Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey guys… I have had my two Leopard tortoises for almost two years now and they are growing great! No pyramiding and new visible growth and from the outside they look fine and healthy. Unfortunately recently one of my little guys had a prolapse while I was on vacation and by the time I got him to the vet it was too late =(. So, I recently went down to my local reptile breeder and purchased myself a new 5 month out baby P. babcocki. But with my new baby I bring some questions to myself… Like what type is my other tortoise? A babcocki or Pardalis..?.. Which is more common?
Also, I have been reading about diet and how ‘dry’ food is important. I usually feed them a combination of chopped up dandelion, cactus pad, endive and other various dark greens as I buy them in the store. What consists of ‘dry’ food? What is the best place to get some? I assume that the loose stool is due to a lack of dry food in there diet.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j147/wazio/IMGP2621.jpg
this is the new guy... attached is the old'r one

Well, P Pardalis is the less comon one, also the bigger of the 2. They get as big as some sulcatas, they get few inches bigger then a p. babcocki. P. Babcocki get like 14-18 inches on average, but some bigger, and p. pardalis will get 20inces-30 inches. P. Pardalis are more expensive then the P. babcoki, they will be like $200 for a babie, then like $300-500 for a older one, then adults are way up there. You most likely have p. Babcocki,

For diet, grasses, and weeds are way to go. Hay can be part of the diet as well.

Ok, good. I glad to hear that I probably have the same kind… Now, when I hear hay am I to think the stuff that horses eat and that I buy at a feed shop? The golden dry stuff that you stuff a scare crow with or the fresh cut green flavor? And any particular type, or perhaps am I thinking about this too much? =) Thanks for the help!

Pardalis pardalis hatchlings typically have 2 spots in the center of their scutes. Sometimes all of the scutes, other times just the vertebral.

I like the picture. I remember cleaning my little leopards with a toothbrush when they were babies too.

Lol, clean tortoise is a happy tortoise

Kyle
www.Turtleinfo.tk

Grass hay, like Timothy, is the best for tortoises. Alfalfa has too much protein for Leopards and Sulcattas. One bale will last you a good while!
The "golden stuff" is straw, used for bedding and stuffing. Not much nutritional value for anyone!!
Good luck!
Beth