I guess I have the bug...

[jtrux]

Oh if I haven't said it yet the name is....Cooper! My girlfriend picked it out but since my favorite movie is Jaws, Cooper is somewhat fitting. Yea when I got in contact with eweezyfosheezy I asked for pics of his remaining ones and he was the lightest by far so that was my choice. My girlfriend wanted a darker one but she wasn't paying!! Just kidding, if she keeps showing interest i'm gonna have to let her pick out the next one...

 

[Greg T]

Congratulations - he is fantastic. I love the light color and he has the cutest face and eyes. You will be very happy because he's gonna grow into a beautiful leopard.

 

[Neal]

It'll take some trial and error before you get your temperatures right. Aim for around 100 degrees on the high side, 85 will be too low for him.

 

[jtrux]

Should I be worried about the humidity? It seems a little high especially considering your write up said 50 for young ones like mine.

Thanks Greg, he's already getting pretty active and is less shy when I come in the room now.

 

[Neal]

If temperatures are maintained at warm levels (high 70's to low 80's) I'm not sure you can "over-do" humidity. I just don't think anything higher than 50 is necessary to prevent pyramiding if you have a humid hide that is in the higher range of 80 - 90%.

 

[bigred]

Nice looking little guy

 

[jtrux]

Thanks Neal. I just got done with his morning soak and feed and I also messed around with his light some more to see what happens with the temp...107 was a little warmer than I would like to see so hopefully I can get it to stabilize around 100. Right now the temp in the basking spot is 100 and humidity is 60. I just wanna see if it's gonna keep creeping up on me.

As for his eating...he just pushes the Mazuri out of the way and heads straight to the greens. Next feed i'm just gonna offer Mazuri to make sure he gets a little more variety in his diet.

---

How does everyone feel about tomatoe and cucumber? I was making a salad for lunch and gave him a very thin slice of each. He promptly devoured each. I guess a little treat doesn't hurt every once and a while.

 

[Greg T]

How does everyone feel about tomatoe and cucumber? I was making a salad for lunch and gave him a very thin slice of each. He promptly devoured each. I guess a little treat doesn't hurt every once and a while.

I think a little treat and variety is good for them. tomatoes, cucumbers, melons. try a strawberry and he'll eat your finger off looking for more. Just mix it in with your grass/lettuce/mazuri diet and it will be great.

 

[Neal]

I agree with Greg.

Some every now and then is ok.

 

[jtrux]

Yea he went nuts for the tomatoe then camped out in his basking spot. I tried something new. I built up some substrate in the hot area and left a low spot. The low spot is around 100, the high spot is around 115 and the coolest spot in his cage is right at 78. He actually prefers the hottest spot for basking and then will retreat to the cool spot for a nap.

 

[Greg T]

Yea he went nuts for the tomatoe then camped out in his basking spot. I tried something new. I built up some substrate in the hot area and left a low spot. The low spot is around 100, the high spot is around 115 and the coolest spot in his cage is right at 78. He actually prefers the hottest spot for basking and then will retreat to the cool spot for a nap.

Sounds good. Mine love to get the hot sun mid morning and late afternoon. The rest of the time you'll find them under a bush or somewhere in the shade taking a nice nap.

 

[jtrux]

I brought him outside today while I mowed the grass. I had him in another large clear container and when the sun finally broke free from the clouds he was super active. Seemed to really enjoy it. I had to run to the store so I put him and the container in the back of my jeep and he seemed oblivious to the car ride and just munched away on some greens the whole time.

My girlfriend seems to think HE is actually a SHE because last night he/she burrowed down in the substrate almost half the height of his shell and according to her research only females burrow. Sounds pretty crazy to me seeing as how he or she is only a few months old.

On another note, my girlfriend who wasn't at all for the idea of me getting another pet is now very interested in Cooper. She's been doing research on Leopard's and going and buying little hides and different water bowls. I work the evening shift and she will call me and give me updates even so i'm glad ot see she's coming around. She's not at all against me getting another one now. She mentioned I should get another Leopard but eweezyfosheezy recommended against having two so now i'm thinking of getting one that would be more hers. She does like Leopards so I could get another one and keep it seperate or get a different species all together. She wouldn't want a Sulcata or anything bigger than a Leopard and she would want something that's "pretty". Eweezyfosheezy recommended Hermanns or Marginated and they look nice but when I showed them to her she kinda shrugged. She likes Indian Stars but who doesn't. She also seemed to like Red Foots but from what i've gathered they are a more humidity liking species and that makes them a challenge to keep outside in certain areas.

So i'll keep tring to see what exactly she wants and maybe we will add something else to the collection soon. There is a show coming up in Dec so maybe she will find something then.

 

[TuRtLE1924]

Cooper is so cute! How big to Leopards get? I am still doing research to find the best tortoise for my boyfriend and I. I have been looking a lot at Hermanns and Marginated as well. Where is this show in Dec going to be? I am in the DFW area.

 

[bigred]

those pretty ones start to get more expensive Stars are beautiful torts, what the heck check out some radiated You only live once and some of these torts will out live you so surely worth the investment

 

[jtrux]

The show will be in Live Oak at the civic center on the NE side of San Antonio. The Leopards will get up to 18" from what ive gathered. they seemed to be the best choice for me because they are attractive, get pretty good size and dont dig up the yard so thats what I settled on.

 

[jtrux]

I guess its a good thing I dont have that mentality where torts get all there water from there food because I noticed today that he loves to walk through his water bowl and take a few large gulps.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I guess its a good thing I dont have that mentality where torts get all there water from there food because I noticed today that he loves to walk through his water bowl and take a few large gulps.

i hear ya!! one of my favorite things is to see my little leo go walk through and drink from his water dish over and over and over

 

[jtrux]

My girlfriend insists that Cooper is a female, maybe its just the mother in her wanting a little daughter, I have no idea so from this point on ill be refering to Cooper as her. Reminds me of that song about a boy named Sue, lol.

 

[jtrux]

Should I be cutting up the broadleaf greens or just give them whole? Ive been giving them whole and she seems to put in a lot of effort to tear it up but she does eventually eat every piece, if nothing else it seems like good exercise for her. I guess in the wild she wouldnt get anything cut up so should I even worry about it?

 

[Neal]

I usually feed my young tortoises whole leaves and greens, for the same reason that it seems like they're getting a little bit more exercise or even keeping their beaks stronger. I only dice up their food when I don't think they're eating enough variety. I'll cut things up really small and mix it with the food they eat regularly hoping that they'll accidentally eat the new type of food when they're going for the food they normally eat.