Your tortoise choice?

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Vishnu2

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I have been reading these threads for awhile before joining (creepy I know) and I have noticed that people are VERY passionate about their choice of tortoise. My question:

Why did you choose your type of tortoise? Why a red foot if that's your love? Why a Star? Why a Russian?

Was it their face? Does their personality match yours or something?

I am not writing a term paper or anything, I am just really curious.

Thanks for reading and posting your answer.
 

tinkerbell1189

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I love my Russian because he has a great personality, is very socialable and loves to be smoothed on his head. He is a good first tortoise for me as they seem quite hardy creatures. I also don't have the space for a large tortoise so he is the perfect size for me. Plus I think he is so handsome, I love the light green colour on his carapiece :)

Hehe not that I'm biased or anything :p
 

eternalnewb

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I've only had my baby Russian for about a month and a half but I already know that I chose the right species. I went with
a Russian because of their smaller size and I read that they are good for beginners. I picked my baby from a picture based on his really light colored shell. I think that Russians have the sweetest faces and are so full of personality, I can definitely see myself getting another one in a year or so.
 

expo tort

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I chose my tort for a few reasons. Mainly price because he was only $110 dollars. Next was availability, my tort is a hermanns which is a very commonly bred species and he was easy to find. This reason is stupid to some people but I think it is a perfectly good reason. HE WAS SO FREAKIN CUTE AND LITTLE. Also he is a very good beginner tortoise and requires little specialized care.
 

yoda3106

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I didn't choose my Greeks, I just fell in love with them when I 1st saw them and they looked back up at me with there little faces :) prices wasn't a matter for me, I just had to have them, they were mine from that second I set eyes on them!! :D well, Henry anyways lol had Hetty and Fred given to me cause there previous owners knew they'd be looked after better and have an amazing life :) I don't love one more than any of the others, I may have a little more of a connection with Henry thou, my little male only because he was my 1st :) but I can't emphasise how much I love them all equally :) my life long friends!! Have an amazing wife and soul mate, my best friend and loyal companion, Bailey (dog) and my life long friends, Henry, Hetty and Fred :) (maybe more one day) :p

Ps, sorry to get all soppy haha but you did ask!! Lol
 

JoesMum

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I married mine! Or, more accurately, I married his owner.

Joe was my husband's 7th birthday present and he came as part of the package when we started dating around 30 years ago!
 

GBtortoises

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I have kept just about every species available over the past 27+ years including some that are no longer available in captivity. I primarily keep Northern Mediterranean Testudo species (Hermann's, Greeks & Marginateds) as well as Russian tortoises because A-I like them, B-I like them because they are best suited to keep in my climate and environment outdoors and C-Because they do extremely well here and readily reproduce. I have in the past kept sub-tropical, tropical and arid climate species with varying degrees of sucess. But because of my climate they cannot be kept outdoors here except for a couple of months in the summer and require a lot more equipment (cost) and work to keep indoors.
 

clare n

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I didn't choose my tortoise at all, it was a case of my mother in law needed him re homed. I was interested in them long before that... But circumstance at the time was not the best for any bigger species.

Phillip is a russian, so I was lucky there as they are a good beginner tortoise. It certainly wasn't a case of similar personality, if anyone else has read my "if they were human" thread you will understand why! But I fell in love with him, his face, his entire being in a very short time. And in that very short time, I became a tortoise obsessive :) now three years in I'm a tort forum addict haha, and very much ready (bar a few bits) to embark on the world of sulcatas :)
Tortoises in general fascinate me, and the longer you have one the more personality comes through. It's a world I'm thoroughly enjoying being part of, by complete fluke really :D

Ps, YODA, did u name yours after the vacuum cleaners? Lol, or is that pure coincidence? :D
 

Terry Allan Hall

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My 1st tortoise, about 38 years ago, was my Grandfather's pet, a Hermann's (probably an Eastern, although after all these years I'm not positive), who, as a child I loved to go out and feed, and, upon my Grandfather's passing, became my responsibility.

She lived another 19 years, so, all told, about 50 years as a family pet.

After her passing, I had several other species, but finally, a few years ago, I got another Eastern Hermann's...then another...then two more.

I like their friendly and bold personalities, the fact that they live well around here, and the fact that they're just the perfect tortoise for me. :cool:

Also like Iberians a lot, and will get some more of those, eventually, and possibly some Marginateds, too.
 

StudentoftheReptile

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When I first decided I wanted a tortoise, I originally was looking for a redfoot. However, a juvenile sulcata was up for adoption at our local herp rescue, so I decided to give him a shot. That is my Kobe.

Later, I adopted a baby redfoot from a fellow member here who lived close by. That's Toby. And recently, I adopted another redfoot from another member as well: Moby.
----
I do like the redfoots for their unique coloration. In my experience (which albeit has been very short), they seem to be more social and tolerant of human interaction. The sulcata is hardy, and resilient, but so far, not too keen on spending time with his caretaker. He prefers to sit in his hide and watch as I fill his food plate every morning before coming out to explore and eat.

But I love them all.
 

yoda3106

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clare n said:
I didn't choose my tortoise at all, it was a case of my mother in law needed him re homed. I was interested in them long before that... But circumstance at the time was not the best for any bigger species.

Phillip is a russian, so I was lucky there as they are a good beginner tortoise. It certainly wasn't a case of similar personality, if anyone else has read my "if they were human" thread you will understand why! But I fell in love with him, his face, his entire being in a very short time. And in that very short time, I became a tortoise obsessive :) now three years in I'm a tort forum addict haha, and very much ready (bar a few bits) to embark on the world of sulcatas :)
Tortoises in general fascinate me, and the longer you have one the more personality comes through. It's a world I'm thoroughly enjoying being part of, by complete fluke really :D

Ps, YODA, did u name yours after the vacuum cleaners? Lol, or is that pure coincidence? :D



Haha I named Hetty after the pink vacuum but I've really never noticed that Henry's named after it to hahaha that made me laugh, cheers for bringing it to my attention lol :) damn it, I knew I should have called Fred dyson :p lol
 

Terry Allan Hall

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yoda3106 said:
Haha I named Hetty after the pink vacuum but I've really never noticed that Henry's named after it to hahaha that made me laugh, cheers for bringing it to my attention lol :) damn it, I knew I should have called Fred dyson :p lol

"Electrolux" has a nice ring to it...as does "Kirby". :p
 

clare n

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I think Fred is the larger green one of the set too?! I may be mistaken haha. I'm going to check. All lovely tort names tho :)

And Kirby is a good one :)

No it's not Fred, apologies it's George lol
 

Vishnu2

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I have 2 Russians. They kinda fell into my lap. I adore them. I rescued one off of CL. I went to the ladies house and she has abused the poor little girl. She was skinny, had worms, and wasn't given the proper diet. She was actually dying. I held her to my chest (where it was warm). We fell asleep together. I woke the next morning and her head was up and she wanted to eat. She was my first love.

My second love was also a rescue. From Petco. He was freezing, eating frozen veggies and living on pure sand. He was being picked on by bigger males and it was Reptile Weekend. I got him half price. He was was filled with worms. I took him to the vet. They dewormed him and his diet and substrate has been completely changed of course.

My dilemma now, is I want a Star Tortoise. I have done so much homework on them. Research if you will. How do you know if you're ready for a certain kind of tortoise? I am a little nervous I have to be honest. But, I think I am ready, but how do you know for sure?
 

clare n

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If you have the knowledge, the time and the space (considering you already have two Russians that sound like they are much better off) then go for it. I'm the same at the moment. I'm waiting though until I get time to completely secure my garden and put an extra fence up on the neighbours side.
You will have the support from the knowledgable people here and by the sounds of it you are willing an able to take your torts to an accessible reptile vet if the need occurs.
 

yoda3106

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clare n said:
I think Fred is the larger green one of the set too?! I may be mistaken haha. I'm going to check. All lovely tort names tho :)

And Kirby is a good one :)

No it's not Fred, apologies it's George lol




Haha thought you were clever :) lol thank you!!

Terry Allan Hall said:
"Electrolux" has a nice ring to it...as does "Kirby". :p

Haha never heard of Kirby thou :/
 

ALDABRAMAN

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Vishnu2 said:
ALDABRAMAN said:
They chose me!

What kinds do you have? What if a Sulcata chose you but you lived in an apartment? "I would move!"

ALDABRA " :p "

2le1oh1.jpg


:) Actually, We have had many species of tortoises. Right now we are working with our aldabra breeding program and our radiated torotises.
 

KimandKarasi

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Vishnu2 said:
What kinds do you have? What if a Sulcata chose you but you lived in an apartment? ;)

I had that problem in a way, lol! I saved a sulcata from a saddening environment at a pet store that didn't give a ratsass about what they sold so long as they made profit. I saw her sleeping there in a tank with NO substrate, her little arms and legs hanging out from the light being too close were it was too hot and there was no hide for them in there.. I had to have her at that moment! Lol, now I have taken over my parents backyard and am in the process of making her a fantastically large environment for her! Lol! (they weren't using the space ;) haha!) Also last week I got a one month old leopard tortoise! Everything about that little guy I'm in love with. The way he eats, sleeps, walks, even poops! Haha! (my chinchilla had bigger turds than that! I couldn't help but "aww!" when he made his first bowel movement :D crazy, I know! XD) He definitely chose me, in an odd way, as if it was meant to be. I had come across someone selling leopards on this site, and after some frustrations with technical difficulties she sent him my way! Only when I saw the picture it wasn't the one I had picked out! Lol! But really it had to have been fate, because this little guy has brought nothing but joy the entire time. I'm freaking out like a new mommy over him, and have transformed my room into a tortoise paradise science experiment just to make sure he has everything he could ever need. :) when you really love your tort, you don't mind the sacrifices you have to make, and actually dont see them as sacrifices at all! ;) I have been bitten by the tort-bug! Lol! They are like family to me!
 
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