Are Juveniles worth the extra money?

[diamondbp]

I was curious as to anyone's preference on buying a cheaper hatchling vs a more expensive juvenile? I've mainly bought hatchling or very young tortoises in the past but am considering paying more for a juvenile in the future rather than going through those first years of growth and fragile time myself.

Any thoughts or opinions are welcomed

 

[StarSapphire22]

I personally prefer a hatchling, not that I've ever bought a juvenile. While it is a more fragile stage, it's also such a fun one, seeing your little one grow and change. Plus, you get more control over how it's raised, and its health, its habits, etc. I'm a control freak and worrywort when it comes to animals, so this is a huge peace of mind to me. I would be less worried though, if I bought from a reputable source that I've talked with before etc. My dealings with Chris have always been great, so I'd have no problem buying from him because I see photos of his setups and I've discussed diet etc. with him...and my tort is awesome. Likewise if I was in the market for aldabras, I'd buy from Greg in a heartbeat.

It's all about what you're comfortable with I think. There's no right or wrong answer.

 

[tortoisetime565]

I like to buy Jeuvs. I have only ever had two hatchlings. Phillip my redfoot and Rosie the sully I received from you.

I bought all my others at about 4-6 inches.

I like them because they are easy to take care of. Less soaking... Less fragile.. Etc.

But I feel like you miss bonding time with them. Like my Jeuvs from the store are not nearly as social as my redfoot I got from a person on Craigslist who raised her since Hatchling.

I kinda think it varies.. I'm quite in love with hatchlings right now though!

 

[Tom]

I prefer hatchlings so I can raise them MY way. A juvenile can be great or terrible, depending on who raised it and how. The age and size of the tortoise don't matter much to me. Its health, the care, diet, and hydration it has received matter to me.

 

[tortoisetime565]

I prefer hatchlings so I can raise them MY way. A juvenile can be great or terrible, depending on who raised it and how. The age and size of the tortoise don't matter much to me. Its health, the care, diet, and hydration it has received matter to me.

I totally forgot to mention this part,

When I got my first tortoise, my Sulcata, she was 'around a year old.' She had some pretty bad pyramiding from the 'reptile specialist store.' And was only fed pellets. Her shell has straightened out but still has lumps at the tops.

Also my redfoot tortoise from the same place had pyramiding.

I do agree with Tom because his way is the right way to have a perfect hatchling.

 

[Saleama]

I agree with Tom unless, of course, you are getting your juvenile FROM Tom, lol. Then why not pay a little extra for his time spent raising them and feeding them properly?

 

[StarSapphire22]

I agree with Tom unless, of course, you are getting your juvenile FROM Tom, lol. Then why not pay a little extra for his time spent raising them and feeding them properly?

Exactly. Looking at it from a business/financial perspective, carefully evaluate the kind of care you're paying that extra money for, before purchasing anything.

 

[tortadise]

I prefer hatchlings so I can raise them MY way. A juvenile can be great or terrible, depending on who raised it and how. The age and size of the tortoise don't matter much to me. Its health, the care, diet, and hydration it has received matter to me.

Agree completely. I just have a great story with unfortunate events I an adult I purchased months back, that expired from acute kidney failure. Kidney failure is irreversible and tragic. Especially when it is a very uncommon species in this nation. This can be applied with juveniles too. Go with offspring. Or juveniles from very reputable sources.

 

[Tom]

Exactly. Looking at it from a business/financial perspective, carefully evaluate the kind of care you're paying that extra money for, before purchasing anything.

This is a good point. When you consider the daily time effort and money that goes into raising a hatchling well, even for just a few months, the purchase price is an ENORMOUS bargain even if its 10X the cost of a new hatchling.