Leonard

Yvonne G

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My records show that Leonard hatched on July 5, 2018, however, I have pictures of him labeled 5/17/18, so my record-keeping skills have shown their true colors. Leonard hatched out of a clutch that started incubating in March. He was an early hatch, and the rest of the clutch didn't hatch for another three weeks or so. I decided to keep him because he has aberrant scutes. So, here's Leonard, 5/17/18, 6/19/18, 7/11/18 and finally today, 10/24/18:

leonard 5-17-18.jpg Leonard 6-19-18 a.jpg leonard 7-11-18 a.jpg leonard 10-24-18.jpg

I was going to take a better picture for today's shot, however, my camera has a low battery and won't 'flash.' I'll take a better one and add it here tomorrow. Leonard had started to show pyramiding. He was being kept in a plastic tub with sheet plastic draped over the top. . . a sort of closed chamber that wasn't working out so well for him. But then Will came to the rescue and brought me a Vision Cage, where Leonard now lives. The pyramiding is very minimal, and will probably be totally gone by the time he's an adult tortoise. He is also very highly domed. He's turning out to be a very nice-looking tortoise. In the last picture Leonard is about 5 months old as opposed to the two hatchling sulcatas that are only a week old. I hope he's going to be a big, beautiful, high domed leopard!
 

wellington

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He is looking very nice. In the plastic closed chamber did you use a mvb?
My closed chamber is the same as your rigged one. High humidity even swampy a lot of the time. I still get pyramiding. I'm convinced that it is the mvb as Tom has mentioned and possibly the Che's aren't helping either. However, I did have the mvb mostly over a clay hide, so not full bulb exposure for the torts to bask under.
I'm trying to figure out if it's the mvb or the make shift closed chambers or both.
If you didn't use an mvb then it would point more towards the make shift closed chambers which would really stink.
 

Yvonne G

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The only heat in the vision cage during the day comes from the fluorescent UVB bulb and its ballast. When that goes off at night, the RHP turns on to keep it toasty during the night.

When he was in the plastic covered enclosure I used a MVB (100 watt), and a 60 watt black light at night.
 

wellington

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Thanks Yvonne. I think that and along with what Tom has been saying, does prove, to me any way, that the mvb for sure still causes pyramiding no matter how high the humidity.
 

Yvonne G

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Thanks Yvonne. I think that and along with what Tom has been saying, does prove, to me any way, that the mvb for sure still causes pyramiding no matter how high the humidity.
I totally agree.
 

Yvonne G

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Leonard is turning out to be a very nice-looking tortoise. Here he is today at seven months.

Leonard 12-22-18 a.jpg Leonard 12-22-18 b.jpg

It's hard to get a good picture of him because, well, the loose nut behind the wheel isn't a good picture taker, but besides that, he's very shy and heads for the hills whenever I open the door. Interesting thing about that shyness . . . there are now 4 ground hatched leopard babies in with him. They're about a month old. This a.m. when I opened the door and cleaned off the feeding tile, one of the new babies came over to the open doorway and started biting the air in front of him. I guess he thought, "Hm-m-m-m, door open - food appears!" But he wasn't the least bit intimidated by me like Leonard is.
 

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He is gorgeous! Can you please share how many gramms did he put from birth till now.
 

NSH

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That is serious growth there :) Love how he looks! And small one is cute like button :)
 

Yvonne G

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Thank you! I decided I was going to keep Leonard because he has aberrant scutes, but now I'm glad I kept him because he's just so darned pretty!
 

Toddrickfl1

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Leonard is beautiful! Is that Pothos in his enclosure? Do you plant it or place it in water? I've got some in a small pot in my hatchling enclosure but all the leaves are turning yellow and I don't know why.
 

Yvonne G

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@Yvonne G How do you know he is a male? just wondering if you had expert tips for sexing juveniles.
I call all my tortoises "he/him." It's just easier. I have no idea what the sex is. He was incubated for female, but that hasn't been the way my tortoise turn out, so chances are pretty good he's male.
Leonard is beautiful! Is that Pothos in his enclosure? Do you plant it or place it in water? I've got some in a small pot in my hatchling enclosure but all the leaves are turning yellow and I don't know why.
It's in a pot that's sunk down into the substrate. Yellow leaves usually means too much water.
 

Toddrickfl1

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I call all my tortoises "he/him." It's just easier. I have no idea what the sex is. He was incubated for female, but that hasn't been the way my tortoise turn out, so chances are pretty good he's male.

It's in a pot that's sunk down into the substrate. Yellow leaves usually means too much water.
Thanks
 

leopardorgreek

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I call all my tortoises "he/him." It's just easier. I have no idea what the sex is. He was incubated for female, but that hasn't been the way my tortoise turn out, so chances are pretty good he's male.

It's in a pot that's sunk down into the substrate. Yellow leaves usually means too much water.
@Yvonne G thanks, any idea on how big is too big to mix leopards. I have 2 small leopards (hatchlings) and just got offered a 35 year old male that needs a new home. How long should I wait to add them together or should I find the 35 year old a permadent home by himself. thanks
 

Yvonne G

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@Yvonne G thanks, any idea on how big is too big to mix leopards. I have 2 small leopards (hatchlings) and just got offered a 35 year old male that needs a new home. How long should I wait to add them together or should I find the 35 year old a permadent home by himself. thanks
He'll need to be quarantined for 6 months or so, but I still wouldn't put him with your babies until they're on the larger side of juvenile. You'll know when the time comes. They should be able to take care of themselves if the older tortoise decides to fight. Also, once you know what sex the babies are, that will really determine if they can ever be put in the same yard. At any rate, it will be years, maybe 5 or 6 years.
 

leopardorgreek

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He'll need to be quarantined for 6 months or so, but I still wouldn't put him with your babies until they're on the larger side of juvenile. You'll know when the time comes. They should be able to take care of themselves if the older tortoise decides to fight. Also, once you know what sex the babies are, that will really determine if they can ever be put in the same yard. At any rate, it will be years, maybe 5 or 6 years.

perfect thank you for your time
 

Yvonne G

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I think Leonard is just two months shy of his one year birthday. He's really turning out to be a very pretty tortoise and I'm so glad I kept him. AND, I'm pretty sure he's going to live up to his male name. His tail is pretty long.

LEONARD 3-8-19 a.jpg leonard 3-8-19 b.jpg leonard 3-8-19 c.jpg

And here's Leonard and Zipper:

leonard and zipper 3-8-19.jpg
 
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