hello, basically, i know nothing about tortoises, and i would like to buy 2 for my children, so i just need some advice on whee i should begin, which tortoise would be the sturdiest to put up with the constant handling and also should i buy male/female or 2 of one sex? and finally is it possible to breed and is it easy

thanks

provisional tortoise owner

david

hi
firstly no tortoise should have to put up with constant handling.
They are animals not toys and really not suitable as a childs pet.
If you are under the impression that they are easy pets i'm afraid you are mistaken.

David, Where are you located? That would be a good start as to what may be more suitable.

David, As a follow up to Stells........no, they are not an easy pet in the sense that there is a lot to know. No, they should not be "handled" constantly. They are not the warm and fuzzies that most are used to. But, they do make wonderful pets under the right supervision. Also remember that they are a lifetime commitment. Most outlive their owners. The other thing to consider before getting any species is to make sure there is a vet in your area that handles torts. Many people have a hard time finding someone with tort experience.

yes thanks, i am inthe czech republic

as a father i would never leave my children un supervised at such a young age and maybe i wasn,t clear enough, of course i wouldn,t want anyone to be put under un due stress

I think when it comes to hardy tortoises, you should look into the Russian Tortoise. They're fairly common, and many of them really like human company. I have several Russians that come running to the edge of their enclosure to greet me, and all of mine will now eat from my hand. Also many of them enjoy having their heads/chins pet. And they don't get too big - generally females are up to 8 inches, with males being smaller. All tortoises have specific needs that need to be met, certain bedding, cage requirements, food requirements and if they're indoors, a heat lamp and a UVB lamp.

Generally two females is a good idea. Males tend to be aggressive with one another (this isn't the rule, though) and very pushy with the girls, so if there is a male, there should be at least two females, so he doesn't pester one girly constantly!

For more info on Russians, look here: http://www.russiantortoise.org/

There is a Russian Tortoise forum here, too, so look there and ask lots of questions! Also I caution you to not buy from a petstore if at all possible, because those tend to be Wild Caught (WC) and not very healthy. There are many breeders in the US that you can get them from, although shipping is not recommended in the colder states right now, if it can be avoided!

I agree with Kelly. I have 3 russians and they are very friendly. I just was not sure what was available to you in the Czech Republic. Researching is the key.

Hi and Welcome! I think the first step is to find out what species you can even get there. Then research if you can provide for it properly. I am not familiar with your country, so not sure what is easily purchased or if you would have vet care available.

Just curious, why are you thinking of getting these torts?

This post was last modified: 12-09-2007 09:17 PM by Jacqui.