Master Luke
New Member
I recently adopted a 1 year old leopard tortoise from my friends and I need some help identifying if she is Pardalis pardalis sp. or Pardalis babcocki sp. Her name is Ila (eye-La)
I have owned other reptiles before including Chinese Water Dragons and Leopard geckos and she seems to be the most outgoing and personable of any reptile I've owned. She grew very comfortable with me after a few days of getting to know me. She likes to be handled and towel dried, and sticks her head out to be scrubbed. Ila does not seem afraid of my cat whatsoever, and won't even withdraw into her shell when Kattegat sticks her nose right up to Ila's face.
She loves exploring her new enclosure, trampling the plants, and sitting in her new big water dish. I feed her Mazuri LS pellets soaked and mixed in with dandelion or lettuce greens, and an edible houseplant, flower or herb (or two) that varies day to day. I even ordered some prickly pear propagations and have them rooting to add to my "salad plant" collection. Right now she is in an enclosure full time but I hope to buy a house in the next few years and build a greenhouse oasis and outdoor pen to make her forever home.
Any and all help identifying her as pardalis pardalis or pardalis babcocki would be greatly appreciated!
I have owned other reptiles before including Chinese Water Dragons and Leopard geckos and she seems to be the most outgoing and personable of any reptile I've owned. She grew very comfortable with me after a few days of getting to know me. She likes to be handled and towel dried, and sticks her head out to be scrubbed. Ila does not seem afraid of my cat whatsoever, and won't even withdraw into her shell when Kattegat sticks her nose right up to Ila's face.
She loves exploring her new enclosure, trampling the plants, and sitting in her new big water dish. I feed her Mazuri LS pellets soaked and mixed in with dandelion or lettuce greens, and an edible houseplant, flower or herb (or two) that varies day to day. I even ordered some prickly pear propagations and have them rooting to add to my "salad plant" collection. Right now she is in an enclosure full time but I hope to buy a house in the next few years and build a greenhouse oasis and outdoor pen to make her forever home.
Any and all help identifying her as pardalis pardalis or pardalis babcocki would be greatly appreciated!