I got a new leo!

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l0velesly

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I think he's a babcocki.. but I checked the comparison thread and he seems to have features of both subspecies.

Can someone verify for me? :shy:

2a82elt.jpg


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The spotting seems really random.

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He's in a temporary box enclosure right now lol

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He's quite the climber! :p

His shell doesn't look perfectly smooth.. hopefully he will grow out nicely! He looks so big in the picture, but so tiny in real life!

Wow, it took me forever to upload on tinypic. I kept on getting the code wrong.. it almost looks impossible!
 

jesst

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congrats on the new little one! he/she is beautiful.
 

Neal

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Looks all pardalis (South African) to me.

Sorry, I take that back. The nose looks like a babcocki nose. I'd say a cross between the two. Do you know anything about the parents that produced this one?
 

l0velesly

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Neal said:
Looks all pardalis (South African) to me.

Sorry, I take that back. The nose looks like a babcocki nose. I'd say a cross between the two. Do you know anything about the parents that produced this one?



Nope, I'm not sure. I actually received it as a gift :)
 

l0velesly

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I found out what my leo is! It's a mix! The male is the huge dominant pardalis and the female is a blonde babcocki.
 

Neal

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jrcrist4 said:
I have seen this breeder's add for quite a while now, what are your opinions on breeding paradalis with babcocki?

I honestly hate to see this. I know opinions differ, and people can do whatever they want with their tortoises. But as a breeder, there is a lot more value of producing tortoises of "pure" genetics as much as possible, given that leopard tortoises genetics are so diluted in the US.

In this particular case I see it as a waste that this male is not given the opportunity to be with a South African female...maybe he is for all I know...but I can think of at least three people with lone SA leopard females that are dying to find a male.
 

Jacqui

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He is a beautiful fellow. Sadly I agree with Neal, plus the hatchlings produced by mix parents really should never be used for future breeding either. Not really fair to the people who buy them.
 

DesertGrandma

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Neal, in a case like this, where there is a male that is desirable for breeding, is there ever any kind of breeding swap done? If so, how would it be done?
 

Tropical Torts

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Neal said:
jrcrist4 said:
I have seen this breeder's add for quite a while now, what are your opinions on breeding paradalis with babcocki?

I honestly hate to see this. I know opinions differ, and people can do whatever they want with their tortoises. But as a breeder, there is a lot more value of producing tortoises of "pure" genetics as much as possible, given that leopard tortoises genetics are so diluted in the US.

In this particular case I see it as a waste that this male is not given the opportunity to be with a South African female...maybe he is for all I know...but I can think of at least three people with lone SA leopard females that are dying to find a male.

I have the same opinion Neal.
 
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