Hi All,

I am new to this site so please forgive any transgressions of etiquitte!  I was completing the rehoming questionaire and it cause me to think about the whole issue and need to ask some questions before I proceed. I would like a tortoise/tortoises and would prefer rehoming as :-

a) I don't like paying breeders - I have pets that are rehomed already - cats and chickens - sorry if this is a bit rude, its a personal choice.

b) I dont want one that has been removed from the wild and sold as UK bred or worse still stolen from a pet owner - How do i detect this?

I have a large secure Garden for a suburban one, so size of the Tortoise isn't an issue. I would like a hardy version to have the run of most of my garden. However I have a large shed for the winter if it needs to come inside.

We do get foxes, I have electronic scarers that protect my coop, and a lage cat that loves to chase them off, he is a bit mad!

Are they better in pairs?

Do I get it/them micro chipped like my cats?

Sorry for the long list of questions

Cheers

Neil

Breeders are your best source info, you prefer something for
nothing. Read your way through the answers to your ?s. Or is it too much trouble?
Tom

are there any adults who can help or is this site just for anonymous trolls?

I must apologise to you.No we are not full of anonymous trolls , Not all of us share Tom's lack of people skills. Knowing about chelonians is one thing...being able to impart information politely is another skill. When I have calmed down a little I will try to help.
Regards, David in York

Right,so I have counted to 10 several times to calm down after reading your previous reply from Tom...
You are lucky to have plenty of outdoor space, any torts you get will benefit from time outdoors. I understand your dilemma about not knowing which beastie you might end up with. First, find the part of your garden which gets the most hours of full sun. That is the part to develop into a tort area. I would suggest adopting an adult or one at least 10 cm long if you have a choice, and can dedicate an good outdoor area. Hermann's and Spur-thighed are a good choice and Horsefields,(if you make sure there is no way of digging out of the pen. I keep Testudo graeca ibera. also called Turkish spur-thighed. They are quite dark shelled and quicly warm up by absorbing the sun's rays. Ideally you would be able to link pen to a greenhouse or large covered cloche as a warming up area and for dull days. If you take a look at the headings on left hand side of this page there is a lot of info. The guide sheets are very good and there will be one for whichever species you are able to adopt. The photo gallery also has various enclosures to peruse. There is no definitive way to look after torts, but there are basic threads running through all advice sheets: access to secure outdoor area, a covered area for cooler weather, availability of quality fresh food ( you can have fun growing wild varieties), and a willingness to ask for help if in doubt.
I reckon you could provide all of those and much more. Youi have demonstrated a willingness to learn, and an enthusiasm for torts. That is how I started around 44 years ago if I remember correctly. I was lucky then to have friendly vet who, all those years ago, was good with exotics. You keep on with the research, it's great to learn from the experience of others. Even at my age I learn new things from this site every season. Education is a wonderful thing and we are all on this site to educate each other. Most questions are what most people want to know, but are afraid to ask.We all are able to give and take advice freely. There was a song years ago and the lyrics struck a chord (is that a mixed metaphor, sorry if there are any purists reading). They were, and I qoute: "It ain't what you do it's the way that you do it, it ain't what you say it's the way that you say it!" enough said. If you click on a respondents name you can email a member direct and admin will forward it. So,goodluck with the re-homing application, we need new and dedicated members to forward the keeping of tortoises. I hope to be of assistance with your development in the keeping of tortoises. Let's tackle hibernation later in the year shall we?
Regards, David nr York.

David,
Just wanted to say thanks for your response to Neil's question, its one of the most helpful and detailed, I've seen. It's nice to see a really encouraging response to questions from new people interested in tortoises.
Matt