Russian or Hermanns?!?!?

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Great article thanks! Reminds me of the other article about torts being very good at learning mazes. I am constantly astounded at both my torts' adaptability and memories! I agree they are not simple, (just different than domesticated pets, of course). That becomes clear when you see the variation in their personalities. My 3 larger torts are unafraid of me, and let me work in their enclosures w/o concern. When I am in the greenhouse, one of them will twine around my feet, so I have to be CAREFUL.

All vertebrates have true brains (as opposed to just cephalic ganglia, like insects), so they can learn complex behaviors. Reptiles like tortoises are no exception, since both in the wild and in captivity, they need to figure out where to go and what to eat. But of course, tortoises have brains that are much smaller than those of mammals like dogs, cats, and horses (both in absolute and relative terms), so they are never going to be as interactive as those more intelligent pets.

 

[gopherhockey03]

[/quote]

Great article thanks! Reminds me of the other article about torts being very good at learning mazes. I am constantly astounded at both my torts' adaptability and memories! I agree they are not simple, (just different than domesticated pets, of course). That becomes clear when you see the variation in their personalities. My 3 larger torts are unafraid of me, and let me work in their enclosures w/o concern. When I am in the greenhouse, one of them will twine around my feet, so I have to be CAREFUL.

Russians are hardy. I believe it is true that a percentage don't make it through hibernation in the wild, although of course they have no choice but to do it. Even they probably make mistakes guessing how deep the frost will go, etc.
Tanner, since you have Russians, you could expand your herd to 1:3 as one option. (And then you could get Hermann's too, lol. They sound wonderful).
In your climate, make sure in the summer enclosure that you have plenty of shady areas, so they can escape the really hot sun. Might work to incorporate a small tree on one end.


[/quote]

I would LOVE to have two more females! I have the room and the supplies but I can't find any! I post everywhere looking for them! but don't want to pay $200 for 1 female!!!! You guys know where to look for a couple females?!? But yes it's weird to hear that Hermanns are more friendly considering my Russians already chase my fingers and always come to see me when i'm cleaning their enclosure. They are almost to friendly!!!

 

[lynnedit]

The are hard to find, but keep checking craigslist and this site. Check Freecycle in your area too, I saw a female there in summer (I was not quick enough). Problem is a lot of people don't know what they have...
You have to LURK.
Good luck...

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

I would LOVE to have two more females! I have the room and the supplies but I can't find any! I post everywhere looking for them! but don't want to pay $200 for 1 female!!!! You guys know where to look for a couple females?!? But yes it's weird to hear that Hermanns are more friendly considering my Russians already chase my fingers and always come to see me when i'm cleaning their enclosure. They are almost to friendly!!!

Starting about early April, start checking these good folk's site...I've done business w/ them in the past and plan to again, this spring... it's always been easy-breezy w/ very healthy specimens @ excellent prices and reasonable S/H charges.

http://www.undergroundreptiles.com/

 

[gopherhockey03]

Nice! I have heard of them they seemed kinda sketchy they have Pancake Tortoises for $99 which is crazy cheap. What did you buy from them?

 

[jkingler]

I, too, am curious, as those budget-priced (even though WC) pancakes were unexpected. Would they be your top recommendation for someone looking to get a t.h. boettgeri? Thinking of getting one.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Nice! I have heard of them they seemed kinda sketchy they have Pancake Tortoises for $99 which is crazy cheap. What did you buy from them?

Ptolemy, Ophelia and Apollonia came from these folks.

I, too, was "cautious" about them, do to their prices, but I got a lot of positive feedback off folks who've done business w/ them in the past, and so I ordered another female Hermann's to go along w/ Jennifer...the day they were supposed to ship, I got a call from them that they'd just OK'd a fresh batch from quarantine, and would I like them to hand-pick me the nicest one, that it mnight add a day to the process...I told them that I supposed that that's be OK.

About an hour later, I got another call that a particularily choice female was on it's way to me, so there'd be no delay, after all, and that she'd eaten from his fingers enthusiastically, and to expect her about 10am the next day...and if I hadn't recieved her by 11am, to be sure and call, so he could check up on the delivery.

The following morning, Ophelia arrived about 10 after the hour, I offered her some collard greens, which she lit right into...about then, I called to let them know she'd arrived, and they asked if she wasn't a really beautiful example!

I like buying from enthusiastic folks.

A month or so later, I decided to order a couple more, a male and another female, thus rounding out my desired 1M/3F ratio...called and made my request, and the same fellow I'd spoken to before remembered me and told me that they were out of Hermann's but expected some in the next week, took my # and told me that if I hadn't heard from them in a week, to feel free to call back, that they might have a more exact idea of when more Hermann's tortoise would be in.

A few days later, I got a call, wanting to know if I was still looking, as someone had sold them a small group and there was still one female and a VERY "amorous" male not yet spoken for, that the female was a little smaller, so might not be breedable until a year after my other two, but was a very nice looker, and that her could send both for the same price as one larger female (like Ophelia). I told him, "Sure". They was Ptolemy and Apollonia.

All three came through quarantine beautifully, all three are still perfectly healthy, and I've since ordered a boa constrictor for a nephew, and a Savannah monitor for a friend's son, and plan on getting two more female Hermann's in the spring.

Like I said, good people to deal with. Wish I could remember the guy who I dealt with's name.

 

[Neltharion]

Nice! I have heard of them they seemed kinda sketchy they have Pancake Tortoises for $99 which is crazy cheap. What did you buy from them?

They were selling the pancakes at a higher price. Seems that they're sold out of females, so they went ahead and slashed the prices to try and unload the leftover males. They've done that with other species before.

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Like I said, good people to deal with. Wish I could remember the guy who I dealt with's name.

For mail order, you were most likely dealing with Ryan. He helped me the few times that I ordered green tree pythons from them.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Nice! I have heard of them they seemed kinda sketchy they have Pancake Tortoises for $99 which is crazy cheap. What did you buy from them?

They were selling the pancakes at a higher price. Seems that they're sold out of females, so they went ahead and slashed the prices to try and unload the leftover males. They've done that with other species before.

Yeah, this time of year (really, starting about November) a lot of folks sell off their "left-over" males very reasonably...a few years ago, one dealer offered me 20 male Hermann's for $30 per, shipping included, if I'd take the lot. Probably should've jumped on that, as I'm sure I could've moved them quickly for $75 per, what with Xmas right around the corner.

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Like I said, good people to deal with. Wish I could remember the guy who I dealt with's name.

For mail order, you were most likely dealing with Ryan. He helped me the few times that I ordered green tree pythons from them.

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I think you may be right...that name does sound correct!

 

[dmarcus]

I am definitely hoping to get a couple females Hermanns in the future and hopefully at a good price...

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

I, too, am curious, as those budget-priced (even though WC) pancakes were unexpected. Would they be your top recommendation for someone looking to get a t.h. boettgeri? Thinking of getting one.

Yes, they sold me 3 of my 4, as well as a few other herps...been 100% satisfied w/ each transaction.

Seems they start getting T.h.b.s (and many other tort species) in about late spring.

BTW, apologies for taking so long to answer your post...missed it last night!

 

[jkingler]

Thanks for responding. I'll try to keep my eyes peeled re: their t.h.b. listings, and it is good to know that they take your temperament preferences into account. Do you think that they would show me pictures of the torts they have stocked (e.g. their carapace, plastron, etc.) before I decided which one to purchase?

 

[Ashliewood]

Love my Russian!!! He is quite sociable and very hardy! He took a winter road trip with me in his tub to Montana(10 hr drive) and it didn't seem to affect him. He runs around my bathroom chasing my hand around, loves his neck rubbed! Such a sweet boy

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Thanks for responding. I'll try to keep my eyes peeled re: their t.h.b. listings, and it is good to know that they take your temperament preferences into account. Do you think that they would show me pictures of the torts they have stocked (e.g. their carapace, plastron, etc.) before I decided which one to purchase?

No idea, but it couldn't hurt to ask.

 

[mango x]

I personally vote Russian- I love my little mango and he loves to be stroked and cuddled( no friendliness issues there!!!!!!!) he also will gladly eat from my hand and LOVES baths, but next door have a hermanns tort and he is absolutely gorgeous too!