Leopard tortoises in the UK!

Shaunessey

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Hi. I m new to this forum and I’m sure not posting this directly but we have a one year old leopard tortoise and are moving to the UK from western Canada. Wondered if there are any leopard owners on here in Uk and how do u manage to keep your tortoise inside and outside? Habitats etc.

Much appreciated!
 

AmandaF

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Hello

welcome to the forum.

How old is your leopard?

I have a leopard tortoise in the UK. In the winter she lives inside. She goes outside in the summer, when it’s warm enough. As she’s only young I have a raised bed outside for her, which she goes out in supervised. I will need to rethink her outside play area. As she gets bigger my son is going to build her a large closed chamber. I hope this helps.

amanda
 

Shaunessey

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Hello
How old is your leopard?
I have a leopard tortoise in the UK. In the winter she lives inside. She goes outside in the summer, when it’s warm enough. As she’s only young I have a raised bed outside for her, which she goes out in supervised. I will need to rethink her outside play area. As she gets bigger my son is going to build her a large closed chamber. I hope this helps.

amanda
My leopard
Hello
How old is your leopard?
I have a leopard tortoise in the UK. In the winter she lives inside. She goes outside in the summer, when it’s warm enough. As she’s only young I have a raised bed outside for her, which she goes out in supervised. I will need to rethink her outside play area. As she gets bigger my son is going to build her a large closed chamber. I hope this helps.

Amanda
 

Shaunessey

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My leopard is one year old. We also have a Hermann but it is the leopard I’m most concerned as to how he will do when we are in the UK. Our weather on the westcoast of Canada is very similar to the UK but wasn’t sure if many leopards weee in UK? Do u have any pics of your indoor tort table for your leopard?
 

AmandaF

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She is in a vivarium. I will take some later for you. where in the UK are you thinking of coming to?
amanda
 

Tom

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Hi. I m new to this forum and I’m sure not posting this directly but we have a one year old leopard tortoise and are moving to the UK from western Canada. Wondered if there are any leopard owners on here in Uk and how do u manage to keep your tortoise inside and outside? Habitats etc.

Much appreciated!
Have you looked into international shipping of a tortoise? Its very difficult, expensive, and risky. I recommend hiring an experienced broker to make it happen, and also have a plan to leave the tortoise behind if it becomes impossible to take it with you.
 

Shaunessey

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Have you looked into international shipping of a tortoise? Its very difficult, expensive, and risky. I recommend hiring an experienced broker to make it happen, and also have a plan to leave the tortoise behind if it becomes impossible to take it with you.
I have and yes our vet is assisting. We have three cats and two dogs - British airways is amazing with shipping animals. We wouldn’t think of leaving any of them behind. My concern and question was more around weather and who else on the forum has leopards in the uk. Thank you.
 

Shelled

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The regulations around reptiles, especially CITES listed animals, are very different from cats and dogs. Don't be surprised if you encounter some hurdles and have a backup plan ready if things don't work out.
 

Shaunessey

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The regulations around reptiles, especially CITES listed animals, are very different from cats and dogs. Don't be surprised if you encounter some hurdles and have a backup plan ready if things don't work out.
Thank you. We are aware of all of that. Do you live in the UK as per my original question and have any feedback on how it housing is set up there?
 

Lyn W

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Hi and welcome,
I have a leopard in the UK. He was about 3 years and 9 inches long when he adopted me and was too big for a viv or table, so I adapted a room for him.

He live indoors all year around because our climate is too wet and cold for leopards to live outside full time without heat, even in the summer usually and I don't have room or an outside electricity supply for a heated shed, but he does have access to the garden, so he spends lots of time out there basking and grazing when ground temps reach 70F.

I don't know if you've already seen this but it has been a godsend in helping me keep my leopard healthy for the last 8 years especially with regards temps etc.

I hope it all goes well for you with the move. How does your vet suggest you keep your tort warm on the long flight over? It can get pretty cold in the hold/baggage area I believe. Is there a chance they'll let you carry him on board so you can manage his temps?
 

Shaunessey

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Hi and welcome,
I have a leopard in the UK. He was about 3 years and 9 inches long when he adopted me and was too big for a viv or table, so I adapted a room for him.

He live indoors all year around because our climate is too wet and cold for leopards to live outside full time without heat, even in the summer usually and I don't have room or an outside electricity supply for a heated shed, but he does have access to the garden, so he spends lots of time out there basking and grazing when ground temps reach 70F.

I don't know if you've already seen this but it has been a godsend in helping me keep my leopard healthy for the last 8 years especially with regards temps etc.

I hope it all goes well for you with the move. How does your vet suggest you keep your tort warm on the long flight over? It can get pretty cold in the hold/baggage area I believe. Is there a chance they'll let you carry him on board so you can manage his temps?
Much appreciated! We will be in London so not sure which part of UK u are in? I used to live in Eastbourne and we had warm summers with not much rain. Same as here in Victoria pretty much. Thanks for your help!
 

Lyn W

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Much appreciated! We will be in London so not sure which part of UK u are in? I used to live in Eastbourne and we had warm summers with not much rain. Same as here in Victoria pretty much. Thanks for your help!
I'm in South East Wales so only a couple of hours away. This is my tort relaxing in the door of his heated hide taken early last year.
1675987594615.png
 
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Tom

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I have and yes our vet is assisting. We have three cats and two dogs - British airways is amazing with shipping animals. We wouldn’t think of leaving any of them behind. My concern and question was more around weather and who else on the forum has leopards in the uk. Thank you.
You seem very confident about this and it is a subject that comes up several times a year. Would you do us the favor of letting us know how it all goes? Other people who would like to move their tortoises internationally can learn some great lessons from however it all goes for you.
 

Shaunessey

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I can’t speak from other countries as every country has different rulings. We also got both of our tortoises from breeders so I know that is a huge part of things. It is best to speak to your local vet and food and drug department as that is who we in Canada have to use. I know that the US has much stricter laws than we do that way and I’m not sure about exporting torts from the UK so won’t be much help I’m afraid.
 

zovick

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I can’t speak from other countries as every country has different rulings. We also got both of our tortoises from breeders so I know that is a huge part of things. It is best to speak to your local vet and food and drug department as that is who we in Canada have to use. I know that the US has much stricter laws than we do that way and I’m not sure about exporting torts from the UK so won’t be much help I’m afraid.
When is this move taking place?
 

Tom

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I can’t speak from other countries as every country has different rulings. We also got both of our tortoises from breeders so I know that is a huge part of things. It is best to speak to your local vet and food and drug department as that is who we in Canada have to use. I know that the US has much stricter laws than we do that way and I’m not sure about exporting torts from the UK so won’t be much help I’m afraid.
What will be helpful is knowing whether or not you are successful with the move and what you encounter along the way.

I move animals all over the world on a regular basis. The U.S. is not more strict than Canada, or any other country. Each country has their own idiosyncrasies, but CITES is international. Local vets have nothing to do with any of it, and getting them from breeders has nothing to do with any of it. I'm not trying to discourage you. I'm trying to warn you that it is not as easy as you think it is going to be. I hope that I am wrong. I hope you get your tortoises moved with no problems and everything goes smoothly. What I am asking is that you keep our community informed about however it goes. If you get it done, whatever you learn along the way will help others get it done too. If you don't get it done, others can learn why it didn't work for you.
 

Shelled

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Thank you. We are aware of all of that. Do you live in the UK as per my original question and have any feedback on how it housing is set up there?
I do live in the UK, I don't have tortoises, I do have some hermann's. They have an insulated large dog kennel (I think the same or similar as Lyn W posted above), that I have adapted and fitted with lights and heating. This kennel sits in an 8x12 feet greenhouse which is kept frostfree, they can get out of this into an outdoor space.
I've seen people in the UK keeping leopard tortoise in heated sheds and outdoor. Mind you, electricity prices have more than doubld the last 12 months.
 

Shaunessey

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What will be helpful is knowing whether or not you are successful with the move and what you encounter along the way.

I move animals all over the world on a regular basis. The U.S. is not more strict than Canada, or any other country. Each country has their own idiosyncrasies, but CITES is international. Local vets have nothing to do with any of it, and getting them from breeders has nothing to do with any of it. I'm not trying to discourage you. I'm trying to warn you that it is not as easy as you think it is going to be. I hope that I am wrong. I hope you get your tortoises moved with no problems and everything goes smoothly. What I am asking is that you keep our community informed about however it goes. If you get it done, whatever you learn along the way will help others get it done too. If you don't get it done, others can learn why it didn't work for you.
Hi. I didn’t have this as part of my query but I will answer back to your question as a member here in Canada. We do here have to go thru the vet and the food and drug admin. And getting ur cites cert involves having your breeder papers state this animal isn’t from the wild but was bred in captivity. We are going thru the appropriate channels and to be frank, all animals going into the uk have quite a lot of hoops to jump thru. So the tortoises are simply different hoops. Please know we do not think it is ‘easy’ with any of our pets. We are fortunate to be in the financial situation to be able to do it and have the time and resources for forms etc. Thank you for your help with my original question which is actually my concern and why I polled this group looking for leopards in the UK.
 

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