just looking to find out some places were I might Be able to find good tortoise supplies and possibly purchase my first tortoise. A lot of people have recommended Tortoise Supply and so far as I can see from the site they look like an awesome place to go to with questions and purchases as well. I also wanted to ask what your thought would be on the age of a tortoise for a beginning. i'm doing a lot of research to be ready for the little guy/ or gal and people have told me o try for at[/align] least a couple months old.
Breeders? Tortoise stores online?
- Thread starter anm1221
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Welcome to the forum!
Although hatchlings are adorable, some of them have health issues that are not always obvious. Even with the best of care some hatchlings just "fail to thrive" for unknown reasons and don't make it. I personally wanted my first tortoise experience to be as easy as possible with the highest possibility of success. So I got a 4 inch long Hermann's- probably about 3 years old. She is safely past the fragile hatchling stage but still has a lot of growing to do- she'll get up to 8 inches as an adult. Within a month of arriving, she would eat her favorite foods from our hand.
Another unexpected plus for us was that 3 months after I got my tort, my job situation changed and I now work out of town 4 days and 3 nights a week. My husband is a wonderful guy, but not really a tortoise person. Since Elsa is 3 years old and healthy, all he had to do is feed her, change her water and add a little water to her substrate. Easier than our cats! If she was a hatchling, she would have needed a LOT more careful attention and it would have been a lot tougher. The older the tortoise, the higher the cost because of the time, effort, feeding and medical care by the breeder. But was worth it to us to get a healthy animal.
Although hatchlings are adorable, some of them have health issues that are not always obvious. Even with the best of care some hatchlings just "fail to thrive" for unknown reasons and don't make it. I personally wanted my first tortoise experience to be as easy as possible with the highest possibility of success. So I got a 4 inch long Hermann's- probably about 3 years old. She is safely past the fragile hatchling stage but still has a lot of growing to do- she'll get up to 8 inches as an adult. Within a month of arriving, she would eat her favorite foods from our hand.
Another unexpected plus for us was that 3 months after I got my tort, my job situation changed and I now work out of town 4 days and 3 nights a week. My husband is a wonderful guy, but not really a tortoise person. Since Elsa is 3 years old and healthy, all he had to do is feed her, change her water and add a little water to her substrate. Easier than our cats! If she was a hatchling, she would have needed a LOT more careful attention and it would have been a lot tougher. The older the tortoise, the higher the cost because of the time, effort, feeding and medical care by the breeder. But was worth it to us to get a healthy animal.
I highly recommend tortoise supply. Tyler is a member of this forum and a standup guy. There are also several members on here that I would not hesitate buying from either. Although a hatchling is usually cheaper and really cute, the older ones can be easier and less worry. If bought from a reputable breeder and your husbandry is right, either size should be fine.
In addition to Tortoise Supply, I would recommend checking out Arizona Tortoise Compound (http://www.arizonatortoisecompound.com). I got a redfoot hatchling from them after doing much research and hearing nothing but good reviews--- and now I can give them one more good review. My tort is healthy, active, and Andrew the contact person is very helpful with any questions you may have, before or after your purchase.
What state are you located in and what kind of tortoise are you looking for
tortoise supply is good, but I've heard good things about turtlesandtortoises and lllreptile. I would get a baby, but keep an eye on him/her for flipping over. 
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Most (all?) reputable breeders will keep their hatchlings for several weeks to a few months to ensure that they're started well and past the most fragile time. Ask the prospective seller how they care for their animals. If they can't/won't give you a satisfactory answer, then consider shopping elsewhere.
If you are in the US I would recommend Arizona Tortoise Compound https://www.arizonatortoisecompound.com
They have great reviews and I recently got a Russian hatchling from them. They don't let their hatchlings go until they have been well started and are several months old. They have several breeds as well!
They have great reviews and I recently got a Russian hatchling from them. They don't let their hatchlings go until they have been well started and are several months old. They have several breeds as well!
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