Finding Adults

[NathanMorrow6]

Hello everyone, I'm 16 and a senior in high school and I'm trying to start up a small turtle and tortoise breeding project throughout school which will hopefully eventually turn into something of a "side business".

Before I go on, I'm going to school locally, so I'll be home, after college, I'm staying here to find a job in my field, and I'm quite certain that I'll be able to do so. I won't expand my collection further than I can manage, but between my girlfriend and I, I believe we can manage.

So I'm wondering if anyone knows any good places to look for people selling their group. I could do individual adults, but if possible I would like to avoid the quarantine process and the anxiety behind animals that haven't been together.

The reason I'm asking is because I'm looking to get a few seasons in of breeding throughout college, and tortoises take awhile to mature, and I wouldn't say turtles are quick doing so.

My plans are to breed to produce my own groups, so I'd temp sex the hatchlings to produce a group to have in the future, only because I love the idea of producing my breeders. So any help would be great.

Now, please treat me like a kid who is about to be in college. I know I'm 16, but I think I'm old enough to start looking into things like this. I'm going to start small in my room and backyard, and then I plan on sometime in school moving onto a separate piece of property. I don't plan on the business paying for itself for a long time, so all of these things are just aspirations of mine and I'm willing to fund them. If you have questions about this "plan", feel free to ask and please don't assume that the animals won't be taken care of or I'm overestimating myself. I think that this is the best course of action if I want to build my collection up to a size and standard that will be successful.

Thanks.

Ps. Eventually I want to look into making this business a non profit research and captive breeding facility (going to school for biology), but I'm not sure what all goes into that so don't take that too seriously.

 

[Yvonne G]

Good luck in your endeavor, Nathan.

 

[juli11]

Hello everyone, I'm 16 and a senior in high school and I'm trying to start up a small turtle and tortoise breeding project throughout school which will hopefully eventually turn into something of a "side business".

Before I go on, I'm going to school locally, so I'll be home, after college, I'm staying here to find a job in my field, and I'm quite certain that I'll be able to do so. I won't expand my collection further than I can manage, but between my girlfriend and I, I believe we can manage.

So I'm wondering if anyone knows any good places to look for people selling their group. I could do individual adults, but if possible I would like to avoid the quarantine process and the anxiety behind animals that haven't been together.

The reason I'm asking is because I'm looking to get a few seasons in of breeding throughout college, and tortoises take awhile to mature, and I wouldn't say turtles are quick doing so.

My plans are to breed to produce my own groups, so I'd temp sex the hatchlings to produce a group to have in the future, only because I love the idea of producing my breeders. So any help would be great.

Now, please treat me like a kid who is about to be in college. I know I'm 16, but I think I'm old enough to start looking into things like this. I'm going to start small in my room and backyard, and then I plan on sometime in school moving onto a separate piece of property. I don't plan on the business paying for itself for a long time, so all of these things are just aspirations of mine and I'm willing to fund them. If you have questions about this "plan", feel free to ask and please don't assume that the animals won't be taken care of or I'm overestimating myself. I think that this is the best course of action if I want to build my collection up to a size and standard that will be successful.

Thanks.

Ps. Eventually I want to look into making this business a non profit research and captive breeding facility (going to school for biology), but I'm not sure what all goes into that so don't take that too seriously.

Do you still have tortoise or experience?

 

[NathanMorrow6]

I have a lone rescued female horsfieldii, and that's all I've worked with.

 

[mike taylor]

You need to talk to Kelly ( @tortadise ) he could tell you a thing or two about what you're getting yourself into . Kelly's is living your dream as I type this . I can tell you it's hard work . I've seeeeent it . Hahahahaha

 

[juli11]

Okay so if i understood you right than you want to build a breeding colony of tortoises to make a small "business"?
And you only have experience with A. horsfieldii?
Which species do you wanna breed?
You know the coasts?
The time you need to spend?

 

[mike taylor]

I think that's what he is asking for advice. He wants to start a tortoise rescue for nonprofits. That's what I understood. But he wants to breed and sell some tortoises also . It's totally can be done . But it takes hard work and dedication. Start with what you know . Then study a specific species. Then when ready add another species . I'd say start with the smaller species and go from there . It's not going to happen overnight. It takes years . Unless you have an unlimited cash flow . Your only 16 you have time . My advice start small and slowly add more to your collection. Before you know it your hard work will pay off .

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Hi Nathan.

You can find breeding groups for sale through many sources but they usually come with a high price tag! $$$$

Hope you've saved up

Good luck with your endeavor though.

 

[dmmj]

if you buy established breeding groups it will cost a lot of money. you're young you have a lot of time I would buy individual animals then setup my own breeding group.

 

[wellington]

I second everyone's comments, specially the cost and hard work. Your start up alone, of a breeding group, and equipment needed will set you back a bit. Also, a breeding group needs to either love outside 24/7 or if your in the snowy states, they will need a very large room. If you can't house them properly, your "business" will fail before it even gets started.
If you started with hatchlings, they wouldn't need a large room size enclosure for 2-3 years depending on the species.

 

[wellington]

Oh, and there's not usually breeding colonies for sale, but once in awhile there is. Check out fauna classifieds

 

[Neal]

One critical aspect that separates responsible breeders from the rest, in my opinion, is practical experience raising hatchlings. The care a hatchling receives in the first days/weeks/months will affect the tortoise's long term ability to thrive. The advice I would give to you at this point is start out raising some hatchlings so you gain the experience and understanding of exactly what it takes to raise a tortoise to adulthood. That will set you up for better success with your long-term goals.

 

[saginawhxc]

You guys are all worried about logistics. I'm over here thinking holy crap kid you are 16. Do not get involved in something as heavy duty and long term as this yet. You might feel like you are ready for this, and you may be, but I personally guarantee that at 16 you don't really know what it is that you really want from life yet.

For the record this is almost word for word the same speech I gave my 17 year old son recently when he got "engaged" to his girlfriend.

 

[wellington]

You guys are all worried about logistics. I'm over here thinking holy crap kid you are 16. Do not get involved in something as heavy duty and long term as this yet. You might feel like you are ready for this, and you may be, but I personally guarantee that at 16 you don't really know what it is that you really want from life yet.

For the record this is almost word for word the same speech I gave my 17 year old son recently when he got "engaged" to his girlfriend.

I kinda agree. Except getting engaged at 17 and getting into animals are two very different things. Most animal lovers, are animal lovers for life. Most 17 year olds, heck, 25 and under getting married, well, chances are real good it won't last long and it can be a lot bigger deal then selling a group of tortoises you now don't want.
I'm guessing too, that at 16, this person is still living at home for a couple more years and their parents will have a lot to say about how many they really get.

 

[mike taylor]

One critical aspect that separates responsible breeders from the rest, in my opinion, is practical experience raising hatchlings. The care a hatchling receives in the first days/weeks/months will affect the tortoise's long term ability to thrive. The advice I would give to you at this point is start out raising some hatchlings so you gain the experience and understanding of exactly what it takes to raise a tortoise to adulthood. That will set you up for better success with your long-term goals.

Now this is sound advice.

 

[mike taylor]

I kinda agree. Except getting engaged at 17 and getting into animals are two very different things. Most animal lovers, are animal lovers for life. Most 17 year olds, heck, 25 and under getting married, well, chances are real good it won't last long and it can be a lot bigger deal then selling a group of tortoises you now don't want.
I'm guessing too, that at 16, this person is still living at home for a couple more years and their parents will have a lot to say about how many they really get.

Don't under estimate 17 year olds . I got married at that young age with a baby boy . Now I have three young men . I'm still madly in love with their mother 22 years later. There has been plenty of kids starting their careers early in life . I say if you can live by doing something you truly love . Go for it . A parents job is to teach their children to be honest respectable young men and women. If I see my boys enjoy something. I will spend my last dime make sure their dreams will become a reality. Now with that being said . You as a young 16 year old man . Will need to determine if this is what you really want to do . You'll never have a fancy car . But what you'll get is a life of happiness doing what you love to do . So many people are unhappy chasing money and working at jobs they hate . Very few live the life they dreamt of .

 

[mike taylor]

Can you guess where we are in this picture of us in 1994 last day of school. That summer we found out my son Brandon was coming . So live a life you'll be proud of .No matter who tells you it's impossible.

 

[saginawhxc]

On the flip side. I got married to my high school sweetheart at nineteen, first kid also at nineteen, and started my career at nineteen. I regret every single one of those decisions.

To be clear I'm glad I have my son, as i love all my kids more than anything, but actually having him at that age and time of ny life was one of the stupidest decisions of my life.

Just don't mind me. I'm just a jaded bitter man. I stand by everything I said, but there is zero reason to listen to me.

I'll be the first to tell someone to chase their dreams, I just don't think the average 16 year old really knows what they are still going to want out of life ten years down the road.

Best of luck to you though.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Nathan
I think you have a great idea ! But do a business plan maybe with two females and a male . How much to feed them . What are you going to pay for them ? How many eggs the first year ? Should I keep going ?

 

[NathanMorrow6]

Alright for some reason I wasn't getting notifications so this got a lot of answers whilst I was gone.

First off, I'm getting a group of horsfieldii because I think it's a good species to start with. They'll be housed indoors in an 8x4 with some separate enclosures ready, and they'll live outside during the warm months in probably a 10x15 or so. I want to practice the breeding process (hibernation, incubation, etc.), and then get some experience with the hatchlings once they hatch.

I plan on starting slow with species, but I want to start with cold tolerant species to save room, at at some point purchase a 2-4 thousand dollar metal garage and insulate it and start working with humidity/heat loving species.

I appreciate everyone saying good luck and things of that nature.

As for the 16 year old comments, you're right in a way, but at the same time, I respectfully disagree. I am 16, but I'll be in college next year, and I'll be living at home. I'll have money to put into this, and I'll go at a pace that I can control.

Another thing, this isn't about money. I said it up there, but my goal is to be recognized as a conservation minded business. I am interested in conservation, but I want it to fund itself for the most part once it's established.

This isn't some all or nothing risk taking project. I'm going to school, I'm going to get a job in a successful and growing field, and this will be my side project. I'll be at this property every day 7 days a week because I'm passionate about it. And then once I retire, it'll be my everyday job.

Anyways, like I said thank you for the positive stuff, and thank you for the criticisms. This isn't all planned out yet, and nothing can be for sure, but I believe that with the right amount of effort and good choices that it's possible. Obviously I can't tell anyone what will or won't happen, and it's all just being hopeful, really.

If anyone has any thoughts they'd like to share, please do. I think that conservation is a team effort, and although I want to start a large project myself, I want everyone to be a part of it.

Nathan