Egg-Shaped Leopard Tortoise Shell? (Pic Heavy)

[shehick]

I have had my leopard tortoise for almost three and a half months now and he is finally starting to show some white growth which is very exciting! However, I've noticed his shell is not the most even when looking at him from the side, it's more egg-shaped. Is this normal for hatchlings or do I need to change something? He did start pyramiding from our first enclosure but as you can see the growth is much more smoothed out now that he's in a 6x3. He is eating and active, just being a worried tortoise mom as usual.

Sorry @Tom I can't be the relaxed new tortoise mom you want me to be! Haha

Also, please ignore the fact that he's trying to eat the rocks. He doesn't go outside often and just cannot wrap his mind around the fact that they aren't food. He doesn't do this with the slate in his enclosure and is given proper supplements a few times a week.

 

[cmacusa3]

Looks great and normal to me.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

New growth looks nice and smooth, pretty, pretty tortoise.

 

[wellington]

Looks fine too me. Hope you are housing him hot and humid to keep him looking nice and smooth.

 

[shehick]

Thank you everyone! Glad to know he looks fine and I'm just being paranoid.

@wellington, this is his enclosure - hot, humid and huge.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Looks smashing from what can be seen.

 

[shehick]

@Tidgy's Dad It's hard to photograph because it's either always covered in condensation or it's reflecting the light from the window. It has all the fixin's though, I can assure you!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

@Tidgy's Dad It's hard to photograph because it's either always covered in condensation or it's reflecting the light from the window. It has all the fixin's though, I can assure you!

I was not criticizing in any way. I understand the difficulties of photographing it.
Looks super.

 

[wellington]

Thank you everyone! Glad to know he looks fine and I'm just being paranoid.

@wellington, this is his enclosure - hot, humid and huge.

Very nice. I love it. I have one similar. But mine opens different. I like 2 openings on yours better. Does it open on the other side too? Mine doesn't and that's what I don't like about it.
Nice home for your beautiful leopard.

 

[shehick]

@wellington If you look on the left side you can see a line, there is a full-length zipper there but those are the only three openings. It works perfect for us, it's 6ftx3ft and now that I have a larger base in it, it holds humidity and temps wonderfully. I do have a thread that explains it in length here.

 

[motero]

I like the butterscotch color leos. Most of mine are white and black but I have one yearling that looks like butterscotch and chocolate. And funny shaped hatchlings usually straighten out soon enough.

 

[shehick]

@motero Mind showing photos? I'm rather new to torts and don't know much about colorways. I thought he was just a normal leopard tortoise, haha.

 

[Speedy-1]

A little paranoia isn't always a bad thing ! But that is a fine looing little tort ! Good job !

 

[shehick]

@Speedy-1 I would rather be the annoying member that is on here every time he looks at me wrong and have everyone tell me he's fine than say "he's probably fine" and NOT ask, only for something serious to be going on. I treat everything I see wrong as my tortoise's life in my hands so when it does come down to that some day, it won't be looked over and can be corrected before serious damage or worse occurs.

 

[Speedy-1]

@Speedy-1 I would rather be the annoying member that is on here every time he looks at me wrong and have everyone tell me he's fine than say "he's probably fine" and NOT ask, only for something serious to be going on. I treat everything I see wrong as my tortoise's life in my hands so when it does come down to that some day, it won't be looked over and can be corrected before serious damage or worse occurs.

"Better safe than sorry" is a good attitude with the little guy's , things can go down hill fast if you aren't paying attention !

 

[Carol S]

Thank you everyone! Glad to know he looks fine and I'm just being paranoid.

@wellington, this is his enclosure - hot, humid and huge.

Where did you buy the bottom part and also the top? In the future I want to get some Leopards and your enclosure is the kind of set up I plan on doing.

 

[shehick]

@Carol S I bought the greenhouse on Amazon and the bottom is 3 heavy duty garden bins I cut the sides off of and hot glued together. It'll work good for us until he outgrows it and gets an entire room to himself.

 

[Tom]

The shell shape is normal and the new growth is looking good.

 

[shehick]

Thank you, @Tom! Is the dark underside/mottled neck color normal for leopards?

 

[Tom]

Thank you, @Tom! Is the dark underside/mottled neck color normal for leopards?

Looks like normal substrate staining.