Chris Leone- Garden State Tortoise & Hermanni Haven

We just received our Dalmatian Herman's tortoise hatchling from Chris today! Our hatchling arrived safe and healthy. It was up and about, exploring it's new home and even ate some dandelion greens. Chris Leone was so helpful through out the whole process. From the very beginning he helped answer questions about which tortoise would be right for us and how to care for it. He responds to emails as soon as possible and never made me feel like my questions were a nuisance. We couldn't be happier with our little tortoise. I would definitely recommend him.

We just received our Egyptian tortoise hatchling from Chris Leone this morning. The transaction was smooth with a lot of communication. The little one made the trip perfectly. Started eating the moment he was put in his enclosure...basked....went for a walk...ate again and then back to sleep. He looks healthy and vigorous and we could not be more pleased. Would definitely do business again with Chris anytime!

We got our Dalmatian today and he’s beyond perfection! He was totally worth the wait! He arrived carefully packaged and despite the journey across the country, he is super active and already started eating. We are so thrilled and excited we have him. I was probably super annoying asking so many questions but Chris answered all my questions. Very patient and quick to respond. Thanks Chris for our beautiful tortoise! We love him!

If anyone wants to see my kids reaction- check it out here

A big thanks to Chris for all his help with our new babies, 2 THH’s! My husband and I are tortoise enthusiasts but had never had a tortoise shipped before. We had a lot of concerns, but Chris helped calm our nerves. He was was so kind to answer all of my questions with very quick replies. He’s definitely the authority on these tortoises. What a great experience! Looking forward to doing business with him again soon!

I also purchased a baby western Hermann's (Apulia locale) from Chris. The baby came packaged very well with some moss so the little baby felt secure and to help with not drying out. She was alert and bright eyed right out the package. She soaked, ate and basked right away. Very beautiful little girl. I'm so excited to watch her grow and be able to eventually house her with my other western Hermann's female. His hermannihaven.com website has also taught me alot on how to care for this species.Was super helpful when i got my first hermanns a few years back.Thank you Chris!

Just received my first Garden State Tortoise, a beautiful Macedonian Eastern Hermann's from Chris.
He came well bundled and has been bright eyed and active right out of the container. He had a soak, nibbled some mazuri before marching around his enclosure to investigate.
Very happy with the transaction, Chris is always helpful and a great resource.
I decided to call him 'Demetrius' in honor of his Macedonian heritage, and a big thanks goes out to Chris for being so ambitious as to give us all an opportunity to own these spectacular animals, in all of their variations.
Won't be my last Garden State Tortoise, keep it up.

I just received two baby Asia Minor Tortoises (Testudo graeca ibera) from Chris Leone/Garden State Tortoise this morning.

Both are very alert, clean, and appear perfectly healthy! I soaked them upon their arrival and the male even took a drink. Both have been exploring their new enclosure for most of the day. Very active!

I have named the male "Orion" (hatched July 7th), who is named after the great Huntsman in Greek Mythology and was given a Constellation in the stars.

The female is "Selene" (hatched July 13), named after the Titan Goddess of moon.

MANY THANKS to Chris for all his help, advice, and allowing me this opportunity (these babies will be bred when they are big enough). He promptly answered any questions that I had and provides gorgeous tortoises!

I highly recommend buying tortoises from him, and I will be making additional purchases from him in the future!

Thank you @HermanniChris!

Kitty

Just received my baby Western Hermann’s from Chris at Hermannihaven.com. With all the horror stories on this sight about people being scammed in one way or another when purchasing a tortoise. I decided to go with Chris based on all the good comments about him and his tortoises.

Communication was great. Shipping was painless and my little guy is just perfect. As soon as I opened his box he was alert, very active and eating within the hour.

He is a beautiful little tort and I can’t wait to watch him grow! He is everything that Chris said he would be. I’m not a patient person but the waiting was well worth it.

(I will post pictures as soon as I figure out how)

Thank you @HermanniChris

I pre-purchased two baby Indian Star hatchlings from Chris and have never had a better experience with buying torts! He was quick to reply to even my dumbest questions! He sent a picture of my two and kept me posted on their progress. When they arrived, they were is perfect health....very active and immediately explored their new environment! They eat well and drink and even soak a little on their own. I couldn't ask for a better breeder/teacher to buy from. He still answers my emails promptly which I find rewarding! As far as healthy torts, these two are very healthy and active. Since Chris cares for so many different species, I highly recommend any one thinking about buying any type of tortoise, check with him first! You will not be disappointed!

After doing a ton of research on the species of tortoise that would be the best fit for our family, there was only one clear choice where I would go to purchase our Western Hermann's tortoises: Chris Leone at Garden State Tortoise & Hermanni Haven. The amount of information he has published on the web through his website and videos on youtube has been invaluable to us as new tortoise keepers. After reviewing all the available information, I feel well informed and prepared to take the very best care of these two little hatchling tortoises. We ended up making an entire outdoor enclosure and garden for them, full of edibles and hideouts and a cold box just like the ones Chris has at Garden State Tortoise. By the time the hatchlings are ready to use it, it should be green and lush and a perfect outdoor habitat for them. Barnaby and Portillo arrived right on time, beautifully packaged, alert and healthy and took to exploring their new indoor enclosure right away. Within just a couple hours, I spotted one of them in the food dish munching on the chopped mulberry, hibiscus, rose, and moistened Mazuri salad we made for them. I can not thank Chris enough for helping to bring so much joy and love to our household. Without a doubt, the best possible experience from start to finish and we love our new babies so much! Thank you, Chris!!

Just received my Southern Ibera Greek baby and he looks great! Chris was great to work with and answered all of my questions promptly and courteously. I’d Recommend Chris/Garden State Tortoises to anyone!

I just purchased a hatchling Ibera Greek Tortoise from Garden State Tortoise. Chris was awesome and answered all my questions really fast. The little guy arrived on time and was super healthy. I am very happy with my new tortoise and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy from Chris again. I highly recommend him. It is also awesome to know that he will continue to answer any questions I may have in the future.

I decided to contact Chris based on his reputation and expertise in tortoises especially in the genus Testudo. He seems to care about the well being of his tortoises and doesn't treat his tortoises like products. This means that his tortoises are very healthy as he raised them with the best care. This is the main reason why I choose to contact Chris. Before purchasing my tortoises, I emailed Chris to asked about the tortoises and even ask him how to set up my enclosure. He was very helpful and answered every questions that I had. Chris was very quick at replying every emails I sent him. I decided to purchase Western Hermann's trio from him and he was able to hold them for a couple of week before my enclosure is ready. The tortoises arrived in the morning the next day after shipping. They seem very healthy, having clear eyes, hard carapace, and healthy-looking stool. After I gave them a bath and introduced them to the enclosure, they were very active and roamed around the enclosure. I have a little ramp set up so they can go onto the roof of their humid hide (The roof has wall to prevent them from falling). I spent almost 2 hours watching them going up and down the ramp. I would definitely recommend Garden State Tortoises to any of my friends that is interested in purchasing a tortoise.

We purchased a baby Ibera Greek from Chris and couldn't be happier. I sent an introductory email looking for guidance on the best tortoise for a first time owner and to inquire about his wait list. He responded almost immediately with helpful information, plus the happy news that what he had available matched our needs. All in one afternoon I had initiated contact and paid for little Biscuit, the now undeniable star of our reptile family. The Hermanni Haven website is a TROVE of information and provided all the information needed to make a suitable home for our tortoise. Biscuit arrived in the mail well packaged, healthy and surprisingly active. Chris knows his stuff and it shows.

I already have my heart set on an Egyptian tortoise down the road and will definitely be in touch with Chris when the time comes.

Mirroring the many other reviews here, please consider this a 5* review for Chris at Garden State Tortoise.
Our 6-week old Dalmatian tortoise arrived very well packaged and after a bath and introduction to his new environment he has been eating great and investigating his new enclosure regularly. I strongly believe in insuring you source your animals (whether tortoises, hamsters, dogs or cats) from reputable owners who are knowledgable about breeding, nutrition and - especially with reptiles - husbandry. Lets support sensible keeping! Chris has been a fantastic resource and I feel so happy with my decision to buy from Garden State.

My baby Indian Star arrived today from Garden State Tortoise. He arrived safe and was nice and warm with the warm pack Chris packed with him/her. I put him in his enclosure, let him chill for awhile, soaked him and fed him. He was very active checking out his new home. This is the third hatchling I have bought from Chris. I purchased a Russian, Dalmatian and now the star. My Russian is now just over 2 yrs old and the Dalmatian is 16 months. Both have been very healthy and I am expecting the Star will be the same. Chris has been great to work with all 3 purchases, knowledgeable and willing to answer any of my questions. If I purchase anymore, I will certainly contact Chris. I never planned to have more than one, but it happens.

Hey there,

I'm a new tortoise parent, and after lots of research I contacted Chris to see about getting a baby Hermann's! Chris was excellent in demeanor, quick to respond, and answered all my questions, even if they were a bit silly. After chatting with him off and on for several weeks I chose a Western Hermann's, she's of the Tuscany locale. I sent payment on a Friday, we scheduled for Wednesday delivery. So after the longest half-week ever, and one extra day (she arrived Thursday - this was due to Fedex delay, as it was Halloween (my fault)), I left work to pick her up in local Fedex office, took her home, soaked, and then placed in enclosure with food.

When I took her out it was obvious she was a bit tousled (as if Fedex may have shook her up a bit, extra day and all) but since knowing her more, she may have just burrowed in like that anyways. From the first soak she pooed right away, has always taken food on-sight, and while she was a bit nervous around me in the beginning, she now lets me pet her neck and shell without showing signs of fear. We've been together for one month now!

I don't actually know her sex, but named her Apis, so it'll be fine either way - all the babies look like girls anyways, so why not? Maybe in 5~ years I'll know more!

Chris has been great throughout, from the Fedex delay, to any questions I've had since, to giving me feedback when I try to describe all I'm doing, typos included. He's been wonderful, reassuring, and insightful, even foreboding when need be. I'm absolutely confident I made the right choice when finding a breeder to deal with, and he really sets the standard high in the event I ever interact with another animal breeder, tortoise or not. I've linked up with Chris across social media, and it's been really wonderful to see the vastness of his passion for reptiles and animal conservation as a whole. Chris is quite inspiring.

This summarizes the process of actually deliberating and then receiving my hatchling, she is now 3 months old, and full of 'tortuous'ality, it's an absolute joy to get to know her, and will be a life-long lesson to care for her.

I hope to continue and be more in-depth with her growth and development as time goes on, please see some of my other posts for more info on her, pictures, videos, my enclosure, etc!

To be continued...

I just purchased a Baby Dalmatian Hermann's tortoise from Chris. He answered all of the questions I had asked (there were a lot) and always responded to me very quickly. My tortoise arrived and was packaged very nicely and it is very healthy. I would 100% recommend buying your tortoises from Chris.

I recently purchased a 1.2 trio of Ibera Greek (Ankara, Turkey) tortoises from Chris Leone at Garden State Tortoise and couldn’t be happier with the whole transaction. Based on a recommendation from Kenan Harkin, I reached out to Chris to find a Testudo to cohabitate with my Rhinoceros iguana. Chris helped me find the best locale to cohabitate with my rhino and answered every single question I could throw at him – in a matter of minutes – even the dumb questions. The tortoises arrived happy and healthy and I look forward to doing business with Chris in the future.