Hi all, The deal i had with the pet shop here in Bergen Norway was i ring and order one month before desired delivery date! (torts come from Sweden) Now all of a sudden i get a phone call saying the baby tort is, and has been in Bergen for the last month! So a complete stranger has been looking after him for me. When i said i wanted to ask the "surrogate" some questions i was told i cant have contact as that is privaliged information! So i don't know how old he is, what he has been fed, how much he's been fed, if he's been given the right diet and supplements, how big he was when he arrived so i know if his growth rate is too much or little or if he has had enough UV/B!!
In short i know nothing! They said the guy who is looking after him can drop him off at the pet shop on Friday so i can check him over! Is this enough?
Worried Graham Norway.

Hi Graham

Cold you possibly give the pet shop your questions to ask the surrogate keeper?  Would they do that on your behalf because in my mind if they cared about animal welfare they would do what they could to help.  I understand about confidentiality but they definitely could find out the answers to your questions for you.

You would need to know it's weight and length to ensure that the table set up you've made in your garage is big enough.  You also need to know if it has been on any medication and if so, what for, and what has been given.  Also ask if the tortoise has been wormed. 

Leopards don't like too much change and it may take quite a while for it to settle in to its new home with you and to show signs of any illness; therefore what sort of guarantee are they providing you with?

i shouldn't worry too much about the growth rate pattern as it does vary considerably in leopards.

Good luck and please let us know how you get on.

Helen

Hi again Helen, i forgot to mention i cant get the Leopard here so i agreed to a Hermanns! Probably best here in Norway :) I will ask about worming and guarantees, its i am just so worried about pyramiding as i heard the damage is done early and takes a while to show its self!
Ps, I have to change my name! ;)
Thanks Graham

Last time I was in Bergen we had wall to wall sunshine but I'm led to believe it is normally raining with only 2 or 3 days a year without rain; so for that reason I agree a hermanns will do much better than a leopard.  You could also say to the pet shop that you need to see the tortoise befor you agree to buy it.  Look at our section on what to look for when buying a tortoise.  You'll find it on the green menu on the left hand side of this page under breeders and vets.  Don't buy if this tortoise doesn't look healthy.

Fingers crossed this tortoise will tick all the boxes and on Friday you will have a fantastic new pet.

Helen

P.S.  I forgot to say yes you will need to change your name come Friday

Helen

Thanks Helen, i'll keep you updated.
Ps, i have to keep logging in to reply to your posts!? :(