My official p.pardalis leopard tort page

[diamondbp]

Wow. That enclosure looks really neat. What are the dimensions of each space?

Each enclosure is 2x2x4. Not totally ideal but since I'm in Louisiana they still get quite a bit of outside time during the winter months. I think it's going to work out great.

 

[diamondbp]

 

[diamondbp]

Hey guys. Sorry I've been absent lately but life has been overwhelmingly busy lately. Here is an update on the herd. Some good stuff and some bad, but learning more every day. I'll start with a few pictures and give explanations after.

 

[diamondbp]

 

[diamondbp]

 

[diamondbp]

 

[diamondbp]

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

A superb selection of gorgeous, special leopards.
Thanks for the update!

 

[diamondbp]

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

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Seem like a happy bunch of campers!

 

[diamondbp]

Ok so I finally have a little time for a quick break down of their growth status. The two that have shined this past summer in growth was my largest male pardalis and my largest female. Both have doubled in weight in the last 6 months. It's been a pleasure to see them really come into their prime growing stage. The female in particular has wowed me with her growth. She is quickly closing in on 12 inches. At these rates my male will be a 16" inch male by the end of next year and my female will be at 12-13inches if they stay on the same trend. The male is currently 12" inches and the female is almost 10". They both are as bold as leopard tortoises come. No fear at all which is why I love pardalis.

My second the largest male has completely haulted in growth. He went through a few months of not being himself but has really showed his old personality in the last month or so and I think he is starting another growing trend. I don't think he is a fan of the extremely hot summer months like some of the others.

Most of the others in the growth have stayed steady in growth. Some of my "mixed" pardalis have slowed down some but not to an alarming amount.

I did lose my two smallest pardalis that haven't grew much at all since the day I got them. They were a mystery from day one on the lack of growth and they literally both gave up within a week from each other. I tried not to get myself down about it much knowing I fought for over a year to get each of them to start growing. I think they had an extended period of hatchling failure syndrome.

Unfortunately between my job and us officially starting my new house I haven't been able to keep up with the "every day" soaks and I think that has been a contributing factor to some of the leopards growth slowing down some. I see a connection between the ones that have slowed or haulted in growth with them being the usual tortoises that seemingly enjoy a good warm soak. So I will be making a better attempt to do "daily soaks" again rather than the every 3-4 days that I've been doing lately.

I'm starting to think there is a BIG BIG connection between "high protein" diets and the effectiveness of soaks. All of my group loves mazuri but some individuals are particularly fond of it. And those individuals that are particularly fond of mazuri seem to grow at much faster paces when the soaking frequencies are increased. I don't think foods like mazuri are meant to stay in the body as long as your natural grasses and weeds. And when soaking is limited I suspect it stays in the system longer than what is ideal for them. Just a theory.

It's all a learning journey for me. I wish my life would allow me even more time to focus on them but it is what it is. Hopefully once we move I will have more space and time to focus back on my group that I love so much.

So again my apologies from being absent so much. I do miss my TFO family and I hope yall are learning from my updates. I'll try to step my game up with more updates and photos.

Long live pardalis!

 

[diamondbp]

 

[diamondbp]

 

[MichaelS]

I love the updates ... Keep them coming. I specially like your 'high black' big one... very beautiful.

 

[Turbotort]

How much did your two torts weigh when they passed? I have one that's been at 32-38g sense day one. 10 months old approx now. I honestly believe he'll end up passing as well sometime in the next 6 months.

 

[diamondbp]

How much did your two torts weigh when they passed? I have one that's been at 32-38g sense day one. 10 months old approx now. I honestly believe he'll end up passing as well sometime in the next 6 months.

A few ounces. I honestly stopped weighing them being they weighed the same weight for virtually a year. It's a frustrating thing witnessing the others grow steadily while others don't. Especially when I never experienced anything of the sort with my sulcatas that I've hatched and raised myself.

I suspect it's from lack of hydration in those first critical days/weeks of life. Sometimes the damage goes behind the realm of repair before we ever get the babies.

 

[Alaskamike]

I so appreciate your efforts in this thread. Those like me raising individual torts - not many of one kind - cannot compare and contrast husbandry techniques and growth / behavior in the ways you can. It is efforts like this that move the hobby forward in knowledge.

 

[diamondbp]

I so appreciate your efforts in this thread. Those like me raising individual torts - not many of one kind - cannot compare and contrast husbandry techniques and growth / behavior in the ways you can. It is efforts like this that move the hobby forward in knowledge.

Thanks for the Mike. It has proved more challenging that originally thought to raise up the amount of tortoise I am raising but has been extremely fulfilling to learn and grow along with them. I'm glad some are learning from this post (even if it is mostly just pictures lol)

 

[diamondbp]

Some recent soaking pics and other randoms

 

[diamondbp]

Here is a thanksgiving update. Some individuals have done really well since moving back primarily in sealed enclosure vs being outside nearly all day. Other individuals that haven't grown for the last few months have FINALLY began new growth. And some others (the smallest one in particular) simply won't snap out of their halted growth.
It's so strange how some thrive from moving outside full time, whereas others thrive when indoors in the sealed enclosure. I'm pretty certain it's all a personality issue. Pictures will follow