Pet Tortoises

Comments submitted from other visitors

Name :

Lucy

Comment:

hi this is really interesting, I think I will show it to my mum. I want a tortoise but she wont let me but she could be persuaded by this!

Name :

Daisy Elizabeth's mum

Comment:

Hi, I really enjoy your web site (the comment about the dog having to look out when the tortoise comes running for food made me laugh!). Please join my free tortoise appreciation group, http://tortoiseandturtlelove.ning.com/ Hope to see you there! :)

Name :

missytortoiseloverr x

Comment:

i loe tortoises theyre such amazing creatures. ive always wanted a tortoise. i would call it rover. theyre one of the easiest pets to look after and they are beautiful. the baby tortoises are really sweet. and even though people say theyre slow. they are actually quite speedy,

Name :

Tortoise.org.uk

Comment:

Thanks for all the nice comments about the site. Busy completely redesigning things to make it much more user friendly and to add a lot more tortoise information. So watch this space!

Name :

Tortoise.org.uk

Comment:

Hi Lucy, Thanks for your comments. Sorry it's taken a while to reply. Hope your mother was persuaded! Tortoises do require quite a lot of commitment as they lead such long lives. Care must be taken not to overfeed them. Most of ours are very greedy and would happily eat far too much if allowed. Hibernation can be tricky too. They need careful preparation, with gradually less and less food in readiness for autumn hibernation. They also need a slow, careful, 'start-up period in spring too. Tortoises don't like to be rushed! Having said that, they really are the most rewarding pets and can become life long friends. It is always fascinating to watch their behaviour. They are rather more clever than you might think too. Ours have learnt to come when they hear us calling them for feed time. If it's hot we almost get trampled in the stampede!! Hope your mother has been persuaded, and if so good luck with your new tortoise(s). Just remember to avoid pet shops and dealers who are illegally taking tortoises from the wild. They are often sick and of course none of us want to support this dreadful trade. If you stick to recommended UK breeders, suggested by the Tortoise Protection Group and you should be fine.

Name :

Tortoise.org.uk

Comment:

HI missytortoiseloverr Rover is a great tortoise name! Hope you get him one day!

Name :

Tortoise.org.uk

Comment:

Hi Daisy Elizabeth's mum Thanks for your kind comments. I'll be sure to check out and join your Tortoise Appreciation site when I get a minute. Yes it is quite hilarious to watch our 'dog-herding' tortoise in action. He just can't stand the dog in his territory. On hot days, at first sight of the dog, he's up on tippy-toes and off in hot pursuit of the poor unfortunate hound! She is terrified of him because she's been caught by the toe more than once. She knows being 'gummed' by a tortoise hurts! So now the poor dog takes one look behind her at the speeding reptile, squeals in horror, and shoots off to hide in the kitchen :-). Who said tortoise watching was dull!

Name :

Robert

Comment:

We live in Spain, and were given two baby tortoises earlier this year as the owners were going back to the UK.I think they are Mediterranean tortoises.They came with a vivarium and various other ornaments etc. They have now grown out of the excisting vivarium so we bought a bigger one, which they have settled into.They are such nice animals to watch! We also have a number of dogs and cats in our house hold which have had their rabies vaccinations, so could go back to the UK. We are now considering moving back to the UK and would like to bring the tortoises as well, but dont know where to start about getting the neccessary paper work.I think some kind of certificate is required. As we dont know any thing about their parents, and the previous owner is now somewhere in the UK, where do we get the paper work to bring them back?

Name :

kim

Comment:

do tortoise eggs grow once layed?

Name :

Tortoise.org.uk

Comment:

Hi Robert, Sorry for the delayed reply. Very interesting to hear of your tortoises. I'm glad they've settled in so well with you. Since the European import ban on wild-caught Mediterranean tortoises was introduced in 1984 it has been much more complicated to import tortoises into the UK. Mediterranean species are now on Appendix 2 of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). As a result they can no longer be imported, sold, offered for sale or traded in any way within Europe without a special permit. And rightly so! If things had carried on as they were I feel most of the Mediterranean species and many other tortoises would now be extinct. However, this protective legislation relates primarily to the restriction of commercial trade in tortoises, rather than individual captive bred pet tortoise imports like yours. For your one off import of your own pets the paperwork is not too onerous and should not present you with any major problems as long as you make sure everything is in place before you leave. As tortoises don't catch rabies you wont need to quarantine them. You will need a veterinary check by your vet before you travel. You need to get him to give you a letter confirming the tortoise's good health. Information on what is required can be found at Defra, UK - Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. http://www.defra.gov.uk/ You must travel with the tortoises and have the letter from your vet stating that the tortoises are fit and healthy to hand to show at customs. A customs form available here should also be completed: http://www.dts-worldwide.com/Forms/CustomsForms/UK/c5.pdf To import into the UK you may also need a special permit. Information on what is required can be obtained from: DEFRA Livestock Imports Area 409 1A Page Street LONDON SW1 4PQ Tel: 0207 904 6435 Another useful address for information is: Animal Health Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service (WLRS) Floor 1, Zone 17 Temple Quay House 2 The Square Bristol BS1 6EB. Phone: 0117 372 8774 Fax: 0117 372 8206 E-mail: wildlife.licensing@animalhealth.gsi.gov.uk Website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalhealth/cites If you follow these leads you should soon have all the paperwork you need. Another small point while I'm here. I think you would find your tortoises did even better if you found them a tortoise table, which is specially designed for tortoises, as this would give your pets conditions which more closely relate to their wild habitat. Many tortoises are now sold with glass vivariums, but these are not suited to the Mediterranean species and most other tortoises. The tortoises tend to get over heated and it's difficult for them to find sufficient shade, and private nooks and crannies in which to sleep, in a vivarium. A tortoise table will give them a well lit area as well as shady places if set up well, and if you provide them with a small rocky slope at one end they will be able to slope themselves at various angles to capture the warmth of the sun, which they love. Even better would be access, at least part of the time to a secure outdoor area where they could ramble around amongst rocks and natural vegetation. I realise this might not be possible, but the nearer you can provide to their natural environment the happier they will be. I wish you luck with importing them to Britain and hope they will be happy here, and adapt well to the cooler climate. Ours thrive here in the north of Scotland so I should think yours will do very well.

Name :

Tortoise.org.uk

Comment:

Hi Kim No, they don't grow once the mother tortoise has laid the eggs. Once they are hatched they harden quickly and form a shell very much like a hens egg, but rather thinner and more delicate. The young tortoises develop inside the eggs, gradually growing until they fill most of the space in the egg. I'm not sure if this information is relevant to your current situation but will just mention a couple of general pointers on tortoise hatching which might be of benefit to those who are new to tortoise breeding. Firstly if moving the eggs great care should be taken. Never rotate them, as even the slightest rotation can prevent hatching. Mark each egg before moving if they are being transferred to an incubator. Also another important point is never to remove hatching tortoises from the eggshell. They must be given time to absorb the yolk, which may take 2 -4 days. The hatchlings may appear with the yolk sac still attached to the plastron. This is all the food they need until it is fully absorbed. So it's essential for their development that they are not disturbed. Thanks for visiting Tortoise.org.uk and good luck with your tortoises.

Name :

Devi

Comment:

HIYA, I WAS JUST WONDERING ABOUT NAMES TO CALL MY NEW HERMANS TORTOISE. IT IS A GIRL! I ONLY JUST GOT HER. ALSO, SHE HASNT EATEN MUCH. SO FAR ALL SHE HAS EATEN IS A BIT OF MANGO IN 4-5 DAYS. PLEAS REPLY SOON.

Name :

karen

Comment:

hi have been bought a one year old tortoise do i keepit in a warm vivarium or not as am confused as some perople say yes and others no. what is best to feed it at a young age

Name :

shweta saxena

Comment:

i love to have tortoise at my home but my papa doen't allow me bt i want a tortoise at home they r really beautiful nd harm less creatures

Name :

helen

Comment:

i wannaaa tortoise!!!