Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi. We've been considering getting a baby Leopard tortoise. We decided on a Leopard for several reasons. Sulcata get to be too big for the space I would be able to provide, our back garden is roughly 15x40 feet. My wife isn't keen on red and yellow foot torts. And the Euro/Mediterraneans' requirement for hibernating is a difficulty variable we think might be too easy to mess up. This is our first tortoise.

I've done my homework on their longevity, space and dietary requirements, but I'm worried that Orlando - where we live - is too humid for them. If that is true I'd rather not have a tortoise at all that keep one in a hazardous environment. I enjoy these creatures immensely though, so I'd like to get some input on this from those who have experience with them.

We'll keep the baby tort indoors with a few hours of outside time here or there until it's large enough to live outside in a secure habitat. I'd bring it in for bad weather, of course, but it's quite humid here (I think so anyway), so I'm afraid that might result in a chronically sick tort. Does it make a difference if the tort was born in Florida? Does that exposure to Florida's climate from birth help to make them less susceptible to respiratory problems?

I've had a look through the various forums and didn't really see this sort of question addressed. Thanks for any help!

Justin

Hi, if I was lucky enough to be in your situation, living in nice humid Orlando, I would get a Burmese Brown Tortoise. They love the humidity and are very personable from what I understand. I cant really speak about the Leopard ability or nonability to handle humidity but you cant go wrong with a Burmese Brown. Perhaps Vic will say something here.

Carole
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www.reptilecare.com

I keep G. pardalis in the very dry (extremely) California desert. Several good breeders do similar in Arizona. With a lot of work, you can change micro-climates, but why? If you can be interested, it makes sense, saves $ and is fun to work with species that sort of like the climate you have. Rather than try to make a wet climate dry, seize the opportunity to work with humidity tolerant species like red foots or Asian black/brown Emmys or elongated etc. I find it is simpler if you do, I wish I could keep Emmys but it just is not in the best interest for myself or the tortoises here in the desert. You might have the opposite situation...make the best of it! good luck, sorry I can't comment on keeping G. pardalis under humid conditions. vic h. (not the Vic who is an expert on Emmys)