Giant South African Leopard Tortoise

Description

Giant South African leopard tortoise for sale

Leopard tortoise are some of the most popular species of tortoise for sale in the USA!  When selecting a new baby leopard tortoise for sale, the first thing to decide is what kind!

There are 2 main subspecies of leopard tortoises both coming to us from Africa.  The East African leopard is also known as the Pardalis Babcocki leopard tortoise.  East African leopards are smaller of the group and have a higher domed shell.

Giant Leopard tortoise Size

Giant South African leopard tortoises grow larger than their East African cousins.  On average, a Giant South African leopard tortoise for sale, (Pardalis Pardalis) grows 15-24″.

Whereas an East African traditional more common baby leopard tortoise grows from 10-16″.  Besides the size, there are a number of variables that differ in both subspecies.  For example, the larger, Giant African leopard tortoise for sale has a flatter shell.  East African leopard tortoises for sale tend to have a higher domed shell.

Giant South African leopard tortoise diet

Diet consists of a wide variety of high-quality greens and some veggies.  Here at the tortoise farm, we prepare out “chopped tortoise salad” 5 days a week.  We supplement the salad with additional nuggets of soaked and softened tortoise chow.

Our salad is composed of equal parts of chopped Romaine, Collard, Mustard Greens, Raddichio, Spring Mix, Endive, Squash, Shredded carrots, and the occasional chopped tomato or two.  The Giant South African leopard tortoise price is going to be in the middle of the road for medium sized tortoise species.

It is important to chop these and mix them all together.  We prepare our carrots by putting them into a mixer and shredding them and just mixing them with our salad.  All of our baby tortoise for sale as well as adult tortoises get the same food here at the farm.

Giant leopard tortoise Humidity

Humidity is an interesting topic concerning both baby leopard tortoise as well as juvenile and adults.  Years ago it was believed that using a dryer setup and less humid climate was important for successfully keeping leopard tortoises.  Now, the thought has changed completely.

We are now using high humid-low air movement setups to achieve the greatest amount of success and growth with our baby Giant leopard tortoises.  Keeping your humidity in the range of 70-75% is key to having a smooth-shelled, healthy tortoise.

Some ways to maintain humidity range anywhere from having a deep substrate of 4″ and spraying it down each morning, to using a reptile fogger.

Giant Leopard tortoise UVB Lighting

UVB lighting is extremely important to growing your tortoise from a fragile hatchling to a large, healthy adult.  Arcadia brand tortoise UVB lamps are best, however, you may also use a reptisun.

Using a 10% or 10.0 lamp is ok, however a 12% or 12.0 lamp is recommended for juvenile thru adult Giant South African leopard tortoises for sale.  UVB lamps are key to proper growth and vitamin d absorption.

During winter months, those who keep their tortoises indoors use a heavier feeding of Mazuri tortoise chow to help supplement the lack of Vitamin D3 since they are not in the outdoor sunshine.  We provide all of our baby Giant South African leopard tortoise for sale UVB via a 12% Lamp on average and natural sunlight while soaking.

Giant leopard tortoise lifespan

Leopard tortoises are long-lived animals.  A typical baby leopard tortoise can grow to live up to 150 years!  While there is no actual record of how long does a leopard tortoise live, many believe they will reach ripe old ages over 100 years!

Pardalis Pardalis for sale

Caring for your new baby tortoise can reward you for a lifetime! Also, sometimes people will “will” or “leave” their tortoises to their own children or grandchildren if they become too old to care for their pet tortoise for sale.

Giant South African Leopard tortoise for sale – Temperature

Temperature for both the East African leopard tortoise (pardalis babcocki) and the Giant South African leopard tortoise (Pardalis Pardalis) is the same.  While some do think Pardalis Pardalis has a higher heat and lower cold tolerance, general care remains the same between both subspecies.

Leopard tortoises for sale enjoy ambient temperatures in the neighborhood of 85 degrees.  Hot spots should be provided and kept in the range of 92-96 degrees.  Coldest areas in the entire habitat should be in the 75-78 degree range, with nighttime lows staying about 65 degrees even for adults.  When soaking your tortoise use water that is around 86 degrees and warm to touch.

Giant Leopard tortoise water

Soaking your baby Giant South African leopard tortoise for sale daily is important.  Each morning, soak your baby in warm 86-87 degree water, that is very shallow.  Be very careful not to drown your new pet tortoise!

(Pardalis Pardalis) The South African Giant Leopard Tortoise, Pardalis pardalis is a rarely seen, very large growing sub species of the common Leopard Tortoise (pardalis babcocki) from the extreme southern portion of the Leopard Tortoise range into Namibia and South Africa.

The“giant”of the Leopard Tortoises, reaching lengths of 14-22 inches on average at 40-65lbs, Giant South African Leopard Tortoises are easily distinguished by their tell tale spotting in the center of their shell, having “double or triple dots” rather than single or no dots like a standard leopard tortoise (Pardalis Babcocki).

Be very careful when choosing your giant south African leopard tortoise for sale, as MOST sites on the internet are selling REGULAR Pardalis Babcocki leopard tortoises and saying they are giant south African leopard tortoise for sale.

The giants are not only bigger, they are known for being are a bit more outgoing and personable than a normal leopard and also have a marbled spotted pattern on their head and body, setting them apart from the traditional sub species.

Check out all the other leopard tortoise care sections of our website, written by our biologist.

• leopard tortoise size
• Average leopard tortoise lighting
• leopard tortoise temperature
• baby leopard tortoise size
• baby leopard tortoise
• ivory leopard tortoise
• leopard tortoise humidity
• leopard tortoise water
• baby leopard tortoise diet