Hi Everyone

Looking to get another 1 or 2 tortoises and was wanting to know if anyone can recommend a local breeder?

Any help welcome!!

The chap at Northern Garden Centre at Oldcotes (between Dinnington and Doncaster) is a breeder and also breeds parrots and other birds. White Post Farm near Ollerton also sell baby tortoises. Have you got plenty of younger relatives on standby to look after them when you have bitten the dust?:hihi: I have always wanted one, but the price tag and the fact that I wont be around for 100 years stops me.:o

Hi Everyone

Looking to get another 1 or 2 tortoises and was wanting to know if anyone can recommend a local breeder?

Any help welcome!!Snakes&adders is the best place to go in Sheffield and probably the cheapest too:thumbsup:

Yeah! got 3 kids so should be ok - Have already got a 41 year old spur thighed so kind of already took the plunge. A couple more will make my will fair - 1 each! ha ha

ahhh good thinking!:hihi:

Snakes&adders is the best place to go in Sheffield and probably the cheapest too:thumbsup:


Out of interest how much is a Tortoise?

I think they are usually between £100 - £150

Out of interest how much is a Tortoise?

depends on specie

usually £100 - £150 like Gemima said

I got a couple of baby Horsfields from a breeder in Sheffield last month. If you want details, pm me :thumbsup:

Did they just have horsfields? I think I would like some hermans?

Just as an important point for anyone that does not know - if you are getting a Hermanns tortoise you need to have a licence? (think that is what it is classed as) - its just a piece of paper that the person who you buy it from should give you stating where and when it was born etc. There are other breeds that require one as well but the Horsefield is not one of them. :thumbsup:

The chap at Northern Garden Centre at Oldcotes (between Dinnington and Doncaster) is a breeder and also breeds parrots and other birds. White Post Farm near Ollerton also sell baby tortoises. Have you got plenty of younger relatives on standby to look after them when you have bitten the dust?:hihi: I have always wanted one, but the price tag and the fact that I wont be around for 100 years stops me.:o

Gemima - what about you little son? R - get him a tortoise - u know you want to :hihi:

Just as an important point for anyone that does not know - if you are getting a Hermanns tortoise you need to have a licence? (think that is what it is classed as) - its just a piece of paper that the person who you buy it from should give you stating where and when it was born etc. There are other breeds that require one as well but the Horsefield is not one of them. :thumbsup:

its not as simple as that, you mean the paperwork for DEFRA, im sure chaz will come on and explain..
im 99% certain, if your given one, ie not sold no paperwork is needed, but is if you breed or sell the type that does need paperwork.

I know after seeing lots of posts on a reptile forum, not all the ones bought that need paperwork are actually given, so check that the type you want that if it does need paperwork when you buy it, that you get it..always when it gets older get it chipped

Believe it or not, tortoises are an endangered species and so when you buy one, you have to have the registration papers from DEFRA. The chip is to show ownership and also incase one day there is a possibility of extinction of one kind!

If you arent given the paperwork then I would deffo question it. They are so easy to keep and one of the most loving animals! My other half has had one for years, and I got one the other week!

Thinking of starting breeding them and selling them eventually!

Believe it or not, tortoises are an endangered species and so when you buy one, you have to have the registration papers from DEFRA. The chip is to show ownership and also incase one day there is a possibility of extinction of one kind!

If you arent given the paperwork then I would deffo question it. They are so easy to keep and one of the most loving animals! My other half has had one for years, and I got one the other week!

Thinking of starting breeding them and selling them eventually!torts are not easy to keep, far from it.

The chip is not for extinction, not at all.

Torts are not endangered

Been to Pets at home today and they are two for £250,

seemed a bit strange they didn't have any rabbits or guinea pigs, was glad realy I only end up feeling sorry for them.
But on the pen where they usually are it said Rabbits like to be in pairs so two for £45

Been to Pets at home today and they are two for £250,

seemed a bit strange they didn't have any rabbits or guinea pigs, was glad realy I only end up feeling sorry for them.
But on the pen where they usually are it said Rabbits like to be in pairs so two for £45

what type of tort? i know a little about torts, as i have never kept them, but i know enough to give basic advice (im often asked) but there are many types, and often vary in care.

i cant see it being good to be sold in pairs.

any other reps? will have to take a look and report, but i doubt i will be impressed....

the paperwork you refer to is called an article 10 issued by C.I.T.E.S. Any animal listed on appendix one of their charter must be accompanied by one of these licenses. Plus when the animal is of appropriate size must be microchipped.

Animals that predate the ban do not need paper work and animals can be kept without paperwork as long as you make cites aware, they will issue a holding and non sale and non breeding paperwork for the animal.

the paperwork you refer to is called an article 10 issued by C.I.T.E.S. Any animal listed on appendix one of their charter must be accompanied by one of these licenses. Plus when the animal is of appropriate size must be microchipped.

Animals that predate the ban do not need paper work and animals can be kept without paperwork as long as you make cites aware, they will issue a holding and non sale and non breeding paperwork for the animal.

glad you said that, i sort of knew it, but not from a traders point of view to put it

but do you agree with me or not, that Torts are easy to keep...i wouldnt say so (i remember that time i was in your shop over week, and that woman came for a bulb...as she was clueless, but that was advice from where she got it from)

I would say, anything is easy to keep, if its kept right so to speak, but i wouldnt say its easy easy...from a newbies point of view

Its the same with turtles, i hear nothing but crap from mass pet stores, no uv, no basking light, wrong diet...stay small...etc etc

glad you said that, i sort of knew it, but not from a traders point of view to put it

but do you agree with me or not, that Torts are easy to keep...i wouldnt say so (i remember that time i was in your shop over week, and that woman came for a bulb...as she was clueless, but that was advice from where she got it from)

I would say, anything is easy to keep, if its kept right so to speak, but i wouldnt say its easy easy...from a newbies point of view

Its the same with turtles, i hear nothing but crap from mass pet stores, no uv, no basking light, wrong diet...stay small...etc etc


I'm a newbie tortoise owner and they are relatively easy to keep as long as you have done your homework first. I must admit that when I first thought about having a tort (ended up with two!) I had no idea what it entailed. The only tortoises I had seen as pets were when I was a kid and it seemed as if they were just treated like cats then. How any of them survived I'll never know! (If they did!)

I'm really glad that I waited almost a year before I got mine as I was thoroughly prepared by then. I have a couple of last years' hatchlings and they need feeding and bathing daily with a bit of cleaning out. They are certainly easier to keep than my cats :@)

When the weather is a bit warmer they will be going outside in their new enclosure, and then it will be even easier as they can pick their own (tortoise friendly) food.

I'm a newbie tortoise owner and they are relatively easy to keep as long as you have done your homework first. I must admit that when I first thought about having a tort (ended up with two!) I had no idea what it entailed. The only tortoises I had seen as pets were when I was a kid and it seemed as if they were just treated like cats then. How any of them survived I'll never know! (If they did!)

I'm really glad that I waited almost a year before I got mine as I was thoroughly prepared by then. I have a couple of last years' hatchlings and they need feeding and bathing daily with a bit of cleaning out. They are certainly easier to keep than my cats :@)

When the weather is a bit warmer they will be going outside in their new enclosure, and then it will be even easier as they can pick their own (tortoise friendly) food.

i have seen torts caught in a down pour in a garden, they ran for the mud! loved getting muddy and splashing around..

I know lots of them outside now (from peoples fotos on a rep forum) and lots of my Turtles came out today, most dived back in the water when i got close..

Torts and turts can go for many many years kept wrong without showing signs, i guess its how the have been kept for nearly a hundred years over here....

there ok, i wouldnt want any as pets (but like a lot of stuff i rescue) but i do respect them, and like them in certain ways...

Right well i suppose my standpoint regarding tortoises in captivity would be that they are not the easiest of animals to keep. What confuses the situation is their resilience and ability to put up with environmental hardship for quite some time before croaking it. I find it gives a false sense of security.

I think the key things to remember are the whole reason they are now a protected species was the insatiable pet trade for tortoises in this country 30-40 years ago. The fact that people just didnt clock that cold blooded reptiles hardwired to live in greece really dont know how to cope with a sheffield back garden. The vast majority would last between 5-10 years with only a few exceptions making it to 20-30-40 years. We regularly get people through the door proud as punch their tortoise lived for 25 years, when it is worth remembering a tortoise should live for 80 or more years when maintained correctly. The point being if there was such a thing as a garden tortoise they would be native. (As a side note i have no issue with sliders or snapping turtles being outside as they naturally occur in temperate climes where they would be subjected to far more hard core winters than we have here).

Most if not all tortoises available for sale in the shops in sheffield are youngsters, the vast majority being under two years old. This type of animal has totally different parameters of care to an established 40 year old adult. The major considerations are immume system response coupled with effective diet and vitamin D3 synthesis. As a young animal (same as in humans) tortoise immune systems can readily fail if not maintained at their optimum temperature (which is dependant upon specie), this can only be acheived by keeping the animal in a suitable tortoise table (or vivarium if you have a red or yellow foot tortoise). Within this enclosure we can also provide vitamin d3 which allows DNA markers for shell growth to stay normal (if vitamin D3 levels fall too low the shell may twist and kink resulting in an irreverible "quasimodo" effect). I can hear a counter argument coming saying "well no tube is as powerful as the sun" - and you would be right but immuno-response is also activated by temperature and synthesis of vitamin D3 into the body requires adequate body temperature to do so. The average sheffield back garden falls well below adequate (yes even this week!!!).

U.V tubes and compact bulbs de-nature so they must be replaced at regular intervals otherwise you may think you are providing D3 when the bulb stopped emitting it months ago.

Additional calcium powder, cuttle fish bone, and calcium multi-vits such also be provided to ensure this calicum we want to turn into bone by the magical powers of D3 are in plentyful supply (see http://www.uvguide.com)

Another major misconception that i already know to be contencious on this forum is the need to hibernate a tortoise annually to maintain live expectancy. Tortoises begin this process from 4 years of age in captivity (to ensure they have enough stores). Tortoise through out the year develop fat stores ready for the winter to see them through their hibernaculum. If a tortoise is not over-wintered then these fat stores have not been burnt off, meaning the fat continues to store around the liver, kidneys, heart etc etc leading eventually to a premature death from cancers, tumors, heart attack.

ill cover nutrition in the next post.

hope this helps chaz

The hibernators:

Testudo Hermanni - Hermann's Tortoise
Testudo Graeca - Greek Spur Thigh Tortoise
Testudo Horsefieldi - Horsefield's Tortoise

60-70% of diet such consist of:

Spring or Fresh greens (savoy or january king only when spring green not available)
Kurly Cale
Butternut squash

30-40% of diet should be a mix of the following:

Capsicum
Courgette
lollo rosso
lollo biondi
radicchio
bettroot
water cress
salad cress
wild rocket
basil
sage
nettle
dock
dandelion
rose
carrot
hot house
lambs lettuce
pak choi
tatsoi


The none hibernators:

Africa

Geochelone Pardalis - Leopard Tortoise
Geochelone Sulcata - African Spurred Tortoise

The difference in diet here is that need for wild grasses and this should make up 40% of diet - the best stuff to buy is Meadow hay mixes commonly seen for guinea pigs and rabbits. (Although replace it regularly as the calcium denatures quite quickly once opened.) So for these species i would make your veg as above for the euro tortoises but have a ball of meadow hay next to it, they will hide in it as well as eat it.

New World

Geochelone Carbonaria - Red Foot Tortoise
Geochelone Denticulata - Yellow Foot Tortoise

These two are the only tortoises that require protein in their diet, and even then should only account for 5%!!! - the others require <1% protein.

Worth considering is the pellet foods for tortoises that regularly exceed 12-15% in protein, this is not a good option for youe tortoise. They have been develeoped by Americans that have laws prohibiting the transportation and export of chelonians under 12cm. So they have developed foods to turbo up their growth rate while no consideration has been made to the animals overall nutrtional well being.

regards chaz

On another note tortoises are highly territiorial and as such should be maintained seperately until mature, the risks are that one will grown faster than the other regardless of sex and also that premature mating can cause problems, shell damage and lesions to feet and tails are common place with animals fighting for dominance of the tank.

chaz