New to Tortoises...

[emerald_8122]

Hi Everyone,

Lately I've been researching like crazy everything I can find on Mediterranean tortoises. I've owned many reptiles, including a Reeves turtle and an Eastern Box turtle, but have no previous experience with tortoises. I am kind of in love with Hermann's but have been trying to look into all the options. So often I read posts about how personable tortoises can be which is one thing that attracts me to them. I'd really like a tortoise that is pretty friendly, happy to eat from my hand, maybe enjoy a head scratch and is comfortable with handling if I need to carry him/her for short periods(ie. to the outdoor enclosure or to the bath). Any advice for breed or age? Is it more likely to have a friendly tortoise if you raise a CB baby? Is it possible or likely for a mature tortoise to develop this kind of comfort level after adoption?

So happy to find all the great info on this forum and looking forward to any advice or experiences you can share!

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. My advice is to get a male. All my males are much more friendly and personable. One I raised as a hatchling, a leopard. One I rescued at about the age of two I think, a leopard and will follow me, and a male Russian that I got as an adult. He's not as our going as my leopards, but much more then my female leopards.
Of course as a hatchling you won't know the sex, but raising from a hatchling and handling it should make it much more out going.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum.
The thing is that tortoises seem to have individual personalities so, just like people, you may have some that are very outgoing and don't mind being handled, some in the middle and others that are shy and don't much like being touched.
My little girl is a Greek whom I have brought up from when she was tiny and sick and she is very outgoing, 'friendly' and likes a head-rub, doesn't mind being picked up etc.
Two of the other torts I help with are totally different, the younger, smaller one is aggressive and territorial and the older and much larger one is shy and will pee herself if you get too close. Also Greeks.
Bringing up a CB baby will allow you to get the tortoise used to being handled but there's no guarantee of sex or general personality, an older tortoise you may be able to see part of it's personality, choose the least timid and fearful of a group.
Not sure there are any guarantees here.
Have a read of http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/ as well.
And http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
Though this latter one is for Russians, the care is essentially the same for all the Mediterranean(Testudo) species.
Russians are said to be generally bolder than most, but again there are exceptions.

 

[Stuart S.]

Welcome and good luck on your search! These are great animals!

 

[emerald_8122]

Hello and Welcome. My advice is to get a male. All my males are much more friendly and personable. One I raised as a hatchling, a leopard. One I rescued at about the age of two I think, a leopard and will follow me, and a male Russian that I got as an adult. He's not as our going as my leopards, but much more then my female leopards.
Of course as a hatchling you won't know the sex, but raising from a hatchling and handling it should make it much more out going.

Thanks for your reply! Were any of your female leopards raised from CB babies?

 

[emerald_8122]

Hello, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum.
The thing is that tortoises seem to have individual personalities so, just like people, you may have some that are very outgoing and don't mind being handled, some in the middle and others that are shy and don't much like being touched.
My little girl is a Greek whom I have brought up from when she was tiny and sick and she is very outgoing, 'friendly' and likes a head-rub, doesn't mind being picked up etc.
Two of the other torts I help with are totally different, the younger, smaller one is aggressive and territorial and the older and much larger one is shy and will pee herself if you get too close. Also Greeks.
Bringing up a CB baby will allow you to get the tortoise used to being handled but there's no guarantee of sex or general personality, an older tortoise you may be able to see part of it's personality, choose the least timid and fearful of a group.
Not sure there are any guarantees here.
Have a read of http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/ as well.
And http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
Though this latter one is for Russians, the care is essentially the same for all the Mediterranean(Testudo) species.
Russians are said to be generally bolder than most, but again there are exceptions.

Thanks for sharing all this info... were the other two tortoises you mentioned also raised from captive bred babies? I'm wondering if the amount of time you spend with them as they are growing makes a big difference too.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Thanks for sharing all this info... were the other two tortoises you mentioned also raised from captive bred babies? I'm wondering if the amount of time you spend with them as they are growing makes a big difference too.

No, sorry, I should have said, all these torts are wild caught, but when they were hatchlings, or at least less than a year old.
Yes, I do believe it makes a difference how much time you spend with them as they are growing up, I spent hours and hours every day with my little girl at the beginning, because she was so sick and we bonded, or at least she got used to me being there all her waking hours.
She gets her own time and space now, of course, as i believe that's important, too, but she is very content in human company.

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome!

 

[RosemaryDW]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Alaskamike]

Tortoises - like most animals - are creatures of habit. They develop routines & responses to environment that fulfill their needs.

You don't have to raise one from a baby , they will adjust to new interactions as adault. If you wish your tortoise to be friendly , not shy of you , eat from your hand , come to you when you are in sight - you just spend time around them & give treats from your hand. You will become the " food god".

Calm slow movements help.

I pick mine up to move them fairly often. So they are not too stressed out about it. They will acclimate to you.

@wellington mentioned males as being more outgoing. I've also found this true.

 

[wellington]

Thanks for your reply! Were any of your female leopards raised from CB babies?

They were but not by me. All mine except the Russian was captive bred. I am raising a hatchling that I bred, well he'll be 2 in November. Too young to tell sex yet, but I'm guessing male. I handle mine a lot so he too is very friendly and not pulled in all the time. Another reason I think he's a male. Hoping for a female, specially it would be nice to have an outgoing female and know they can be raised to be more social. Waiting to see.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi
Torts love the food God ( the one who feeds it !

 

[ltidwell1]

Hello everyone!

I am considering a small tortoise for my classroom. I teach 3rd grade and have found that students really respond well to animals as well as the responsibility of caring for an animal. With that said, I have been searching and found that there is a place called Tortoise Town that sells most everything that I need. But then I find that there several negative reviews out there regarding using them. With that said,
1.). WHERE do I buy from? (specific suggestions would be appreciated)
2.). WHAT type of tortoise would you recommend. Obviously this little bit would be traveling because I wouldn't keep him or her at the school on the weekends.

Requirements for my torti: be outgoing ( I realize not every animal has the same personality. It's true of all God's creations!) good for kids, an easy keeper (sturdy, not fragile with no real MAJOR food requirements, etc).

I am about to spend a boat load on a school pet, so I am aware of the commitment.

Any info that you can provide for me. Thanks so very much!!!

 

[TechnoCheese]

Hello everyone!

I am considering a small tortoise for my classroom. I teach 3rd grade and have found that students really respond well to animals as well as the responsibility of caring for an animal. With that said, I have been searching and found that there is a place called Tortoise Town that sells most everything that I need. But then I find that there several negative reviews out there regarding using them. With that said,
1.). WHERE do I buy from? (specific suggestions would be appreciated)
2.). WHAT type of tortoise would you recommend. Obviously this little bit would be traveling because I wouldn't keep him or her at the school on the weekends.

Requirements for my torti: be outgoing ( I realize not every animal has the same personality. It's true of all God's creations!) good for kids, an easy keeper (sturdy, not fragile with no real MAJOR food requirements, etc).

I am about to spend a boat load on a school pet, so I am aware of the commitment.

Any info that you can provide for me. Thanks so very much!!!

I definitely would not recommend a tortoise for a class room. Tortoises in general do not really enjoy being handled, and would MUCH rather be alone. Being with children would likely be much too stressful.

Do you have space for a 4x8 foot enclosure? That’s the minimum enclosure size for any tortoise that meets those requirements, and there aren’t many tortoises that should be in less than that.

Is someone going to be able to feed the tortoise every day and make sure it has food available at all times?

Tortoises really aren’t easy pets, and a class room environment does not seem like a good place for a tortoise at all. My parents are teachers, I have heard some horrors.

 

[ltidwell1]

I definitely would not recommend a tortoise for a class room. Tortoises in general do not really enjoy being handled, and would MUCH rather be alone. Being with children would likely be much too stressful.

Do you have space for a 4x8 foot enclosure? That’s the minimum enclosure size for any tortoise that meets those requirements, and there aren’t many tortoises that should be in less than that.

Is someone going to be able to feed the tortoise every day and make sure it has food available at all times?

Tortoises really aren’t easy pets, and a class room environment does not seem like a good place for a tortoise at all. My parents are teachers, I have heard some horrors.

Ok, thanks.