i think she is just showing off

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terrypin

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hi well i was collecting the leopards from their enclosure tonight about 5 pm so i could restrict them to the lower concrete area next to their shed until lockup time,when i spotted Mzuri nesting.she has been driving me mad for weeks.i come home from work to put her in the nesting box for a few hoursthen let her out the next morning to bask and graze aall day.she hasnt laid a clutch in the enclosure since we moved here.the ground is all infill and tends to be full of rocks which put her of .in fact only Elgee the middle girl will lat outdoors until tonight that is.Mzuri tends to be a two clutch a year tortoise both clutches 20 eggs generally we have had a third clutch before.she already laid 20 earlier in the season so i hoped for another clutch to see her through the winter.while nesting she hit a rock which normally stops her and its back in the nesting box for her.this time she must have felt they had to come out.i couldnt believe it although i found at least 7 whole yolks with a lot of broken egg shells she still had managed to lay unbroken a further 36 perfect eggs.as you can see right in the centre of the nest is a massive lump of sharp granite so for 36 eggs to survive is incredible.i havent heard of another leopard laying so many Elgee normally lays 20 and has had a clutch of 25 inthe past but Mzuri is the champion by far.unless you know of a larger clutch. http://www.tortoise-island.com/i-think-she-is-just-showing-off-t358.html

terry
 

Yvonne G

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Wow! I'm so glad you were able to save a few of them.
 

terrypin

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thanks for looking Yvonne.no shortage of eggs here,i have another one laying indoors at the moment.it wont be so many im sure,this girl normally lays 15.
terry
 

Neal

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How big is she? Babcocki or pardalis?
 

terrypin

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Neal Butler said:
How big is she? Babcocki or pardalis?

hi she is 18" and a babcocki.she is not as highly domed as some and you may be fooled into thinking she was p.pardalis but the year she arrived she layed 15 eggs,(she must have mated in the wild)and when they hatched the hatchlings were clearly babcocki which confirmed her id for me.
terry
 

TortieLuver

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I was wondering what you were feeding her, as well as amount/how often? Just curious about also linking good healthy diet with larger amounts of eggs.
 

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Holy cow. I've never heard of any leopard laying anywhere near that many eggs. What is that 42, if you count the broken ones? Incredible! I notice you have a hillside incorporated into your enclosure. Very cool. Most of my enclosures have had that too. And the pampas grass is cool too. I was thinking of trying some of this.

What part of the world do you live in?
 

terrypin

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Tom said:
Holy cow. I've never heard of any leopard laying anywhere near that many eggs. What is that 42, if you count the broken ones? Incredible! I notice you have a hillside incorporated into your enclosure. Very cool. Most of my enclosures have had that too. And the pampas grass is cool too. I was thinking of trying some of this.

What part of the world do you live in?

beware the pampas grass Tom its very tortoise friendly but not at all people friendly.i have to bring them in at night and often get cut just dragging a leopard out into the open and exposed skin can get an itchy rash if your in there with sleeves rolled up or shirtless during the summer.it really is horrible stuff but they love it so i have two clumps now lol.
terry
 
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