Leopard update...

[jtrux]

I picked this guy up around Oct of 2012 as a hatchling weighing in around 53 grams. Yesterday he weighed 275 grams, so that's in increase of 222 grams in right at 8 months. Compared to other people's results that sounds like a lot but I also know that it varies with every individual.

This is where I started...



And this is where we are...




He looks pretty dry in the pic but I had just brought him in from a romp in the sun.

Lately i've been leaving him/her outside for several hours a day and will probably continue doing that until it cools down again.

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This is a pic with the flash that shows him off a little better but doesn't show the weight very well.

 

[wellington]

Doing good

 

[theelectraco]

The back of his shell seems to have an abnormal slope to me.

 

[jtrux]

It is slightly concave in the rear, no idea why. I have seen other torts with it so I don't feel it's something to be concerned about.

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I've raised him with the "wet method" and even with hot and humid (imagine sweltering jungle in South America) there appears to be some slight pyramiding going on. You can't really notice it until you look it him from the side but if you look closely you will see that the scutes do appear to raise slightly but i'm gonna continue raising him the way I have been because overall he has turned out great as far as i'm concerned.

 

[sibi]

I assume you've read all of Tom's threads on care of Leos, right? Since their care is similar to that of sullies, the humidity needs to be high. It may just be the pics, but it looks like your Greek is a little pyramided. That may explain why his back looks abnormal to some. Just keep humidity up a bit more. What kind of enclosure do you have?

 

[Greg T]

Looking good! Sure has grown a lot. I have one with the depression in the back also, not sure how or why it is there but it has been there since a baby and is still there and she is doing great. Nothing to worry about.

 

[LeopardTortLover]

Looking great! its grown the same amount mine has in 10 months

 

[jtrux]

Most days he's in a 4'X4'X2' closed chamber plywood box modeled after Tom's closed chamber just half the size of his. I switched to cypress mulch instead of coconut coir simply because the mulch is much cheaper in such a large area. It's in my garage and experiences the same temp fluctuations as you would see outside so I have 2 150 watt CHE's on a thermostat (sounds like a lot in a closed chamber but it was necessary for the cold winter) and a MVB, however, the MVB turned out to be too much when it started heating up outside so i've switched to a flourescent tube and rely on the CHE's for heat now rather than the bulb, works out well that way.

I monitor temp and humidity in both the main enclosure as well as the hide (upside down rubbermaid container with hole cut in side) and inside the hide it's roughly 80 and 80% humidity, while in the main body of the enclosure the temp goes from 85-95 with humidity varying from 50-70%. I do have a humidifier but find it unnecessary. I do pour some water on the mulch every few days to maintain the humidity.