benkei Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 Does anyone know where I can buy a tortoise? It's my girlfriend's 21st in July, and she's shown interest in wanting a pet... And a tortoise came up (not litterally). So I thought it'd be a great pet for her.. relatively easy to look after, cheap to feed, amusing to watch, and they live a long time, so it would be a good investment! also, she can look at it in many years to come and be reminded of her 21st But you can't go down to your local pet shop and pick one up anymore... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark newman Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 pet shop just an idear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fizzle Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 they are still widely available, what type were u thinkin of? various sizies, lifespans, and housing conditions.. not as easy as buy it a whack it in the garden! reptile shop would be your best bet or reptile forums have plenty of info/caresheets, for sale section! http://www.rfuk.com is a good one... i have a hermans tortoise which are quite small compared to some fairly easy to look after, heat lamp enclosure etc... am currently looking for a sulcata tortoise which is the 3rd largest in the the world and takes considerabley more looking after.. own heated bedroom needed!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lbm Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 pet shop just an idear Is that like an ipod? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz6002 Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 Is that like an ipod? Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseys Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 http://www.tortoisetrust.org/activities/adoption.htm how about adopting one? we have a little tortoise, 7 years old now and great fun and full of personality. Don't think his breed are sold now though in the uk as he was brought into the country and laws have changed since then. Remember you're going to need a fairly large area to keep even a small tortoise as they need a little space to roam, a place to feed and they like a habbahut or such to sleep/hide under. Ceramic bulbs, a twin channel thermostat and a reasonable sized vivarium are needed our vivarium is 6x3x3 foot and he's roughly the size of my hand so far. occasional visits to vets for clipping nails/beak if they don't nibble on cuttlebone or travel over hard surfaces, otherwise just a bath/scrubs once in a while and they're very low maintenance pets as you say. 70p a week to feed if that. love feeding ours strawberries and watch him eat then. Afterwards it looks like he's massacred something as he's normally covered in stawberry. Must be the lack of hands I guess Anything you want to know apart from purchasing one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren R Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Hiya! Tortoises are great pets. You can get them from reptile shops, just be sure to research them before hand, unfortunately you still get plenty taken from the wild and they never do well in captivity so getting them off a place like gumtree would be a bad idea. A Hermans or a spur-thigh would be your best bet, they're the easiest to look after and don't get too big. I would ring a specialist exotic vet for some husbandry advice when you get the little thing (I work at one if you want that, though I am in London). Pet shops aren't always up to scratch with their advice, that's all Enjoy him though, they're fascinating little things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Proper entertaining creatures, you need 2 though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benkei Posted June 3, 2010 Author Share Posted June 3, 2010 Thanks for the info, looks like there's more people on here with experience or knowledge on them than I thought! I'm still to look into it more and find out about the different types before I find which would be the best one. A few people have said that they used to just letthem roam around the house and garden, and they were happy enough, they didn't have any reptile enclosures or heated lamps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraStar 3000 Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Proper entertaining creatures, you need 2 though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve spedd Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 we have two hermans tortoise, they are quality, easy to look after... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dive_popo Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 we have two hermans tortoise, they are quality, easy to look after... aaaaaahaa so you're the author of this video Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseys Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Thanks for the info, looks like there's more people on here with experience or knowledge on them than I thought! I'm still to look into it more and find out about the different types before I find which would be the best one. A few people have said that they used to just letthem roam around the house and garden, and they were happy enough, they didn't have any reptile enclosures or heated lamps? All depends on what sort you want. You can get tortoise from different climates, as ours is one from the med it needs a warm 28-30 degree climate. We let it roam around the house and out in the garden on sunny days or such. Anything european can live outside in hot weather then needs hibernating in the winter. Anything med/savannah/asian will require a terrarium (sorry I kept saying vivarium yesterday). Some hibernate, some don't all depends on where the breed originated from. You can also get them to hibernate by putting them in a fridge (with air holes) in the summer time. Just random googling here's a list of some breeds for sale http://www.tortoisecentre.co.uk/price%20list.htm As you can see some need UV lamps, heat lamps, some hibernate, some don't. General ones which don't need heat lamps or enclosures are more hardy resilient larger types and generally grow to a larger size. As said before, they're very rewarding pets and quite calming to have even more fun when you bring them up with cats and the cats really don't know what to make of it as they think it's a moving rock How can you resist something like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 I was expecting this thread to be about N/A's, I'll move along, sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseys Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 I was expecting this thread to be about N/A's, I'll move along, sorry Well.. never seen a force induction tortoise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benkei Posted June 3, 2010 Author Share Posted June 3, 2010 I was expecting this thread to be about N/A's, I'll move along, sorry Well.. never seen a force induction tortoise The image I just had in my head! I'm taking my girlfriend out tonight, so I'll ask her about her preference for a shelled little friend and get back to you, see if I can get any recomendations to what... Breed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martini Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Normally I would embed youtube videos, but I'll link to this. The below quote jogged my memory... love feeding ours strawberries and watch him eat then. Afterwards it looks like he's massacred something as he's normally covered in stawberry. Must be the lack of hands I guess It's a video of a similar animal - the snapping turtle. BTW It's not very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benkei Posted June 3, 2010 Author Share Posted June 3, 2010 I don't think she'll want one of those! It's quite vicious! Amazing how powerful it is, and it looks very menacing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martini Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 I don't think she'll want one of those! It's quite vicious! Amazing how powerful it is, and it looks very menacing! I know mate. Get her this instead: Gorgeous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseys Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 I know mate. Get her this instead: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/IsaacSulcata.jpg Gorgeous looks remarkably familiar checked and our tortoise is Greek, but can't be imported anymore as they're actually endangered! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spur-thighed_Tortoise ill try and get a little video of him doing his ramp trick. We have a two floor terrarium and the ramp is lined with butchers grass/Astro turf stuff for grip. When he's at the top he weebles a bit, tucks all 4 legs in and his head and slides down the ramp and bonks into the side he must find it fun as sometimes he turns around and does it again and again. Either adopt one if at all poss or yes buy one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adnanshah247 Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 dude go get urself a terapin, i have 2! awesome pets. they are average around 50 quid but tank and accessories can get expensive. you can buy them at any aquarium (fish shop). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C_Strike Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 They are cute creatures if not a bit boring. i would be weary of buying a tortoise from a petshop as they are highly overpriced, imported from greece and BADLY treated in the first portions of life. Buy from a UK dealer, youl find it less than half price than petshop and much better health. They need research before purchasing, but if you really know what your in for then go for it. Youl need specialist 'tortoise table'. the main thing is the food and lighting requirements sign up to reptile forums uk and ask ALL your questions to the helpful and very knowledgable breeders there. http://www.reptileforums.co.uk I used to have them, i did read alot, but not enough and out of all the other reps i struggled to enjoy them as much as my snakes and tegus so swapped them for a pair of BCI boas with a tort collector Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benkei Posted June 4, 2010 Author Share Posted June 4, 2010 ill try and get a little video of him doing his ramp trick. We have a two floor terrarium and the ramp is lined with butchers grass/Astro turf stuff for grip. When he's at the top he weebles a bit, tucks all 4 legs in and his head and slides down the ramp and bonks into the side he must find it fun as sometimes he turns around and does it again and again. OMG! You HAVE to post that up! dude go get urself a terapin, i have 2! awesome pets. they are average around 50 quid but tank and accessories can get expensive. you can buy them at any aquarium (fish shop). I think she wants a tortoise. Aren't terrapins more like turtles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 I've got the "turtles head" if that helps?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseys Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 OMG! You HAVE to post that up! I think she wants a tortoise. Aren't terrapins more like turtles? I'll try Terrapins are turtles (tortoise don't generally swim). I also found that terrapins get a bit.... whiffy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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