Almost impossible to purchase a freaking tortoise!!!

Radamila

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Joined
Oct 21, 2020
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16
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Camp Verde, Arizona
Can someone please point me in the right direction to a competent person to purchase a redfoot or cherry head tortoise hatchling/yearling or possible group?
I’ve tried contacting multiple RECOMMENDED businesses and personal ads from Fauna/Kingsnake and people either are non responsive, don’t ship, etc...

I’ve been keeping dendrobates (poison dart frogs) for over 15 years. My daughter wants a tortoise and I’m desperately trying to help her acquire one, but I’m truly getting discouraged. Tell me this is just a rare experience we are going through. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Try Rescue sites...
 

Blackdog1714

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I checked Tortstork out of curiosity, and this is the first time in a looooong time that there's actually cherryheads (not hypo/melanistic) listed as "in stock."

*whistles at price*
The purchase price is just the tip of the iceberg! CHE's, domes, thermostat controllers, T 5 UV-B bulb and fixture, food (my wife is making me get a mini-fridge so I can store my tort food separately), BACK UPS for all your bulbs and heat. The food options get pricey once the free weed growing season is over. Set up an enclosure and grow plants in it first. Much less stressful to dial everything in when a life doesn't hang in the balance.
 

RedFootDan

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Joined
Feb 13, 2021
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9
Location (City and/or State)
Metairie,LA
The purchase price is just the tip of the iceberg! CHE's, domes, thermostat controllers, T 5 UV-B bulb and fixture, food (my wife is making me get a mini-fridge so I can store my tort food separately), BACK UPS for all your bulbs and heat. The food options get pricey once the free weed growing season is over. Set up an enclosure and grow plants in it first. Much less stressful to dial everything in when a life doesn't hang in the balance.
Appreciate the heads up, but I have everything set up and ready to go. Great information for someone that is new to keeping. I’ve been building vivariums/keeping PDF’s for quite some time.
 

RedFootDan

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Feb 13, 2021
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In case you haven't noticed, there is a pandemic going on. Everyone's lives have been up heaved & not always in a good way.

I too am looking for a CH. A little patience is needed if you & your daughter are to become good tort owners. Do your homework because a good tort comes from a good breeder who is up-to-date on incubation, soaking hatchlings & a whole host of other issues.

I say this because at least 2 or 3 torts have died the past week or so whose owners came here too late for other experienced owners to help save the tort or they bought a hatchling who had no chance of living past its first year or so because of the breeder's care before the tort was sold.


Read thru some of the very sad threads, & your eyes will be opened. There are also threads about problematic breeders and/or online sale sites. IMHAO, instant gratification is the wrong reason to get a tort.
I think you’re reading into my post a little too much and making some assumptions. As I do not have a great deal of experience with tortoises directly, I have been keeping reptiles since I was a child. I am pretty much an expert when building tropical vivariums and keeping poison dart frogs. I have everything set up that is required to properly house a redfoot tortoise, both indoors and out. I have been reaching out to certain recommended breeders and it’s the lack of communication that’s irritating. I run a business myself, and to me customer satisfaction/communication is the most important to me. The pandemic has caused many complications for myself and many of my close relatives and friends, but it has not stopped me from providing a service I put my name behind. I have made some needed adjustments and pushed on...

with all that being said I’ve been directly involved with breeding, conservation, shipping, etc with frogs and I know the time it takes to be efficient. If I felt like there was nothing out of the norm going on, I would’ve never registered on the forum and made a post. I would’ve continued my occasional browsing. I came here for a little help and insight, not to be ridiculed.
 

Blackdog1714

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Richmond, VA
I think you’re reading into my post a little too much and making some assumptions. As I do not have a great deal of experience with tortoises directly, I have been keeping reptiles since I was a child. I am pretty much an expert when building tropical vivariums and keeping poison dart frogs. I have everything set up that is required to properly house a redfoot tortoise, both indoors and out. I have been reaching out to certain recommended breeders and it’s the lack of communication that’s irritating. I run a business myself, and to me customer satisfaction/communication is the most important to me. The pandemic has caused many complications for myself and many of my close relatives and friends, but it has not stopped me from providing a service I put my name behind. I have made some needed adjustments and pushed on...

with all that being said I’ve been directly involved with breeding, conservation, shipping, etc with frogs and I know the time it takes to be efficient. If I felt like there was nothing out of the norm going on, I would’ve never registered on the forum and made a post. I would’ve continued my occasional browsing. I came here for a little help and insight, not to be ridiculed.
Lack of communication is where we are as a society. I just bought a fishing rod and was hot pissed when they sent the new model even though they advertised the Model number of the old model. He could not understand why I didn't want the newer model and I had to force him to pay for shipping and a full refund. As for the pandemic affecting businesses it is still being measured what the true impact is. Some floundered and closed, most are tredding water, and a true few have improved their business and made them even stronger. For me getting older stinks since I remember $2.85 minimum wage and a gas station that pumped your gas, but I would have never had a cell phone. Good luck
 

wellington

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New house.
All new pens being built and a toddler that can now walk by himself
He gets pretty busy
Tyler has another kid? The last one I knew about should be around 4 or 5 maybe older. They have 5 or 6 kids now?
Tyler is another I would recommend. However I don't think he does the closed chamber and I'm not sure he only sells what he hatched.
 

Olivertort1

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Sep 14, 2018
Messages
37
Location (City and/or State)
North Charleston SC
Can someone please point me in the right direction to a competent person to purchase a redfoot or cherry head tortoise hatchling/yearling or possible group?
I’ve tried contacting multiple RECOMMENDED businesses and personal ads from Fauna/Kingsnake and people either are non responsive, don’t ship, etc...

I’ve been keeping dendrobates (poison dart frogs) for over 15 years. My daughter wants a tortoise and I’m desperately trying to help her acquire one, but I’m truly getting discouraged. Tell me this is just a rare experience we are going through. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I would go with Ryan from SouthernReptiles.net
 

cbr900boy

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Joined
Jul 1, 2020
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6
Location (City and/or State)
Pasadena
Can someone please point me in the right direction to a competent person to purchase a redfoot or cherry head tortoise hatchling/yearling or possible group?
I’ve tried contacting multiple RECOMMENDED businesses and personal ads from Fauna/Kingsnake and people either are non responsive, don’t ship, etc...

I’ve been keeping dendrobates (poison dart frogs) for over 15 years. My daughter wants a tortoise and I’m desperately trying to help her acquire one, but I’m truly getting discouraged. Tell me this is just a rare experience we are going through. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

We got our hatchling Easter Hermanns for a breeder from morphmarket.com. He / she is very healthy.
 

Jackiethetortoise

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Joined
Feb 10, 2021
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19
Location (City and/or State)
Beacon, NY
Can someone please point me in the right direction to a competent person to purchase a redfoot or cherry head tortoise hatchling/yearling or possible group?
I’ve tried contacting multiple RECOMMENDED businesses and personal ads from Fauna/Kingsnake and people either are non responsive, don’t ship, etc...

I’ve been keeping dendrobates (poison dart frogs) for over 15 years. My daughter wants a tortoise and I’m desperately trying to help her acquire one, but I’m truly getting discouraged. Tell me this is just a rare experience we are going through. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I received my leopard tortoise hatchling last week from TortStork ! They definitely have cherry heads tho, he posts a lot on his Instagram too ! He has pictures of all the hatchlings available. Very responsive and quick shipping!
 

wellington

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Chicago, Illinois, USA
I think you’re reading into my post a little too much and making some assumptions. As I do not have a great deal of experience with tortoises directly, I have been keeping reptiles since I was a child. I am pretty much an expert when building tropical vivariums and keeping poison dart frogs. I have everything set up that is required to properly house a redfoot tortoise, both indoors and out. I have been reaching out to certain recommended breeders and it’s the lack of communication that’s irritating. I run a business myself, and to me customer satisfaction/communication is the most important to me. The pandemic has caused many complications for myself and many of my close relatives and friends, but it has not stopped me from providing a service I put my name behind. I have made some needed adjustments and pushed on...

with all that being said I’ve been directly involved with breeding, conservation, shipping, etc with frogs and I know the time it takes to be efficient. If I felt like there was nothing out of the norm going on, I would’ve never registered on the forum and made a post. I would’ve continued my occasional browsing. I came here for a little help and insight, not to be ridiculed.
As you are reading post. Don't forget you are new to this forum and we know nothing about you.
We do know however, that we get many many new members that post like they know it all and did their research. Just too find out their research and knowledge came from a pet store or some other site and all the knowledge they learned is old bad outdated info.
99% of our active members just want to be sure you know what you are getting into and that you searched the correct info. Many newbies think an aquarium is a life time enclosure and lettuce is the only food source and that water isnt needed. Of course all not true.
So as you can maybe see, we like to know a little about what you know.
 

ZEROPILOT

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Tyler has another kid? The last one I knew about should be around 4 or 5 maybe older. They have 5 or 6 kids now?
Tyler is another I would recommend. However I don't think he does the closed chamber and I'm not sure he only sells what he hatched.
No.
Ryan at @Southernreptiles has a new house and family.
He's a great guy.
However, there are also several other fantastic members here that sell their baby RF an d Cherryhead RF
 

Jan A

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Jan 9, 2021
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Location (City and/or State)
Boulder, CO
I think you’re reading into my post a little too much and making some assumptions. As I do not have a great deal of experience with tortoises directly, I have been keeping reptiles since I was a child. I am pretty much an expert when building tropical vivariums and keeping poison dart frogs. I have everything set up that is required to properly house a redfoot tortoise, both indoors and out. I have been reaching out to certain recommended breeders and it’s the lack of communication that’s irritating. I run a business myself, and to me customer satisfaction/communication is the most important to me. The pandemic has caused many complications for myself and many of my close relatives and friends, but it has not stopped me from providing a service I put my name behind. I have made some needed adjustments and pushed on...

with all that being said I’ve been directly involved with breeding, conservation, shipping, etc with frogs and I know the time it takes to be efficient. If I felt like there was nothing out of the norm going on, I would’ve never registered on the forum and made a post. I would’ve continued my occasional browsing. I came here for a little help and insight, not to be ridiculed.
Didn't mean to ridicule you. You didn't indicate you had any experience with torts. My concern is for the tort you might get. Excuse me, please, & I'm sorry that I insulted you.
 

Chubbs the tegu

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Ma
Didn't mean to ridicule you. You didn't indicate you had any experience with torts. My concern is for the tort you might get. Excuse me, please, & I'm sorry that I insulted you.
No need to apologize. You were just trying to help and somebody got snappy. Never question an expert enclosure builder.
 

Suzyszoo

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Jul 3, 2013
Messages
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Can someone please point me in the right direction to a competent person to purchase a redfoot or cherry head tortoise hatchling/yearling or possible group?
I’ve tried contacting multiple RECOMMENDED businesses and personal ads from Fauna/Kingsnake and people either are non responsive, don’t ship, etc...

I’ve been keeping dendrobates (poison dart frogs) for over 15 years. My daughter wants a tortoise and I’m desperately trying to help her acquire one, but I’m truly getting discouraged. Tell me this is just a rare experience we are going through. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


Can someone please point me in the right direction to a competent person to purchase a redfoot or cherry head tortoise hatchling/yearling or possible group?
I’ve tried contacting multiple RECOMMENDED businesses and personal ads from Fauna/Kingsnake and people either are non responsive, don’t ship, etc...

I’ve been keeping dendrobates (poison dart frogs) for over 15 years. My daughter wants a tortoise and I’m desperately trying to help her acquire one, but I’m truly getting discouraged. Tell me this is just a rare experience we are going through. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi there. Reptile Cam has some beautiful 4” & 6-7” beauties. I got my Leopard from him last spring and it is thriving and a gorgeous specimen! Best of luck in acquiring your future Tort
Cheers,
Suz

http://market.kingsnake.com/detail.php?cat=50&de=1252339
 

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RedFootDan

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No need to apologize. You were just trying to help and somebody got snappy. Never question an expert enclosure builder.
Clearly
No need to apologize. You were just trying to help and somebody got snappy. Never question an expert enclosure builder.
Being snappy and telling me “Incase I didn’t notice, we’re in a pandemic.”

Accusing me of looking for instant gratification, etc...

It’s all good. Just as expected, there’s some in every hobby I guess.... if I’m unsure of someone’s experience I ask questions or engage with them. I definitely don’t accuse or come off as condescending towards them. Here’s one of my “expert vivariums” and some red head histrionica. Enjoy!
 

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Krista S

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@RedFootDan Those are great pictures and what a nice environment you’ve created in the vivarium! The frog is so beautiful that it almost doesn’t look real! Thanks for sharing.
 

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