How Long Until He Is Big Enough?

[JeffG]

Sorry for the low quality cell phone video, but it is just the size of the torts that is relevent. I am just wondering how long it will likely be until this 5 year old male is big enough to breed with this 8 year old female. He is obviously interested in her already. He is 8"SCL, and she is 12 1/2"-13".

I know no one can say positively, I am just curious what people think. Thanks!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPxLVRLfCIg&feature=channel&list=UL

 

[Neal]

Hard to say. I'm not sure at what age they actually become sexually mature, but since he's following her around, he's probably ready. The trick for him, since there's such a size difference, is keeping up with the larger female. A bigger male would be able to overpower the female, yours is going to have to wait until she's still.

 

[Tortoise Hub]

Looks like the only chance he has is when shes eating lol. But if he'll be able to mount her then I think its entirely possible to make offspring with those two now.

 

[Chicobeaks]

Sorry for the low quality cell phone video, but it is just the size of the torts that is relevent. I am just wondering how long it will likely be until this 5 year old male is big enough to breed with this 8 year old female. He is obviously interested in her already. He is 8"SCL, and she is 12 1/2"-13".

I know no one can say positively, I am just curious what people think. Thanks!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPxLVRLfCIg&feature=channel&list=UL

He wants it bad, but he's not big enough to handle it. Since they're both still growing I'd give him a few years to be able to climb up and make it work.

 

[JeffG]

Well, I did crack up a bit when I saw this, but he did mount her today.

 

[pam]

The little engine that could

 

[bigred]

Well, I did crack up a bit when I saw this, but he did mount her today.

He deserves an ATTA BOY for that, very beautiful torts you have

 

[HtVic]

pyramiding is pretty bad, on both of them

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

The little guy is really giving it a lot of effort.

 

[Jacob]

That Guy is trying :coOl:

 

[Hallbomber]

pyramiding is pretty bad, on both of them

Thanks for letting us know of your observation. I think the owner knows this already.

 

[JeffG]

pyramiding is pretty bad, on both of them

Lol! Pretty rude comment, but you are right. I got the female 8 years ago as a hatchling, and did everything I was told to, which was mostly wrong. I take full responsibility for how she looks. The male on the other hand, was raised by one of the foremost tortoise authorities in the world until last year when I acquired him. Even so, he still has some pyramiding. To criticize his care would be foolish. Neither of these tortoises are as smooth as I would like them to be, but it is not for lack of care and effort. We are all learning and getting better at caring for these awesome animals. Hopefully, one day every captive tort will be perfectly smooth.

@HtVic, thanks for your understanding!

 

[Neal]

Not to mention that your type of leopard is going to pyramid naturally to a certain extent.

They do look good regardless.

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Well, I did crack up a bit when I saw this, but he did mount her today.

Cool. Egg laying season for leopards in our area is in a couple of months. Maybe you'll get eggs. I think there is a chance.

 

[Hallbomber]

Not to mention that your type of leopard is going to pyramid naturally to a certain extent.

They do look good regardless.

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Cool. Egg laying season for leopards in our area is in a couple of months. Maybe you'll get eggs. I think there is a chance.

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What type of leopards have you found pyramid naturally do you think Neal??

 

[Neal]

East African leopards, or Babcocki as we know them. South African leopard tortoises appear to be significantly less prone to pyramiding. Most of my Pardalis are smooth as a bowling ball, where as some of the babcocki have we have raised have some pyramiding despite being raised in the same exact conditions.

I've spoken to quite a few people that have been in that region who have come across pyramided wild leopard tortoises. Not as bad as we would see here, but certainly not smooth. One author has estimated that as many as 50% of leopard tortoises in wild have pyramiding. So that, and a few google and youtube searches will show some pyramided leopard tortoises that are "wild"...more anecdotal than substantive though.

 

[Hallbomber]

East African leopards, or Babcocki as we know them. South African leopard tortoises appear to be significantly less prone to pyramiding. Most of my Pardalis are smooth as a bowling ball, where as some of the babcocki have we have raised have some pyramiding despite being raised in the same exact conditions.

I've spoken to quite a few people that have been in that region who have come across pyramided wild leopard tortoises. Not as bad as we would see here, but certainly not smooth. One author has estimated that as many as 50% of leopard tortoises in wild have pyramiding. So that, and a few google and youtube searches will show some pyramided leopard tortoises that are "wild"...more anecdotal than substantive though.

Thanks. Very interesting.