Got my dd a tortoise for Xmas!!! Am I mad ???

[Homepride1]

So my dd has been desperate and begging for a tortoise for a few years, she is coming up 10 sweet, sensible girl and loves animals (wants to be a vet) anyway a friend of my niece as a baby horsefield tortoise that I have agreed to have for my dd for a Xmas present!

Can anyone offer advice on how to look after, house this tortoise?

A neighbor has one that pretty much had the run of her garden but it's 60 odd years old, I'm guessing you can't do this with a baby?

Have you got a tortoise table sorted? And lighting, heating?

It's not crazy, but they are a lot of work. I have five tortoises, of different varieties.

Is the outside tortoise a horse field? They don't tend to live outside.

Two tips - insure it as soon as you get it, and never let it out of your sight. Tortoises get lost so easily.

You need to do your research about tortoises before you buy or are given one.
I don't think you are mad because we considered it during the summer, but after reading a thread on here and researching, found we couldn't be bothered with the commitment.

I Don't live in the UK but are they legal to keep as pets? it is illegal where I live as they are seriously endangered. Shame - as I'd love one.

Yes, they are legal in the UK, and they don't require licensing.

Have a look at tortoisetrust.org loads of information on how to care for them.

I have done a little research online and I believe they can live outside in spring/summer but guessing this won't be the case when there really small?

No haven't got a table yet need to look into everything I understand some people keep in glass tanks!

Guess I'm just nervous about the whole hibernate thing.... In case they didn't wake up

At 10 she is not old enough to totally care for the tortoise and you will need to help a lot. I would also recommend British Chelonia Group they have great care sheets.

We're looking after some tortoises for a friend at the moment. They are quite sweet but they don't do an awful lot and they live for a long time. That's something that would put me off- it's going to outlive you so what if your DD gets bored of it?

Love tortoises but i think you are mad. You don't seem to understand their requirements at all.

They are harder work than they first seem

You've just reminded me I need to figure out where mine is in the garden and put him to bed tomorrow

Don't know here you are but the Hampshire Tortoise society is a very good organisation

I don't think then hibernate for the first five years or it might be 10

If you are on facebook, the Billy's Tortoise Group is full of expertise and help

If you are on facebook, the Billy's Tortoise Group is full of expertise and help

I have a horsefield. Please do not keep her in a glass tank, they are not suitable at all.

:( they are not a pet for a child, you will be the one who will have to look after it. It doesn't sound like you know much about them and they need very specific requirements.

As the others have said you can download care sheets from British Chelonia group, tortoise trust and tortoise welfare uk websites.

Really hate it when people buy animals without finding out about them first :( sorry to be blunt but that's how so many end up in rescues having been unwanted or neglected.

You can't keep it in a glass tank. It's too young to hibernate and if it was old enough then you should get advice from exotics vet before attempting to hibernate it. They can advise best method and health check tortoise beforehand.

It's going to live 50 years plus, are you prepared for that?

Sorry for bluntness of last posts, I help find homes for rescue tortoises so I get frustrated. Whoever sold it to you should have given you help choosing correct set-up and giving you care info.

Here's some info that might help, good luck. They are lovely animals, they don't do an awful lot but are very interesting

www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/horsfield_habitat.html