Re: leopard tortoise questions

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Posted by tcc on January 10, 2001 at 20:34:32:

In Reply to: Re: leopard tortoise questions posted by EJ on January 09, 2001 at 11:33:21:

I think its important to consider that there are wild specimens with a bit of pyramiding along the spinal scutes. This isnt unnatural because they are in the wild in ideal enviormental conditions.
It may be genetic as implicated by many other ppl who work with these animals.
tcc :)

: My leopards are my evidence that feeding as much as they would like to eat(grasses and broad leaf weeds) does not cause pyramiding. I believe pyramiding is the result of some kind of nutritional and/or environmental imbalance. I believe it is closely related to temperature, hydration and calcium (if you wanted to pin it down) This is why I always suggest keeping them warm to hot. I as well as other breeders have had the best development when the tortoises are kept warm and well hydrated. (75 - 100F as a range) My leopards graze every waking moment or they are foraging. They do have the run of the yard. Their growth is good but far from perfect (as far as I'm concerned).
: The wheezing/whistling is not normal but if it is not in distress you should watch it but don't worry.
: Ed

: : I am now the proud owner of of my first tortoise. He's a leopard. Not a hatchling, he's about 8 inches long, heavy as lead, and eats like a cow. I have read that too much food (even if it's the right food) can cause shell pyramiding. He gets a nice pile of greens and grasses every morning about an hour after he wakes up and warms to eating temperature. (Calcium and vitamin D-3 are sprinkled on) I always feel like he wants more food later in the day. Yesterday was nice and warm so we went for a long walk in the yard and he tried to eat anything that he could get his mouth around. Anything that was white,that is. He walked over lots of nice grass and clover to get to some white rocks that he attempted to eat. What is the fascination with white things. Can anyone enlighten me as to tortoise visual acuity. Do they see colors? I am also confused about what constitutes pyramiding. I have read that a leopard tort will have some bumpiness. Geovanni posted a good picture of a leopard and it was about as bumpy as Rex.(oh yea; his name is Rex) I'm sure that Geovanni knows what he's doing so I'm assuming that this is indeed normal. My final concern is the noise that Rex makes. He is in no distress and as I have said, he eats well; but he whistles when he breathes. No head in the air or gasping for breath. Just a little whistle. He is in a well heated enclosure with white and red basking lights and a 48 inch uv light. Water is always available and he always seems to drink or soak after eating. I just want to be sure that I'm not doing something wrong that could make him sick. I would really appreciate a reply from Geovanni because he has at least one leopard and I believe that we are in the same climate. Jacksonville,Fl. Thanks in advance to any and all who respond.

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: I think its important to consider that there are wild specimens with a bit of pyramiding along the spinal scutes. This isnt unnatural because they are in the wild in ideal enviormental conditions. : It may be genetic as implicated by many other ppl who work with these animals. : tcc :) : : : My leopards are my evidence that feeding as much as they would like to eat(grasses and broad leaf weeds) does not cause pyramiding. I believe pyramiding is the result of some kind of nutritional and/or environmental imbalance. I believe it is closely related to temperature, hydration and calcium (if you wanted to pin it down) This is why I always suggest keeping them warm to hot. I as well as other breeders have had the best development when the tortoises are kept warm and well hydrated. (75 - 100F as a range) My leopards graze every waking moment or they are foraging. They do have the run of the yard. Their growth is good but far from perfect (as far as I'm concerned). : : The wheezing/whistling is not normal but if it is not in distress you should watch it but don't worry. : : Ed : : : I am now the proud owner of of my first tortoise. He's a leopard. Not a hatchling, he's about 8 inches long, heavy as lead, and eats like a cow. I have read that too much food (even if it's the right food) can cause shell pyramiding. He gets a nice pile of greens and grasses every morning about an hour after he wakes up and warms to eating temperature. (Calcium and vitamin D-3 are sprinkled on) I always feel like he wants more food later in the day. Yesterday was nice and warm so we went for a long walk in the yard and he tried to eat anything that he could get his mouth around. Anything that was white,that is. He walked over lots of nice grass and clover to get to some white rocks that he attempted to eat. What is the fascination with white things. Can anyone enlighten me as to tortoise visual acuity. Do they see colors? I am also confused about what constitutes pyramiding. I have read that a leopard tort will have some bumpiness. Geovanni posted a good picture of a leopard and it was about as bumpy as Rex.(oh yea; his name is Rex) I'm sure that Geovanni knows what he's doing so I'm assuming that this is indeed normal. My final concern is the noise that Rex makes. He is in no distress and as I have said, he eats well; but he whistles when he breathes. No head in the air or gasping for breath. Just a little whistle. He is in a well heated enclosure with white and red basking lights and a 48 inch uv light. Water is always available and he always seems to drink or soak after eating. I just want to be sure that I'm not doing something wrong that could make him sick. I would really appreciate a reply from Geovanni because he has at least one leopard and I believe that we are in the same climate. Jacksonville,Fl. Thanks in advance to any and all who respond.

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