Greek tortoises in NC area?

[Chryste]

My boyfriend and I have been discussing the prospect of getting a pet and we've both agreed that a tortoise would be awesome. I'm partial to the Greek tortoises myself and would love to purchase a hatchling. That being said, I'm having a difficult time locating any local breeders/sellers. I've looked online and corresponded with a few sellers that'll ship one to me, but to be honest the shipping costs/online prices are a tad out of my price range... and there's something about being able to see one in person before purchasing that I like. (It'd be good to know that the tortoise is healthy and well cared for before committing, too.)

So, anybody know of any local tortoise breeders in the NC/Virginia area? We live in Greensboro, but we're open to traveling (in fact, we love an excuse to travel!) and wouldn't mind driving quite a ways to pick one up.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

Welcome to the forum Chryste! Just make sure you do all your research before getting the tort and remember this animal will live as long as you or even more. Also in the tortoise world there is so much misinformation on tortoise care floating around and information changing. You can trust the tortoise forums, i am kinda a new member but there are some EXTREMELY educated on tortoise care here.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/greek-tortoise-testudo-graeca-care-sheet-overview.87146/

here is also a care sheet for greek tortoises

 

[Chryste]

Hey there, thanks for the reply! All good things to keep in mind. I appreciate the care sheet - I could definitely use the advice and I'm open to any suggestions. This seems like a great place - it certainly appears that there are tons of knowledgeable tort owners here, and it's nice to see a forum so active.

 

[tglazie]

North Carolina doesn't allow the sale of turtles and tortoises, given that the government in that state is, like the government in many states, incredibly incompetent and enforces senseless laws for the sake of enforcing them. HermanniChris and GBtortoises are two members on this forum who are excellent sources for Greek tortoise babies. You don't need to see them before you get them. These guys have years and years of experience, and they won't steer you wrong. Just wait. Others will post just as I have about this. Both of these guys live in the Northeast, Chris in Jersey, Gary in New York in the Catskills. Their prices are good and worth every penny. Also, what is too pricey? Because you can expect to pay 125-150 for a Greek, plus shipping or the cost of gas to get it into that anti-chelonian zone known as North Carolina. You must also consider the cost of housing, which can be considerable unless you are particularly handy with power tools or know someone who is. You must also consider what sort of access you have to an outdoor area and how to predator proof such an area. You must also consider the feasibility of growing your own tortoise food, given that supermarket produce is both overly expensive and inadequate. Most tortoise keepers are also gardeners. To feed my colony of marginateds, Greeks, and Hermanns, I use half of my backyard, apart from a home garden, a tool shed, and a compost pile, for growing dandelion, mulberry, hibiscus, geraniums, mallow, various thistles, flowering maple, and althea. All of the tortoise enclosures are planted, as is a big centrally located grazing field in the yard's center. I also grow optunia cacti in my front yard. I have six big patches. I also keep a greenhouse where I grow smaller hibiscus plants to replace the older ones when they're exhausted by the season's end. They're also an invaluable source of food during the winter, when I'm invariably forced to include some supermarket bought collard, mustard, turnip, and (if I'm lucky) dandelion greens.

Now, this may sound a bit overwhelming at first, but keep in mind that you don't need to start right away. Create the ideal habitat first. Plant your trees and shrubs, and research what sorts of seeds would be most suitable to transforming you outdoor enclosure into a tortoise garden of Eden. My advice would be to start in the spring, planting after the first frost. Once things are well underway, introduce your tort.

My first tortoise, Graecus, is a black middle eastern Greek tortoise, and I've had him for over twenty years. He is incredibly feisty and energetic, the most entertaining tortoise I've ever seen. It may sound like a lot of work, but trust me, it's totally worth it. And what I'm doing is the work required for a large number of animals. You will just be looking after the one, at least at first you will. Once you get all the beginning stuff out of the way, keeping tortoises is easy. You just have to stick to a schedule and get to know your tortoise.

T.G.