Hi

I have two Leopard tortoises which i have had almost a year. I have always wanted tortoises and spent ages deciding which type to get and decided on the Leopard because of its beautiful shell pattern and shell shape and size. However, i am finding it hard to find advice on the internet etc as it appears they are quite an unusual pet and most tortoise books only have a small paragraph or two covering them. I am wondering if there is anyone who wouldn't mind me picking their brains and answering a few questions i have?

First question, i bought them together and was told they were the same age. I have had them a year and one is double the size of the other now. Should i be worried that one is so much bigger than the other or could that be because they may be different sexes? One has hardly grown at all despite having exactly the same diet and conditions as the other.

hi some leopards will grow at different rates.can you say what size they are now and the rate of growth of both these tortoises.
terry

They weighed 90 grams each last november when i got them. Alonso is now 187 and Hamilton 126

.
wow thats fast.i would say from 90g to 126g in under 12 month's is not hardly grown at all.my very first hatchlngs grew at half that rate ,and i consider them grown to quickly.slow smooth growth is the aim for a healthy natural shaped tortoise.can i ask the exact length of these two just to judge how they compare to my own at that weight.also it would be great to see their pictures.i would be very interested to know how they are being kept ,what lighting and substrate you use

terry

Really? I will put some pictures on shortly. Hamilton looks exactly the same as when i got him but Alonso's shell has started to get the dome appearance and he has lots of new white shell growth. Alonso is generally a much more active tortoise if i go to them he will come to me whereas Hamilton won't even bother looking. In the garden Alsonso will munch and wander all day but Hamilton will have a little plod and then find some longer grass to go to sleep under.

Alonso and Hamilton. The first two are both Alonso. Hamilton is 7 cm and Alonso 8.5 cm. They live in a 4 ft wooden vivarium but without the glass doors. Substrate is sand and hay/dried meadow grasses at the end where they sleep. They go in the garden on nice days and on wet days i always get them out for a few hours wander of the house as i read that Leopards love to roam. They are fed completely on a weed diet with the nutrobal sprinkled over. Is there something i am doing very wrong? I have seen on here that most people don't recommend a vivarium and am looking into a tortoise table but would that be much different to mine as i don't have the sliding doors in it.

Attached Images

	Image182.jpg (144.9 KB, 12 views)
	Image183.jpg (116.2 KB, 14 views)
	Image349.jpg (140.6 KB, 14 views)

hi lovely looking leopards ,it sounds like your smaller one may be a little intimidated by the larger more active tortoise.they should be eating a lot of grasses at this age.i know it can be difficult to persuade some to do this .i have always found i am more successful if they can graze short cut lawn grass.
terry

They are on the lawn at the moment. Just noticed a typo Hamilton is 116 gm not 126. I just want to know that i am giving them the best possible care i can, i waited years for a tortoise and would love more! I think they are beautiful but these are my first tortoises so i'm no expert.

your 2 sound like my mums 2 leopard tortoises

__________________