A Year In The Life Of Cupcake

Brandi

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2009
Messages
20
I have been a member for some years but never posted or did much else but read others post because I am not sure how to ask questions complying with the guidelines. If this is wrong place to ask question please help guide me to appropriate area and protocol. I have a 6 year old leopard, named Jhonny, that I have had since he (I assume) was almost one year old. I knew nothing of care and feeding so I relied online and local reptile shops. Received a lot of conflicting info but I always made sure he was well fed and proper housing, heating, humidity, lighting, calcium, etc. He was pyramiding somewhat when I got him and the vet said he would be fine and round out later ...well he didn’t and the vet no longer taking reptile family. He is extremely friendly and loves people, recognizes my voice, eats out of my hand, loves to be held and loves his warm soak, sitting under sprinklers, and being sprayed by the hose in his rear quarters which makes him wiggle. In other words a very happy guy.
QUESTIONS:
1. Is there any way to reverse pyramiding or stop it from getting worse ?
2. He tends to pace when alone outside is that normal?
3. I was told to feed him monster diet pellets or mazuri (he won’t eat mazuri)for his species sprinkled with calcium powder but now I read where that causes pyramiding... which is correct? I have always supplemented with greens he eats but he won’t eat Timothy orchard hay or flowers cactus or other things he is suppose to
4. Would he be happier if he had a partner leopard and if so better to have female or male? I am not even sure is a male!
5. Is there a way to chip or mark tortoise in case he gets lost?
Any help will be most appreciated !

Thank you
Brandi
 

TriciaStringer

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2018
Messages
1,186
Location (City and/or State)
Louisiana
I have been a member for some years but never posted or did much else but read others post because I am not sure how to ask questions complying with the guidelines. If this is wrong place to ask question please help guide me to appropriate area and protocol. I have a 6 year old leopard, named Jhonny, that I have had since he (I assume) was almost one year old. I knew nothing of care and feeding so I relied online and local reptile shops. Received a lot of conflicting info but I always made sure he was well fed and proper housing, heating, humidity, lighting, calcium, etc. He was pyramiding somewhat when I got him and the vet said he would be fine and round out later ...well he didn’t and the vet no longer taking reptile family. He is extremely friendly and loves people, recognizes my voice, eats out of my hand, loves to be held and loves his warm soak, sitting under sprinklers, and being sprayed by the hose in his rear quarters which makes him wiggle. In other words a very happy guy.
QUESTIONS:
1. Is there any way to reverse pyramiding or stop it from getting worse ?
2. He tends to pace when alone outside is that normal?
3. I was told to feed him monster diet pellets or mazuri (he won’t eat mazuri)for his species sprinkled with calcium powder but now I read where that causes pyramiding... which is correct? I have always supplemented with greens he eats but he won’t eat Timothy orchard hay or flowers cactus or other things he is suppose to
4. Would he be happier if he had a partner leopard and if so better to have female or male? I am not even sure is a male!
5. Is there a way to chip or mark tortoise in case he gets lost?
Any help will be most appreciated !

Thank you
Brandi
Hi Brandi! If you go to Forums, scroll down until you get to African Tortoises. Click on it. Then scroll down to find leopard tortoise. Then click on “post new thread.” You can post all your questions. I don’t have a leopard so I won’t be much help.
 

TriciaStringer

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2018
Messages
1,186
Location (City and/or State)
Louisiana
I have been a member for some years but never posted or did much else but read others post because I am not sure how to ask questions complying with the guidelines. If this is wrong place to ask question please help guide me to appropriate area and protocol. I have a 6 year old leopard, named Jhonny, that I have had since he (I assume) was almost one year old. I knew nothing of care and feeding so I relied online and local reptile shops. Received a lot of conflicting info but I always made sure he was well fed and proper housing, heating, humidity, lighting, calcium, etc. He was pyramiding somewhat when I got him and the vet said he would be fine and round out later ...well he didn’t and the vet no longer taking reptile family. He is extremely friendly and loves people, recognizes my voice, eats out of my hand, loves to be held and loves his warm soak, sitting under sprinklers, and being sprayed by the hose in his rear quarters which makes him wiggle. In other words a very happy guy.
QUESTIONS:
1. Is there any way to reverse pyramiding or stop it from getting worse ?
2. He tends to pace when alone outside is that normal?
3. I was told to feed him monster diet pellets or mazuri (he won’t eat mazuri)for his species sprinkled with calcium powder but now I read where that causes pyramiding... which is correct? I have always supplemented with greens he eats but he won’t eat Timothy orchard hay or flowers cactus or other things he is suppose to
4. Would he be happier if he had a partner leopard and if so better to have female or male? I am not even sure is a male!
5. Is there a way to chip or mark tortoise in case he gets lost?
Any help will be most appreciated !

Thank you
Brandi
Ok, I can answer some of those but please post it in a new thread so we don’t hijack this post.
 

TriciaStringer

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2018
Messages
1,186
Location (City and/or State)
Louisiana
How do I do that
Hi Brandi! If you go to Forums, scroll down until you get to African Tortoises. Click on it. Then scroll down to find leopard tortoise. Then click on “post new thread.” You can post all your questions.
 

Brandi

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2009
Messages
20
Ok thank you I will go to FORUM and post new thread
 

Brit G

Active Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2016
Messages
127
Location (City and/or State)
Texas
Interesting. See, I am still learning.

I know he's a beauty. His shell pattern is just gorgeous. I'm lucky to have him :D

I will continue to post updates on here as he grows!

Wow!! Maybe I should keep my future leopard this way! Coconut oil is a must, I guess :)
 

Salspi

Active Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2017
Messages
339
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago
Do you think coconut oil is the trick you’ve found that keeps the shell so smooth?
 

leopardcupcake

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2017
Messages
30
Wow!! Maybe I should keep my future leopard this way! Coconut oil is a must, I guess :)
Do you think coconut oil is the trick you’ve found that keeps the shell so smooth?

I want to be completely honest with both of you. This is the only tortoise that I have, and my experience comes from the year and a half that I have owned him. There are others on here much more experienced and knowledgeable than I am that would be much better qualified to speak on the topic of coconut oil. I just saw the thread on here about coconut oil when I first got Cupcake and decided to give it a try. I knew that my humidity levels were not high enough so I continued with the coconut oil. Now it is part of our weekly routine.

I can only speak from my experience. I do not feel qualified to recommend the use of coconut oil to others, but I also feel like giving it a try would not be harmful.

I also want to share that Cupcake is not completely smooth. He does have some pyramiding. This is my fault, and I believe due to the lack of humidity.

I have seen pictures of completely, 100% smooth leopard tortoise shells on here and they were all raised in high humidity environments.

Basically, I guess i'm trying to be completely transparent with everyone on here. I do not want to recommend coconut oil to others because I do not feel qualified to make that recommendation.

I do, however, want to continue to share Cupcake's growth and my experiences with him. He is growing into such a beauty. Coconut oil is a part of his husbandry so I will continue to share that experience as well.

Here is a side view to show his pyramiding. I am sorry if it does not come across in his other pictures. I just kind of snap away and don't really focus on angles.

7D855D93-87EA-42B7-95DF-871A9D68E316.jpeg

Have a great day everyone!
 

tomoyuki honda

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2016
Messages
19
So i've had my baby Cupcake for over a year now. He has gone from 36 grams to 375 grams in that time and I almost can't believe how beautiful he is. He absolutely loves Mazuri pellets and radicchio and I adore everything about him. He does have some pyramiding and I am working to fix that. I spent six months in the police academy and I did not focus on his humidity levels as much as I should have. Overall though, he is happy, healthy, and has a huge appetite. Here's a photo montage of his first year of life! :):<3:

February 24th, 2017 and 36 grams
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March 6th, 43 grams
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March 14th, 46 grams
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April 2nd, 61 grams
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April 21st, 72 grams
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May 5th, 79 grams
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July, 23 95 grams
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September 3rd, 115 grams
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October 21st, 170 grams
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November 23rd, 200 grams
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December 9th, 241 grams
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December 31st, 272 grams
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January 15th 2018, 294 grams
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March 1st 2018, 375 grams
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bouaboua

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Dec 7, 2013
Messages
11,809
Location (City and/or State)
San Jose CA
What a beauty, What a beauty! ! ! ! ! !
 
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