Am looking to get my Nephew a pet Turtoise but have NO idea how much they cost. Can somebody please assist?

Answer 1

if you are in the uk then the tortoise shop is a good place to look they cost about 150 pounds, but a tortoise for a child is not really a good idea, they make great pets but you have to consider that they will live for a long time, they need plenty of room to move around in, gone are the days ehen you just put a tortoise in the garden, at the moment i have two tortoises in my house warming under a heat lamp as it is too cold outside, they need a correct diet or they will suffer in health, your best bet is to do your research on how to look after a tortoise and see if it is still a good desision to get your nephew one, a good site for reasearch is the tortoise trust, they have information on all tortoises and will willingly answer any question you have, a few pointers for if you do go ahead with this, a horsefeild is probably the best to get they are a hardy tortoise and don't grow too big, they also do not require any paperwork as they are not on the threatened list, also go to a good breeder with a good reputation, some tortoises may be cheap but you get what you pay for and there are breeders who don't care about their animals and will sell them cheaply only for the tortoise to die soon after getting it, also you will have to make sure that your nephews parents or you are prepared to pay for the vets bills if it gets sick,this will require a specilised reptile vet and these can be very expensive, even if they come out of hibernation and don't eat you can't just take it to a normal vet for a vitamin jab as thought before you need a specialist. yes i have pointed out some of the bad things this is only because i have seen the damage inexperienced pet owners have done to these wonderful creatures, please think very carefully about this desision a tortoise in britain is classed as an excotic pet and needs to be treated as such, the tortoises i have were left to me in a will and given to me by people who realised that they didn't know how to care for a tortoise properly and my herman has taken two years of love and care not to mention a huge vet bill to get her back to a healthy tortoise, unfortunatly another tortoise was not so lucky and this was given to me by a lady who had brought him for a pet for her children and had trusted them to look after him they had not given it the correct care, had fed him cat food and he had a very deformed shell and died. good luck with your decission hope this helped.

Answer 2

For some reason I think I stepped into the UK from all the other answers above. But coming from the other side of the world (Canada), some parts of the country its actually illegal to own a turtle. They range - here anyway - $15 and up. BUT heres the big BUT! Does his mother know you are planning to bring a reptile into her house? As cool of an uncle your nephew will think you are, in a month, your nephew may not be that interested in caring for Mr. Turle and his stinky water. So discuss with the parents before you decide to bring a pet into the house. You should also be knowledgable on whatever type of turtle you decide to get him, you will have to teach your nephew all about it, when to clean the water, what it eats, to ALWAYS wash his hands after touching it, how big will it grow? Turtle care has come a long way since I was a kid, you can no longer plop them in a bowl with a plastic tree and a rock. You will have to get a water filter, gravel, heating lamp, an approprate holding container, food, are you prepared to buy another holding container if and when the turtle outgrows it? There is a large start up cost, not to mention the thing will most likely die and then you will have to deal with a grieving kid who has to burry Mr. Turtle in the backyard - should it happen make sure no wild animals get to it and dig him up and spew turtle parts over the yard - so not cool.
So if you've thought about it, decided your nephew is mature enough to handle it, parents are cool with it and you can afford the start up costs, and the possibilty of death of the turtle you're all set!

Answer 3

I have a Russian tortoise and think that they make fabulous pets for a commited adult but may not for a child.
My kids help out with the care of my tort but he belongs to me until I feel that they can handle the 50-100+ year commitment.
If you want a cool, kid friendly reptile check into Leopard gecko's or maybe a Bearded dragon. Both tolerate handling well and are pretty easy to care for.
If you do decide to go with a tortoise, a Russian or a Redfoot is a good choice for a beginner. They will cost from $50-200.
Here are good websites to learn more about the needs of these torts....
http://www.russiantortoise.org/care_sheet.htm
http://www.redfoottortoise.com/generalcare.htm
I hope that this helps =)

Answer 4

Please take serious consideration before buying your nephew a tortoise. Tortoises live a very long time and can have costly habitat requirements that require a lot of space. I would recommend looking at this web page for the skinny on reptiles as pets.
http://www.corhs.org/
If you decide to take the plunge also consider adoption, there are lots of tortoises out there in need of good homes, and adoption is MUCH less expensive than what you will find in a pet store. Also, adoption supports local non-profits, not the pet trade industry. Check with you local humane society for suggestions about where to adopt a reptile.

Answer 5

First of all you have to buy your tortoise from a licensed breeder, as each tortoise has a birth mark on its belly and this doesn' t change from the time they are born. You will get the appropriate paper work about this, which will identify your tortoise should it go missing... To buy them they cost £100-£300 depending on the breed and size. They make great pets and are really quite easy to look after. We have 2 Hermans tortoise, and they are great. Their diet is reasonably simple. Just make sure you know what plants are poisonous to your tortoise...
Good luck.

Answer 6

It's not a good pet for a child because children tend to try to kiss them, and tortoises are notorious for having salmonella. It's also a long commitment, and they have very specific requirements as far as heat, lighting, bedding, etc

Answer 7

Turtoises are off, dear. Can I get you a nice plate of Sausage, egg and chips?

Answer 8

You could contact tortoise rescue groups. They intercept illegally imported tortoises and re home them. Animal sanctuaries may be able to help too.

I'm not sure how much you will need to shell out for a tortiose though.

Answer 9

A Tortoise alone is inexpensive averaging 50.00 - 100.00, but the cost of care for one is very expensive, heat lamps, tank with land and water, various foods, maintenance.. Also they carry many diseases and are unsanitary pets.


I would suggest looking into something more fitting of a child to take care of.

Answer 10

About £250 You should be able to purchase one from most good pet shops or they can order one for you, they are normally cheaper abroad, you might need a liscence to take it on a plane if you wish to purchase abroad, my friend experienced the difficulties.