How do i go about owning a tortoise?

[gingerseanpoole]

Hi there i have been thinking about buying / adpopting a tortoise what would be my first steps for doing this?

[pagan queen]

Do lots of research, save lots of money whilst researching and when you feel confidant enough, you buy all the necessary equipment required, decide what sort of tortoise you want then find a breeder of that kind, buy your tortoise and enjoy it.

[kazzabb]

Originally Posted by gingerseanpoole

Hi there i have been thinking about buying / adpopting a tortoise what would be my first steps for doing this?

Hi gingersean
Huge thumbs up that you've asked the question now, rather than getting a tort first.
Decide how much space you have indoors and outdoors.
How long-term is the space: are you renting/a student/about to start a family?
How much time do you have for caring for a tort now.
What are your finances now; depending on species, you would need an indoor table, secure outdoor enclosure, heat and light all year round (if it's anon-hibernating species). Vets bills. Potential funds for the future?
Holidays - who would care for tort?
Some species don't hibernate, some species grow to the size of a fiat 500, species can't be mixed, some species need specific and high-ish levels of humidity maintained.
Torts, if properly provided for, should outlive us, so they are a long-term commitment, they are also fascinating creatures (though my hubby would dispute that) and some have very obvious personality traits.
Good luck with your quest, and stay with us, some of the members on here have hundreds of years of experience - each!
Karen

[pagan queen]

Some good advice there Karen, just a few things I would disagree with. One, you don't have to have a tortoise table, you can keep your tortoise in a vivarium perfectly happily. Secondly, even hibernating species don't have to be hibernated, you can over winter them as I do with both my Ibera.

[kazzabb]

Hi Pagan Queen, yes I should have said tort table/viv, but then I'd have loads of people telling me it's bad to keep some species of torts in a viv. I overwinter a few of my Iberas too, but not all, not until I can buy shares in Florette or Pre-Alpin.
Karen

[Suze65]

There are plenty of good breeders on here of various species, up and down the country, so you could put up a post for a breeder of your chosen species. I would suggest if you've not had a tort before, go for a Mediterranean species, they are more hardy to our climate and therefor easier to keep. Hermans or horsfields are about the easiest to keep.

[tortydat]

Another option would be to join one of the tortoise groups such as British Chelonia Group as there are always lots of tortoises looking for new homes.
Mary

[Suze65]

Originally Posted by tortydat

Another option would be to join one of the tortoise groups such as British Chelonia Group as there are always lots of tortoises looking for new homes.
Mary

Sorry I should of mentioned rehoming, silly me!

[longbowassassin]

Research,Research,Research....Hello BTW...