Which Type of Leopard Tort is our Oscar?

[Ashley Rolison]

Hi there -
Both the boyfriend and myself are totally confused on which sub species our Leopard Tort is....... we have been told so many different things! It wasn't until today at a local Reptile store that we were told that there were sub species. Our Oscar was purchased at a Reptile convention a little over three years ago. We were only told he was a Leopard tort. No matter what we are keeping the little guy but want to be prepared for his future size. Here are some pictures of him .
Thankyou

 

[wellington]

Babcocki

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

There are no longer recognized subspecies. In the wild there are 11 "clades" that show distinct morphological differences in deferent parts of the enormous range of this species.

In this country, we imported leopards from all over the range until importation was banned in 1998. In most cases they were all mixed together and interbred.

So in the USA you have three possibilities:
1. You most likely have one of these mixes. Nothing wrong with that. They are great tortoises.
2. It is possible that you have a pure form from one of the localities. These do exist.
3. The "other" type that people are usually referring to when they talk about the other subspecies are the South African Leopards. There are some people that have been breeding these true for many years.

Yours looks like a regular leopard to me.

Check these out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[Ashley Rolison]

Hello and welcome.

There are no longer recognized subspecies. In the wild there are 11 "clades" that show distinct morphological differences in deferent parts of the enormous range of this species.

In this country, we imported leopards from all over the range until importation was banned in 1998. In most cases they were all mixed together and interbred.

So in the USA you have three possibilities:
1. You most likely have one of these mixes. Nothing wrong with that. They are great tortoises.
2. It is possible that you have a pure form from one of the localities. These do exist.
3. The "other" type that people are usually referring to when they talk about the other subspecies are the South African Leopards. There are some people that have been breeding these true for many years.

Yours looks like a regular leopard to me.

Check these out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Thank you very much!

 

[Greg T]

Very pretty coloring on him. Like said above, most are babcocki, or a mix, now versus a true pardalis. He'll still grow nice and big, and very colorful by looking at him too.

 

[TerrapinStation]

Good looking Leo!!!

That salad you made him is making me hungry......

 

[TerrapinStation]

Very pretty coloring on him. Like said above, most are babcocki, or a mix, now versus a true pardalis. He'll still grow nice and big, and very colorful by looking at him too.

@Greg T do you have any clue on what your Leo's are?

 

[Greg T]

My adult make is a pardallis/babcocki mix, my two females are babcocki as far as I can tell.

 

[Ashley Rolison]

Good looking Leo!!!

That salad you made him is making me hungry......

My adult make is a pardallis/babcocki mix, my two females are babcocki as far as I can tell.

Do they all get along?

 

[Greg T]

yes, they get along great. no bullying or problems at all.