Help in choosing a healthy tortoise

[JoFisch]

I live in Central Washington State and have been researching the needs of a Hermann tortoise for the past few months. Our family hopes to own our first tortoise ever and I think the Hermann would be a good fit. There is a reptile store about 45 miles from us that has 2 juvenile Hermann tortoises. The owner breeds other reptiles but did not breed these tortoises. I was told they were hatched February 2019. They look to be about 4 inches in size. Since the owner of the store did not raise these tortoises, is there a way for me to know by looking at them if they have been raised properly? I don’t know if these tortoises will still be available by the time we have the enclosure built and set up. The store owner says it is more common for her to have the younger ones to sell. Are there “red flags” when looking at a very young or juvenile tortoise to tell that it wasn’t raised properly?

 

[Herman_WA]

The more experienced owners can help you with this.
I have a Hermanns, didn't raise it from a baby though. But, they are a ton of fun!
Welcome to the forum, you came to the right place!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Generally, look for a tortoise with clear and wide open eyes that walks sturdily on raised legs.
No nostril or mouth discharge.
No open mouth breathing
No noises while breathing
No watery poop
Healing or healed umbilical scar
Well formed shell
Determine how it was started and what it's been eating
In my opinion, tortoises that are several months old can be sturdier and harder than very young ones.
In fact, I reccomend yearlings. But that isn't neccesarily

 

[Tom]

I live in Central Washington State and have been researching the needs of a Hermann tortoise for the past few months. Our family hopes to own our first tortoise ever and I think the Hermann would be a good fit. There is a reptile store about 45 miles from us that has 2 juvenile Hermann tortoises. The owner breeds other reptiles but did not breed these tortoises. I was told they were hatched February 2019. They look to be about 4 inches in size. Since the owner of the store did not raise these tortoises, is there a way for me to know by looking at them if they have been raised properly? I don’t know if these tortoises will still be available by the time we have the enclosure built and set up. The store owner says it is more common for her to have the younger ones to sell. Are there “red flags” when looking at a very young or juvenile tortoise to tell that it wasn’t raised properly?

Look at what substrate they are on, ask what they've been fed, and how often they were soaked. Do they have a smooth shell, or are they pyramided?

Usually pet stores give bad advice, sell you the wrong products, and don't have great animals. They are also priced a lot higher there. That they breed tortoises isn't relevant. Most people who breed tortoises don't start babies correctly or know how to care for them correctly.

Here is the correct care info:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome!