Thinking about getting a tortoise!

[pinkdolly]

Have always wanted one since I was a little girl. Dh says we can go and have a look at the weekend.

Just wandered if anyone has got one and how easy are they to look after. Thanx

I thought they were illegal now (to import as pets I mean, not illegal to exist )

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They are very expensive because of the import ban. I would love on myself - but £200 is a bit much.

hi,

there is a pet shop where i live that sell captive bred tortoises (i have been told for just over £100) and then it's about another £100 for equipment (obviously have to check this out myself). Which does sound like a lot of money. But if you consider how much money you can spend on a pedigree dog and then how much longer a tortoise lives, it doesn't sound so bad.

Obviously i am going to research properly about caring for a tortoise. this is just my first stop.
thanx for your replies.

There's a tortoise rehoming centre somewhere ... might be able to find it online?

they live for years. A work colleague (late 50's) has one he has had since a little boy.
Thats a lorra lorra lettuce!

We had tortoises when we were children. They don't need a lot of looking after from day to day - just a grassy area to run around (we had a run made of chicken wire so they didn't escape, and moved it in the garden every week so the lawn didn't get worn out. Plus water and food (lettuce, cucmber, tomato, dandelion leaves etc.)

But do remember they need to hibernate during the winter, so are not an "all yar round" pet. We used to put ours in a box with straw and newspaper in the garage for the winter, and take them out when they started to move in the spring, being careful to give their eyes a wash, to stop them from being stuck together.

We did enjoy them though, and eventually when we moved somewheresmaller, gave them to a neighbour who already had a tortoise.

Do they bite??

Well you can't have me!

I have always wanted one too.I love tortoises.

They sometimes give you a little nip if you are not careful. They don't have teeth, but have very sharp gums.

You can get indoor tortoises too...and captive born ones stay very tiny for a long time so can easliy be kept indoors-don't think they can be hibernated until they are much older anyway.

I'd love a tortoise too - I think they're fantastic creatures!

I remember seeing a renegade tortois on one of these pet programns. It use to go round attacking everyone, it was very territorial. I think they are lovely, but would be wary as it is such a long comittment. What on earth do you do with a tortois if you go on holiday!

I remember (in the late 1970s!) Blue Peter bringing their tortoises out of the hibernation box every spring, and wiping their eyes with damp cotton wool etc.

(The eyes of the tortoises, not the eyes of the presenters!)

Let us know how you get on pinkdolly, as they sound like great pets.