White spots on leopard tortoise hatchling

[LimGang]

Hi
I've learned that the white spots on the shell of leopard tortoise are the sign of growth.

My hatchling is growing but i still can't see the white spot on its shell.

Is this something i should be worried about?

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome.
I shouldn't think so, my leopard has lighter areas between the scutes where he has grown but I don't know if that is as noticeable in all torts.
If s/he is putting on weight then I wouldn't worry. You could try using the search facility to see if there are any more posts about it on the forum.
Have you found the caresheet yet?
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.78361/ (care similar for both species)
and also
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/leopard-tortoise-care-sheet.63792/

 

[LimGang]

Yes I went over that, but 80% humidity seems too high in my opinion. And there is no mention of white spots haha. Thank you though

 

[wellington]

Yes I went over that, but 80% humidity seems too high in my opinion. And there is no mention of white spots haha. Thank you though

80% is not too high. The work has been done by a long time tortoise owner, not a noobie and well experienced member.

 

[wellington]

Hi
I've learned that the white spots on the shell of leopard tortoise are the sign of growth.

My hatchling is growing but i still can't see the white spot on its shell.

Is this something i should be worried about?

It's not a white spot. It's the lines between the scutes that will be a whitish or yellowish color

 

[LimGang]

It's not a white spot. It's the lines between the scutes that will be a whitish or yellowish color

So all leopord tortoise hatchlings will eventually have those white/yellowish lines as they grow?? If i understood correctly.

 

[wellington]

So all leopord tortoise hatchlings will eventually have those white/yellowish lines as they grow?? If i understood correctly.

As far as I know they all get them when they grow. I even had a very dark/black leopard hatchling. His growth rings were more grey until s/he got a little older and then the whitish/yellow came in.

 

[wccmog10]

Here is a photo of my babies from this year- you can see the white/yellow coloration coming through between the scutes on the one I circled in red.

 

[drew54]

Are you talking about marbling?

 

[drew54]

Here is a photo of my babies from this year- you can see the white/yellow coloration coming through between the scutes on the one I circled in red.

View attachment 274971

That's marbling. As your little guy gets bigger you will see more of it.

 

[wccmog10]

Marbling? I’m my experience this is normal leopard tortoise growth/coloration

 

[Yvonne G]

So all leopord tortoise hatchlings will eventually have those white/yellowish lines as they grow?? If i understood correctly.

In my leopard babies the first new growth they have, right out of the egg, is dark brown.

 

[Tom]

So all leopord tortoise hatchlings will eventually have those white/yellowish lines as they grow?? If i understood correctly.

The reason its called a "leopard" tortoise is because of black spotting on a lighter background. So yes, as they grow, more of the lighter background should show up, along with more spotting. Some people might refer to this as white spots, while others might refer to it as marbling.

A pic of your tortoise and some weights would hep us give you a better answer.

Why does 80% humidity for a growing baby sound too high to you? Did you read somewhere else that they are desert tortoises and need dry conditions? This is what has been said about them since the 60's. Its wrong. It leads to pyramiding and sometimes the death of the baby. We've been working hard here for a decade to eradicate that old wrong info and explain what is really best and why. Your questions are welcome. Happy to explain more.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi
I've learned that the white spots on the shell of leopard tortoise are the sign of growth.

My hatchling is growing but i still can't see the white spot on its shell.

Is this something i should be worried about?

When leopard babies are brand new, just out of the egg, the space between the scutes is dark brown, like this:



Notice he space between the scutes on the two babies second and third from the left. These are all from the same clutch. The big one on the left hatched a full month before the others and his new growth is now dark brown. The ones to the right of the second and third from the left hatched a day or two prior to those, so their new growth is starting to show white/cream. Then, as the continue to grow, the "leopard pattern" starts to show in the new growth:

this is that same tortoise as seen on the left in the first picture. This picture was taken three months after the first picture. Notice the baby scooting out of the picture to the right. Exactly outside the scute is the dark brown new growth area, then as he started to grow, the cream colored baby growth, and to the outside of that is the dark brown new growth, then Leonard the bigger baby with his "leopard pattern" starting to show through.

 

[kazjimmy]

 

[TumericTJ]

View attachment 275027

Beautiful pic!