tortoise licenses

[miles1321]

I bought a tortoise off a friend who wasn't looking after him/her properly about 6 months ago i since found out i need a license for him/her... i contacted my friend and she said she never had one, he/she is a med spur thigh about 3 years old how can i get a license?

[Paulg1]

To own one you don't need a license.

[anna m]

I'm still waiting for my license. You could ask DEFRA for more details as I'm not an expert on this. I'm pretty sure Spur Thighed Tortoises need a license

[sandy]

When someone buys a testudo graeca (spur thigh) they should come with Artical 10 certificate. If you are given a testudo graeca then you dont need the certificate. If you want to breed from the tortoises you do need an artical ten certificate. Or if you want to sell the tortoise at anytime you need the artical ten cert.
Your friend sold you the tortoise illegally, (although he probabley didnt know it).
To get a cert now, you will need to know where your friend got the tortoise originally, and any history you can get. Phone DEFRA and they can help you out.

[grasstrees]

I got into some bother recently when tried to get the name on the certificate changed.

I bought a spur thighed but the owner had the name of the previous owner (Marcus Langford) on the cert and not his own details. Also the microchp on the cert was sellotaped on the cert and not inserted in the tortoise.

DEFRA sent me a stern letter and said that they would not act this time but if it should happen again.... They said that both the purchaser and the vendor were breaking the law!