Hatchling, youngster, or adult?

[Jacqui]

I was just curious as to how everybody in here felt. What is your preference, when buying a tortoise. Do you like those adorable hatchlings? A little older youngster? Or do you like adults?

I myself have a thing for adults, especially older animals. It's not just with torts, it's with everything...dogs, cats, ect.., Youngsters have the "ahh!!" cute and adorable factor and I do enjoy watching them grow, but there is just a special attraction and magic to the older animals for me.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I prefer hatchlings. I used to foster hatchling Gopherus agassizii for my sister, then when they were a year old I would return them to her and she would adopt then out. Hatchlings are hard to get started on the right path, eating healthy foods and developing good habits. Altho just recently I am discovering that adults are a lot less work...

 

[egyptiandan]

I usually prefer adults, like Jacqui but I have the knack with hatchling like Maggie. So if adults aren't available or to expensive than hatchlings are just fine.
I also seem to do my share of fostering hatchlings, whether tortoises, land turtles or water turtles. If friends have hard to raise hatchlings I seem to get them. It is nice most of the time when they go home.

Danny

 

[tortoisenerd]

We're a one tortoise family (at least for the timebeing!), and wanted a hatchling so we could watch him grow up and feel more connected in that way. Also, buying a hatchling almost 100% guaranteed he was cb and that we weren't being lied to. He's been a lot of work so far but I'm enjoying it--looking forward to having him as part of our family for many many years. I've been justifying all my recent purchases due to his lifespan, as a lot of people actually spend more money on their dog, but they won't live as long, lol. And, hatchlings are just plain adorable. It was recommended to me to take pictures with a ruler because even with a length/weight log, I wouldn't remember how little he is now.

 

[Millerlite]

Depends on the species, with harder species like my Indian star tortoises i like them to be well started and passed the fragile state of hatchling, but with greeks and hermanns i like hatchlings. I also like sub adults and adults because they can go into an outdoor enclosure and not have to be indoors for being way small.

I guess both have the advantages, lol.. I like hatching the most though,

 

[gummybearpoop]

I like hatchlings or youngsters because I like watching them grow up(though it takes FOREVER!)

I think the oldest tortoise I have purchased was 2 years old.

I have never purchased an adult. I guess mostly because the prices for what I want are just a lot more than I'd be willing to pay.

 

[Crazy1]

I've given this some serious thought and decided. I love the adults, easy to care for; my oldest two being about 40, yes WC, but the hatchlings they produced well they stole my heart. Difficult at times, yes. Fun, yes. Educational, yes. Hard work, yes. But that goes for the adults as well. I think in some of us babies are just cute no matter what species they are (maybe a parental thing) so now as one who has been touched by older adults, sub adults, juveniles, hatchlings and eggs. I can say each stage has its pros and cons, but I truly love each and every stage. And if someone placed one at each stage in front of me and told me I could have my pick, well like a true tort person I’d have to say I’d take them all.

 

[JustAnja]

Babies are ultimately adorable but I really prefer adults of just about any animal. LOL I dont have the patience to raise babies for some reason, whether its torts or snakes. ;D