Hello from Phoenix

[new_in_az]

I just ran across the forum and am thankful for all of the information. We have 3 Leopard Tortoises that basically control the back yard. Momma and Daddy are a 9 year old pair and "Baby" is now 3 (but not a baby from the pair)... We adopted.

We currently have three eggs in the incubator from 3/23 and 3/25.
The ground is so hard here that most of the time Momma cant dig enough to bury them... no matter how often we water.
We find most of the eggs sitting on the rocks.... but a majority are cracked before we find them.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
John & Heather Wilson
Phoenix, Arizona

 

[JohnathanO]

Great Looking Leopards

Welcome to the forum.

 

[coreyc]

Hello John & Heather welcome to the forum I can give you a tip you should send me your leo's they look great

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi John and Heather:

Welcome to the forum!!

If she puts her eggs in the same spot every time, you can dig up that spot and incorporate some sand and compost into it so she can dig easier.

 

[bikerchicspain]

Hi and welcome to all five of you,
Love your torts,
Apart from what Yvonne has said about digging, you could also make a special pen for her with softer substrate then when you see her nesting you can put her in.
Just a thought

 

[pdrobber]

Wow your tortoises look really smooth. Welcome!

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. I would also dig up a few areas in the yard a couple of feet deep and mix in some potting soil or something similar. Mine like to lay in the lowest parts of their pen or my ranch. The dirt seems more moist down there and they seem to like it for egg laying. So maybe make these little digging pits in those sort of areas. I'd get going on this right away as they stop laying when it start to get hot for summer. They usually lay quite a few more eggs than that at a time so she might be retaining eggs right now. I don't want to scare you, but they can get egg bound, and that would not be good. Three eggs on two separate occasions is not much for a nine year old GORGEOUS leopard like that.

You've done a fine job raising them, they look great!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome.

 

[Isa]

Beautiful tortoise Welcome to the forum!