Where can I get a tortoise and what shall I call it?

Answer 1

This is an international list so it always helps to give the general area you are from when asking "where can I ..."

After you have done your research & homework & know the type of care your particular type of tortoise you are intersted in, contact a breeder, They will have the best prices & probably the healthiest tortoises available.

http://www.chelonia.org
http://www.tortoisetrust.com

The name is all up to you!

Good luck!

Answer 2

The questions you should be asking are:

1. What species can you afford, obtain, and keep? This will take some reseach on your part, but a few minutes of research can save you years of headaches!

2. Research the care needs of the 2 or 3 most likely species and look into what it is going to take to set-up their habitat.

3. Be aware- tortoises are not really easy pets. Sure- if you live in the right places you can create a wonderful outdoor pen, but most of us live in places that are too cool and/or too dry for most species to be healthy and happy. Are you really ready for this?

4. Have you thought this through? A tortoise can easily live 40 years with good care- and why get one if you cannot give it good care? 40 years. If you are 16 right now, that means you'll have this pet until you are 56. You will graduate, go to college, get married, have kids, see your kids graduate college, and have grandkids- and you'll still need to be taking care of this tortoise every day. For most of us, a tortoise will outlive a marriage!



No that I have done my best to scare you, tortoises are wonderful animals and worth the time, effort and cost to do things right.

The best source for tortoises (and most pets) is a reliable breeder. Your local reptile club (or herpetological association) should know some you can contact. If there is not a good breeder nearby, the next best option is often a reptile expo. Again, the club should know when these will be by.

Names? I base my pet's names on things like:
- parks or features from the place they are found ('Shiloh' after a park in Tennessee, 'Etosha' and 'Tsavo' from parks in Africa...)
- books I enjoyed ('Radagast', 'Tom Bombadil', 'Goldberry', 'Gimli', 'Blackberry' and 'Fiver' from Lord of the Rings and Watership Down)
- puns on their common or scientific names (Red-foot tortoise- Geochelonia carbonaria, which literally means 'earth turtle' and 'embers/burning charcoal'. Names like 'Kingsford', 'Gaia' (another name for the Earth), 'Amber' (ember), etc. come to mind.
- what do they call the species locally? Red-foots are from central South America, and 'Japuta' is one common term for turtles there

Answer 3

They like to hang out by rivers. There's one river here in Illinois called the Kankakee River where there are little islands in it. On these island are thousands and thousands of tortoises(all sizes) This includes the snapping turtles which can be dangerous. They are huge and can bite through an axe blade. Little ones are probably by the shore. Where there's water there's everything. Everthing needs water to live.

Answer 4

Lucy and Ethel **Edit** Audrey, Ava, Beatrice, Bessie, Blanche, Cicely, Cora, Cordelia, Harriet, Edith, Elsie, Emily, Emmeline, Esme, Eva, Evelyn, Evie, plant life, Florence, Greta, Gretchen, Harriet, Hattie, Irene, Iris, Ivy, Lena, Lilith, Lillian, Mabel, Maisie, Maggie, Margaret, Martha, Mary, Matilda, would, Millicent, Millie, Meredith, Myrtle, Nell, Nellie, Nora, Olive, Pearl, Rosaline, Rosalie, Rose, Winifred.

Answer 5

Go to the Tortoise Trust online, and you will be able to find out all kinds of stuff about tortoises. They may also be able to help you find a local captive bred source for hatchling tortoises.
Hope that helps
Miranda + ellie

Answer 6

Buy It From A Breeder But Beware There Are Expensive! Call It Gregory.

Answer 7

Call it zippy.

You need to get yourself a licence to own one and also need to ensure you get from a reputable shop. You cant buy them at pet stores anymore, and they sure are expensive - about 400 quid for a 2 year old. I looked into it last year, but the cost and licensing was enough to put me off - you cant bet your a*rse that someone will try and nick it - and you are at the wrong time of year right now anyway.

Answer 8

you can get tortoises from various breeders if you look in daltons weekly,i have a tortoise he is about 38 years old and is called elvis

Answer 9

It depends on the type of tortoise, and where you live, but your best bet is the web. Kingsnake.com has an excellent list of web sites you could purchase one from.

Answer 10

Because tortoises are an endangered species it is illegal to import them into the UK. I think you might be able to buy one from somebody who bought theirs a long time ago.