with olive oil on a Q-tip.

Well, the ants were also in the olive oil container. Lucky for the babies, the ants were NOT on them. But I had to discontinue the olive oil part of the experiment because I don't want it to attract ants. Plus, the babies are now back on the car port in their old habitat. I can't figure where the ants are coming into the shed. Its behind the plywood and between seams someplace, but there wasn't a trail for me to follow.

Darned ants anyway!

 

[zzzdanz]

I've heard that ashes from a fire sprinkled around gets rid of the ants...don't hold me to that though

 

[coreyc]

So I built my two babies (from Tom) a nice tort table in the leopard shed. Then I fed them a couple pieces of soaked Mazuri...went back out there a couple hours later and the Mazuri was swarming with red ants!

I had been applying an experiment on the two babies. I was using the "spray 'til they drip" method with one of them, but painting the new growth areas on the other one with olive oil on a Q-tip.

Well, the ants were also in the olive oil container. Lucky for the babies, the ants were NOT on them. But I had to discontinue the olive oil part of the experiment because I don't want it to attract ants. Plus, the babies are now back on the car port in their old habitat. I can't figure where the ants are coming into the shed. Its behind the plywood and between seams someplace, but there wasn't a trail for me to follow.

Darned ants anyway!

what does the olive oil do?

 

[Yvonne G]

I was testing to see if it would keep the new growth supple enough to not form pyramids.

 

[Tom]

We've had a really bad run of ants here in my house too. They are in the walls and I can't get at them. They keep finding tiny cracks and slipping into the house. Driving me crazy!

I really wanted to see how that turned out. Are you going to start it up again?

 

[ticothetort2]

Here's a few new pics of Tico. This weekend was really nice so he got to spend a lot of the weekend outside.

Interested in seeing how the olive oil experiment turns out.

Tico gets 2 soakings a day as well as many spray downs. He also spends a lot of time in his humid hide. It seems to be doing him good so far, his shell is smooth as far as I can tell.

He has gained almost 30 grams and is just under 80 grams. His SCL is just over 2.5"

 

[Tom]

He looks great!

 

[Yvonne G]

I have to admit that my two babies are probably going to be the exceptions that prove the rule. I have a hard time remembering to keep them wet. And because of the ants, I've had to stop the olive oil experiment. They ARE growing, and so far they look smooth, but I'll bet they'll start to get bumpy as they get bigger.

I saw a picture of Jacqui's leopard baby that she got from me a couple years ago and its very smooth, while mine that is almost the same age as hers (maybe a year older) looks worse than a pineapple.

My South Africans are on moist substrate, but because they're outside I'm just hesitant to spray them every time I open their habitat lid.

I'll try to do better...I promise!!

 

[tortoises101]

Tom your torts are s*** awesome! You're very lucky to have such a nice colony. Are you planning to breed them? Keep us updated if you do.

 

[Tom]

I have to admit that my two babies are probably going to be the exceptions that prove the rule. I have a hard time remembering to keep them wet. And because of the ants, I've had to stop the olive oil experiment. They ARE growing, and so far they look smooth, but I'll bet they'll start to get bumpy as they get bigger.

I saw a picture of Jacqui's leopard baby that she got from me a couple years ago and its very smooth, while mine that is almost the same age as hers (maybe a year older) looks worse than a pineapple.

My South Africans are on moist substrate, but because they're outside I'm just hesitant to spray them every time I open their habitat lid.

I'll try to do better...I promise!!

Yvonne, don't fret just yet. Several concepts are being tested here, and volumes will be learned IF we all stay in touch.

Concept #1. I've always said that the first few weeks are critical. Well all 36 spent at least 4-5 weeks with me in my swamp room. I had yours for 6-7 weeks if memory serves me. So your will be able to tell us just HOW important those first few weeks are, IF you see a problem later.

Concept #2. Despite the obvious differences, you will be able to compare them to your other leopard experiences and possibly find some useful conclusions.

Concept #3. We can all compare notes on growth rates, care, feeding and housing. There are 36 hatchling tortoise involved in this experiment. Cory and I have lists of which ones went where and we are saving this for later reference. All 36 will be in different conditions and we should all learn A TON of valuable info from this. I have 10, so we should see some differences among the ones that all had exactly the same care to compare to all the ones out in the world that are getting different care. TortyQueen is in Wyoming, and hers are housed like TerryO's redfoots. CoreyC is back East in Mass. Cory (spikethebest) is out here, but housing them different from me. Tico is in San Diego, probably the most perfect spot in America for Gpp. Klearned's little one is starting a little slower than some of the others, here in Socal. Cherbear and yagyujubei are in Ohio, and theirs are doing great. Then there's Chris and Devon in AZ, the tortoise mecca. There are a whole bunch more (apologies to anyone I skipped), but the point is, they are all over the place, in totally different environments, and we will all learn a great deal about these theories we all speak of.

I have been titillated by the possibilities for learning presented here for months now. Very exciting stuff!

 

[Badgemash]

Hi Tom,

Just an FYI, had the gpps fecal and general check up with the vet a few weeks ago (sorry I forgot to tell you then). He said they look great and are perfectly healthy. There was a parasite load, but it was very low (apparently that is normal) and not worth treating with anything. They're doing well and growing like cute little weeds, I'll try to find the camera and post some pics this afternoon.

-Devon

 

[Mao Senpai]

Just a few recent pic's

Haha. This is the best picture ever. The side head tilt thing cracks me up. Thanks for the pictures everyone... they are all beautiful... makes me want to get another one

 

[coreyc]

Just a few recent pic's

Haha. This is the best picture ever. The side head tilt thing cracks me up. Thanks for the pictures everyone... they are all beautiful... makes me want to get another one

thank's I'm thinking about another one myself side note has any one got any tort's from Ben Siegel?

 

[Mao Senpai]

Hmm.. not sure. I'm gonna see if I can find one that is not too terribly expensive and hatchling...