Want to raise some breeders

[insert_name_here]

Hey, I am 17 years old and a reptile guy. I dabble around in breeding snakes and geckos. I also have a big 12 year old sulcata male. I really want to buy a small group of baby tortoises to raise up and breed someday probably during or after college. I am looking to get a species that stays small and can be housed indoors. I don't have a ton of experience with tortoises or anything though I do work in a reptile/pet shop and feel like I am a competent reptile keeper. My dream would be to raise up a small group of Pyxis a. arachnoides to hopefully breed one day because they are absolutely facsinating and I would love to help contribute to a species in such danger. I was also considering some Egyptian tortoises. I am aware of the diapause in incubating pyxis. However, I don't know if that would be an irresponsible thing to do in raising such a at risk species whether it be Pyxis or Egyptians? Or would it be something that I should wait to do after breeding keeping species of tortoises?

 

[insert_name_here]

I have arrangments to have the torts taken care of for my first year of college in a dorm. Then I will take them with me to an apartment or rental house or whatever.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

You are going to keep a 12 yr old Sulcata inside? Where is he now? I have an 11 year old male and there's no way he could live in the house. He poops all day and pees the other half and he gets into a corner and digs and scrapes and he walks. Sulcata need a lot of exercise. That's almost the most important part of keeping Sulcata. Please explain what I have missed or just have wrong...

 

[Laura]

I would wait until you are out of college and somewhat settled. Use that time to Educate yourself and pick the breed you want to work with.
Breeding in captivity doenst necasarily save the species. If they cant be released, you arent doing them any good.. HOWEVER, if it is one that other take from the wild to sell to people who want pets... then you are least helping to keep the wild , wild..
THousands of tigers live in captivty,, but there is no more wild to release them to, and i dont think its been done successfully anyway..

 

[insert_name_here]

I am sorry if you misunderstood me. I am not going to be housing my sulcata indoors. He roams my backyard.

I know it wont neccessarily save the species but it would be cool to help out something so rare


The reasoning for me wanting to get some now is that so I can raise them with slow, healthy growth and by the time I am out of college, I can start to try and breed them.

 

[gummybearpoop]

I am raising Radiated and Burmese Star tortoises while in college. My russian tortoises are breeding here and there....but I don't know if eggs have been laid.

I wake up early to take care of the tortoises before I go to work and school. Sometimes, it is hard to keep good records because I am very busy.

Also, I try to do desert tortoise surveys when I have the chance. If you are passionate about those tortoise species, then do it. I have heard Egyptians and Spiders can be difficult, but hardy once acclimated.

Good luck!

 

[Angi]

I know that at the age of 17 you probably feel like you have a lot of life experience and have already decided what you will do with the rest of your life. Over the next couple of years you may change your mind a lot. I would wait until after college to take on such a big commitment. Study torts do vollenteer work with them and then see what path in life you choose. You are very lucky to be young enough to do ANYTHING with your life. At your age the options are ENDLESS.
GOOD LUCK!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi "insert_name_here":

I don't think we've ever said, "WELCOME to the forum!!" May we know your name?

Its great that you're thinking about breeding tortoises and I applaud your effort. I know it takes a long time for a tortoise to get to breeding age and that's probably why you're thinking of getting them now...so you can raise them up the correct way and have healthy adults when you are out of school. In my opinion, because life does tend to throw you curves, it would be a good idea to wait until you have a home of your own before you start your project. Yes, an adult tortoise will cost more, but maybe when you're out of school, you'll have more money to spend on buying adult pairs.

Whatever you decide, we're here for you. There's a wealth of knowledge here on the forum and we just love to share it.

 

[dmmj]

Small tortoise species and relatively inexpensive. Russians, hermanns, greeks, a small but expensive species I know is pancakes, but they are very low number breeders. they lay like 1 or 2 eggs a year. I do agree with the others though I personally would wait until you at least have an apartment I seem to recall dorm rooms being very very small.

 

[CGKeith]

I have to ask....

What is the goal for wanting to breed them?

As stated by others, you won't really be "helping" the animals.

You can however increase the available numbers in captivity for others that may want to acquire one.

Or just increase your own herd because you like having them.

Maybe a little of both of the above?

Keep in mind the costs of doing this. The more tortoises you have the more expense you will have.

If you think you are going to "cash in" when they start breeding, think again.

Not just food, there are the lights, the Vet bills (you know all about those), the higher electric bills to keep the lights and heaters going, the enclosures and the substrate.

Unless you have a great source of income over and above the costs of your schooling, and your living expenses, it could be a tough thing to do financially.

Then there is the actual space that will be need for such an under taking.

Just a lot of things to think about.

Now, if you are just talking about housing a single pair of a small species then you could get away with a single indoor enclosure for the first few years without too much expense.

Kind of all depends on how many you are talking about.

 

[Tom]

Don't be discouraged. If you are truly passionate about this then MAKE IT HAPPEN! Learn as much as you can, set a goal and then just do it. I started at 14 and just worked it out as I went along. You know, much the same way people usually have kids...

Tortoises live such a long time, that they are a lifetime endeavor. So much happens in our life times, that its impossible to plan for every eventuality and detail. I wish I had started sooner.

 

[zzzdanz]

What Tom said!

 

[-ryan-]

I am currently breeding russians with a pretty good success rate. I just sold three last Sunday, yesterday there was another little tort running around the incubator, and right now two more are trying to free themselves. Pretty soon I may have to come up with another game plan for selling the babies. I fell into it by accident right as I was starting college. I have been keeping reptiles/amphibians since I was six or seven, and I got my first tortoise (a russian) my Senior year in high school. By that point I had enough reptiles that I had already decided I would have to go to college close enough to home that I could commute to school each day, and fortunately that worked out.

There's always a way around it.

 

[N2TORTS]

I know that at the age of 17 you probably feel like you have a lot of life experience and have already decided what you will do with the rest of your life. Over the next couple of years you may change your mind a lot. I would wait until after college to take on such a big commitment. Study torts do vollenteer work with them and then see what path in life you choose. You are very lucky to be young enough to do ANYTHING with your life. At your age the options are ENDLESS.
GOOD LUCK!

VERY WELL SAID .......
Study your profession/passion for herps while in college .... stayed focused on that... Raising / breeding any animal is very demanding, cost alot of dough ..and with torts takes about 7~10 years before you would see any results from so called " small torts" .. your thinking about. And like yvonne said .. and I know first hand as well.. Sulcuttas get HUGE they dig and destroy stuff....and you need alot of space say 40' x 40' to keep just one guy sorta happy. I love um ... dont get me wrong ... I have had several and some biggies....
but honest ... keep your education in high gear .... mix it with your hobby like I said .... invest in YOU right now ... then when ya make bank ... you can do it .. " The right way ....with quality animals "
JD~