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I am pretty experienced keeping lizards (breeding Bearded Dragons) and snakes, and regular attending NY Metro show. Now thinking about a tortoise.
I think I like Leopard and Star tortoises and in analyzing why, I think I like the patter and relatively high dome. (alas no room for African Sulcata or Aldabran in a NYC apartment; lol).
Do any Tortoises have a reputation for being more "personable" then others?
Any comments on relative merits of Leopard and Star?
Others...?
If you like the high dome and you live in an apartment I would go with a star over a leopard. leopard would get too big for an apartment.
As far as personality goes I think that depends on the individual tort more than the species. Under one year old my leopards were much more curious, my redfoots were shy, and my Mt. Tort was downright reclusive. From one to two years old the leopards became more shy and the redfoots became so friendly that they climb up the side of their pen to greet me at the sound of my voice. Yes even with food already in the pen. Now at 3 years old the Mt. Tort is Mr. Friendly or like Vic Morgan says "follow you around like a dog". So I think their is no hard and fast rule but for an apartment you need to consider size.
Tom
I like the look of both of those tortoises a lot too, but since I live in an apartment I do not have room for them. I got a hermanns tortoise instead. They do not have the high dome, but they have a pretty pattern. My hermanns has an outgoing personality, comes up to me whenever he sees me.
Both of these tortoises can be heartbreakers as a first tortoise. They are very tempramental. If you get the environmental conditions just right they can be fantastic but the is more the exception than the rule.
The leopard is the easier of the two. While it does get to about 15 inches, they are normally very slow growers. You'd have about 5 or 6 years before you have to worry about the size.
Some better first tortoises are Russians, Greeks and hermans. These are all very active, very personable and quite easy to keep.
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care
Mt.Tortoises.Dog in a shell. Vic
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