Western Hermanns

Habranthus · 05-05-2011, 11:09 PM

I've read many times that Thh are very rare, indeed I know of only one commercial source in the UK in the last five years, nevertheless, it seems there are quite a few people out there who have them. I'm curious, how many people acquired their western Hermanns by accident (discovered what they had after they got their tortoise) and how many managed to source their tortoise from a shop or breeder.

TortBabe · 06-05-2011, 09:27 AM

I got my girl from Gumtree, she was just £80 the previous owner had her in a viv with 3 other Hermanns and claimed they were bullying her, she just wanted rid as she couldn't be bothered with the hassle. I'd always wanted a THH and was delighted when she was ID'd as one, as I'd gave up hope of ever acquiring one. She originally came from a reptile shop in Belfast, who have insisted to me there is no such thing as Dwarf Hermanns

Habranthus · 06-05-2011, 09:19 PM

Thanks tortbabe! I spent four years (maybe longer actually) looking and then finally gave in and got mine from a shop. That was about a year ago.

crowking · 07-05-2011, 06:47 AM

Actually there is a genuine western race breeder on the south coast,i purchased a lovely 2 year old female from him a few years ago.

NATURALIS · 07-05-2011, 07:28 AM

I looked for years but found a breeder in the end , most of mine are in there late teens now ,i breed them each year, but to date i've kept them all .

Beverley · 07-05-2011, 09:28 AM

I have 2 little cuties. They were brought over from Germany I think.
The owner then due to personal circumstances rehomed them to me

Habranthus · 07-05-2011, 11:57 AM

Seems like a mixture of known Western Hermanns breeders and rehoming tortoises that turn out to be hermanni. Makes you wonder how many people out there (not reading forums) have the rarer hermanni and have no clue what they have.

Habranthus · 07-05-2011, 03:00 PM

I guess with each female producing only a few eggs per year, it's not as if there are as many available each year compared the eastern Hermanns. I would imagine it's hard to let them go when you've watched them hatch and spent time rearing them, Chris.

Kirkie · 07-05-2011, 03:29 PM

My first two were "second hand". My small ones are UK captive bred. The THH on "that internet site what sells them" are farmed in Turkey. I assume that the ones that occasionally turn up in shops are also supplied by them as they are wholesalers. There are some German privately captive bred THH around.

Habranthus · 08-05-2011, 02:57 PM

I asked quite a lot of questions when I got mine - seems that they have been holding back female hermanni for some years to build up their own herd so that they no longer need to import from Turkey... Guess that explains why there are so many male hermanni around.

05-05-2011, 11:09 PM	#1
Habranthus Member Incubating Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 140	Western Hermanns I've read many times that Thh are very rare, indeed I know of only one commercial source in the UK in the last five years, nevertheless, it seems there are quite a few people out there who have them. I'm curious, how many people acquired their western Hermanns by accident (discovered what they had after they got their tortoise) and how many managed to source their tortoise from a shop or breeder.

06-05-2011, 09:27 AM	#2
TortBabe Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 6,919	I got my girl from Gumtree, she was just £80 the previous owner had her in a viv with 3 other Hermanns and claimed they were bullying her, she just wanted rid as she couldn't be bothered with the hassle. I'd always wanted a THH and was delighted when she was ID'd as one, as I'd gave up hope of ever acquiring one. She originally came from a reptile shop in Belfast, who have insisted to me there is no such thing as Dwarf Hermanns __________________ Busy Mum to ~ 2 Kids, 2 Yorkies, 1 Horsfield, 6 Hermanns, 2 Iberas, 6 Tunisians, 2 Indian Stars and 2 Pancakes

07-05-2011, 09:28 AM	#6
Beverley Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 3,493	I have 2 little cuties. They were brought over from Germany I think. The owner then due to personal circumstances rehomed them to me __________________

07-05-2011, 03:29 PM	#9
Kirkie Senior Member Adult Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 4,887	My first two were "second hand". My small ones are UK captive bred. The THH on "that internet site what sells them" are farmed in Turkey. I assume that the ones that occasionally turn up in shops are also supplied by them as they are wholesalers. There are some German privately captive bred THH around. Last edited by Kirkie; 07-05-2011 at 03:34 PM.

06-05-2011, 09:19 PM	#3
Habranthus Member Incubating Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 140	Thanks tortbabe! I spent four years (maybe longer actually) looking and then finally gave in and got mine from a shop. That was about a year ago.

07-05-2011, 06:47 AM	#4
crowking Junior Member Egg Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 45	Actually there is a genuine western race breeder on the south coast,i purchased a lovely 2 year old female from him a few years ago.

07-05-2011, 07:28 AM	#5
NATURALIS Senior Member Adult Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: cheshire Posts: 3,472	I looked for years but found a breeder in the end , most of mine are in there late teens now ,i breed them each year, but to date i've kept them all .

07-05-2011, 11:57 AM	#7
Habranthus Member Incubating Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 140	Seems like a mixture of known Western Hermanns breeders and rehoming tortoises that turn out to be hermanni. Makes you wonder how many people out there (not reading forums) have the rarer hermanni and have no clue what they have.

07-05-2011, 03:00 PM	#8
Habranthus Member Incubating Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 140	I guess with each female producing only a few eggs per year, it's not as if there are as many available each year compared the eastern Hermanns. I would imagine it's hard to let them go when you've watched them hatch and spent time rearing them, Chris.

08-05-2011, 02:57 PM	#10
Habranthus Member Incubating Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 140	I asked quite a lot of questions when I got mine - seems that they have been holding back female hermanni for some years to build up their own herd so that they no longer need to import from Turkey... Guess that explains why there are so many male hermanni around.

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