# Wanted a pair of hatchling red/yellow foot tortoises/ Leopard Tortoises Boise, Idaho



## Tommy Stuart (Aug 29, 2016)

Hello,
As a college student I am looking for a pair of baby/ hatchling tortoises for an affordable price. I live in Boise, Idaho

240-344-7472
Thank you,
Tommy


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## wellington (Aug 29, 2016)

Tortoises should not be kept in pairs. Get just one and it will be much happier. Also being in college, are you able to give your tort outside time when the weather is warm?


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## Tommy Stuart (Aug 29, 2016)

Thank you for the advice, and yes when it is warm ill be able to take them outside to get some natural sunlight if the temperatures permit.


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (Aug 29, 2016)

Hello Tommy


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## Tommy Stuart (Aug 29, 2016)

Grandpa Turtle 144 said:


> Hello Tommy
> View attachment 185170


Thank you


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## Gillian M (Aug 30, 2016)

Tommy Stuart said:


> Hello,
> As a college student I am looking for a pair of baby/ hatchling tortoises for an affordable price. I live in Boise, Idaho
> 
> 240-344-7472
> ...


A very warm welcome to the forum! 

Please note that torts do NOT like/need/want company.


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## ZEROPILOT (Aug 30, 2016)

Agreed.
Don't bite off more than you can chew.
Tortoises are solitary creatures and may require more work than you are currently aware of.
Decide on a species and then read everything here that you can find before getting one.
Best of luck.


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## Kapidolo Farms (Aug 30, 2016)

Tommy Stuart said:


> Hello,
> As a college student I am looking for a pair of baby/ hatchling tortoises for an affordable price. I live in Boise, Idaho
> 
> 240-344-7472
> ...



https://www.facebook.com/KapidoloFarms/

As a past college student, I get it that you think it's all about stating a need and posting your number and offers will come in. After all your looking for a deal, and want others to put forth the effort to fulfill your want.

How about a test: you pass this test, and studying is what you do, yeah< then I'll give you the five plus discount.

1) What is the five plus discount?

2) Are tortoises social and should they be kept in pairs?

3) Explain why rabbit pellets are an ideal or poor choice for a substrate for neonate tortoises.

4) Iceburg lettuce is an acceptable diet, true or false? Simple dichotomy type question 50/50 that you will get the answer correct.

5) At what age can you sex a tortoise? Careful, that's a trick question.


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## Tommy Stuart (Aug 30, 2016)

Will said:


> https://www.facebook.com/KapidoloFarms/
> 
> As a past college student, I get it that you think it's all about stating a need and posting your number and offers will come in. After all your looking for a deal, and want others to put forth the effort to fulfill your want.
> 
> ...




1.I looked around the forum as well as on your Facebook page, and I will admit I'm not sure what the five plus discount is.
2. Tortoises are solitary creatures for the most part, unless they are at the proper age or size to breed. I don't plan on breeding them yet so they will be kept apart. I have read some stories online of tortoises being flipped and passing away.
3. I beleive rabbit pellets are a poor choice of substrate, being that they can mold pretty easily. Also they are not a naturally occurring substrate in the wild. I plan on using coconut fiber as well as some sphagnum moss to keep humidity up in hides. I plan on putting something over the coconut fiber just not 100% sure yet.
4. Iceberg lettuce is not acceptable as it has no nutritional value, I plan on feeding a mixture of greens and spring mix, I have read about feeding some protein. However I'm not 100% if that is correct yet.
5. From what I've read on sexing it depends on the tails as well as the bottom of the shell. Id say you could sex them after about 3 years but they shouldn't be bread until they are around 7. Also I believe temperature the eggs are incubated at can affect male and female.

I noticed you were down in the southern California, I have a fair amount of teammates from down there. A couple from steele canyon in san diego and some others from outside LA. My family is originally from Orange county.


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## Yvonne G (Aug 30, 2016)

Tommy: I appreciate that you took Will's test in good grace. So many people get themselves in a snit over nothing. I'm curious to see what @Will has to say about your answers.


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## Kapidolo Farms (Aug 30, 2016)

Tommy Stuart said:


> 1.I looked around the forum as well as on your Facebook page, and I will admit I'm not sure what the five plus discount is.
> 2. Tortoises are solitary creatures for the most part, unless they are at the proper age or size to breed. I don't plan on breeding them yet so they will be kept apart. I have read some stories online of tortoises being flipped and passing away.
> 3. I beleive rabbit pellets are a poor choice of substrate, being that they can mold pretty easily. Also they are not a naturally occurring substrate in the wild. I plan on using coconut fiber as well as some sphagnum moss to keep humidity up in hides. I plan on putting something over the coconut fiber just not 100% sure yet.
> 4. Iceberg lettuce is not acceptable as it has no nutritional value, I plan on feeding a mixture of greens and spring mix, I have read about feeding some protein. However I'm not 100% if that is correct yet.
> ...




1)The five plus discount is for people who buy five or more, I sell the neonates at $70 each, plus shipping with the purchase of five or more, less than 5 they cost $85 each plus shipping.
2) Good answer. They can flip themselves as sole inhabitants of an enclosure. Most commonly associated with climb up to get into water bowls. The water bowl should be very shallow and inset to the substrate. Clay plant saucers work well.
3)Good answer. Most clean natural things (soil, coco fiber, coco chunks, small orchid bark, hard wood mulches etc.) can be used for a substrate. They hold humidity and and with the addition of isopods (bioactivate the substrate) you have a lower maintenance and healthier substrate.
4)All living animals need some protein. It's a balance issue with fiber and water as to how much is optimal, there seem to be no quantitative answer for this. Some of the commercial pellets (ZooMed 'grassland', Mazuri tortoise) can help bring balance. I tend to go higher in protein than many people say they go. I feed a little hard boiled egg once a week to all tortoises, including neonates (think about it they are from eggs, sorta makes some sense), as well as some chicken layer mash (moistened and mixed in with greens) once or twice a week. To keep the fiber up I use grass pellets mixed in after they have been moistened.
5) The trick to the question is that it is not age, but rather size dependent that brings out secondary sexual characteristics. They can be sexed at a very young age is a scope, few vets seem to have this skill. You got distracted with how to sex the tortoise. Secondary sexual characteristics usually show when the tortoise is about 30% to 40% of adult size. Leopards make this further difficult by the range of what constitutes adult size. It is very variable. Same with redfoots as well. Some people have a talent for looking at the plaston scutes near the tail, and based on the wedge shape and size they can give a better than 50/50 guess.

Bonus question to get the $70 plus shipping price on one or two neonates, what will you tell your grandchildren regarding their care when you pass them on?

The term 'know it all' always seems sarcastic, and I don't intend to be sarcastic, but you should read @Tom 's beginners mistakes post, Tom is a 'know most of it all' kind of guy and his narrative style of writing is excellent and straight forward.


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## Tommy Stuart (Aug 30, 2016)

Will said:


> 1)The five plus discount is for people who buy five or more, I sell the neonates at $70 each, plus shipping with the purchase of five or more, less than 5 they cost $85 each plus shipping.
> 2) Good answer. They can flip themselves as sole inhabitants of an enclosure. Most commonly associated with climb up to get into water bowls. The water bowl should be very shallow and inset to the substrate. Clay plant saucers work well.
> 3)Good answer. Most clean natural things (soil, coco fiber, coco chunks, small orchid bark, hard wood mulches etc.) can be used for a substrate. They hold humidity and and with the addition of isopods (bioactivate the substrate) you have a lower maintenance and healthier substrate.
> 4)All living animals need some protein. It's a balance issue with fiber and water as to how much is optimal, there seem to be no quantitative answer for this. Some of the commercial pellets (ZooMed 'grassland', Mazuri tortoise) can help bring balance. I tend to go higher in protein than many people say they go. I feed a little hard boiled egg once a week to all tortoises, including neonates (think about it they are from eggs, sorta makes some sense), as well as some chicken layer mash (moistened and mixed in with greens) once or twice a week. To keep the fiber up I use grass pellets mixed in after they have been moistened.
> ...



I would have a lot more knowledge of their care and needs at that time, but right now I would say to always make sure they have clean water a safe habitat and know what the weather and temperatures are gonna be to take precautions for when they are outside. As well as a varied diet to keep them healthy.


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## Kapidolo Farms (Aug 30, 2016)

Tommy Stuart said:


> I would have a lot more knowledge of their care and needs at that time, but right now I would say to always make sure they have clean water a safe habitat and know what the weather and temperatures are gonna be to take precautions for when they are outside. As well as a varied diet to keep them healthy.


Super great answer, the Leos are available to you at $70 each for one or both, plus $45 shipping, if you decide to go with Leos. Redfoots are great tortoises as well. Frankly they are all interesting for one reason or another. Thanks for being fun about all this an not finding insult where none is intended. this is maturity not found from those with potentially more life experience. Thanks for being fun.


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## Tommy Stuart (Aug 30, 2016)

Will said:


> Super great answer, the Leos are available to you at $70 each for one or both, plus $45 shipping, if you decide to go with Leos. Redfoots are great tortoises as well. Frankly they are all interesting for one reason or another. Thanks for being fun about all this an not finding insult where none is intended. this is maturity not found from those with potentially more life experience. Thanks for being fun.



Thank you I appreciate it, I will let you know in the next few weeks after some more research on the species. It was all in good fun, Im going to check out the toms beginner mistakes.


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## Pearly (Aug 31, 2016)

Hi Tommy, I just wanted to say how impressed with you I was reading this thread. Wow! The way you have handled being challenged... And never losing your composure... Fantastic! I wonder what your major in college is. Think you'd do fantastic in political science or law school. I'm very happy you have found us here and think you'll be an asset to this forum if you stick around. I also have "a pair", got them before I knew about the torts' solitary nature. Over the past 14 months this forum has been instrumental to me in keeping my RF babies happy and healthy. Some of us here enjoy great debate, even more of us enjoy reading one (myself included). It's great to have you, and welcome from Texas!


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## MPRC (Aug 31, 2016)

There is a rescue in Nampa (The Land Turtle and Tortoise Rescue) - She's not on here, but she is on Facebook & always has a post on Craigslist. You may consider looking her up to see if she has any rescues meeting your criteria. Boise isn't super suited for Redfoots, but they are my personal favorite. My adults all have very distinct personalities.


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## Tidgy's Dad (Aug 31, 2016)

Hello, Tommy, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum.
What an excellent first thread. 
Not read such a wonderful introduction from a new member for a long, long time. 
If ever. 
Thank you.


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## Tommy Stuart (Sep 22, 2016)

Hey everyone, hope all is well. I was set up to get some red foot hatchlings in early October, however someone was in dire need to relocate this young sulcata. Since i have a large enclosure with everything except a CHE I decided to take him in. He has some minor pyramiding to so far, hoping to help him with a plethora of humidity to help smooth out his shell. Feeding orchard grass as well as some romaine lettuce and grassland tortoise diet. Haven't had time yet to go get some potted plants and other things to make the habitat more appealing but heres my start.


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