Picking out a tortoise

[Nami The tortoise]

Hey!
I had some questions about how to pick out a Russian. What does a healthy one look like? How do you know it's a good one to get? Should you try to hold it first? ( Sorry for the newbie questions )
Thanks

 

[jeninak907]

Active, clear eyes and nose. Eating, good weight. It shouldnt feel light or "empty". Look at its environment, does the person keeping it know how to keep it? If you get one from the pet store (petsmart or petco) they usually are wild cought so they would mostlikely be less active or not active at all because in their natral habitat they would be hibernating right now.

 

[Nami The tortoise]

Active, clear eyes and nose. Eating, good weight. It shouldnt feel light or "empty". Look at its environment, does the person keeping it know how to keep it? If you get one from the pet store (petsmart or petco) they usually are wild cought so they would mostlikely be less active or not active at all because in their natral habitat they would be hibernating right now.

This is really helpful, thanks so much for responding!

 

[jeninak907]

Active, clear eyes and nose. Eating, good weight. It shouldnt feel light or "empty". Look at its environment, does the person keeping it know how to keep it? If you get one from the pet store (petsmart or petco) they usually are wild cought so they would mostlikely be less active or not active at all because in their natral habitat they would be hibernating right now.

This is really helpful, thanks so much for responding!

No problem here is a good website also http://russiantortoise.net/care_sheet.htm I use it all the time.

 

[Nami The tortoise]

Active, clear eyes and nose. Eating, good weight. It shouldnt feel light or "empty". Look at its environment, does the person keeping it know how to keep it? If you get one from the pet store (petsmart or petco) they usually are wild cought so they would mostlikely be less active or not active at all because in their natral habitat they would be hibernating right now.

This is really helpful, thanks so much for responding!

No problem here is a good website also http://russiantortoise.net/care_sheet.htm I use it all the time.

This really helped too, I am really exited for the new Russian, all this information really helps...I feel confident that I will be able to take really good care of it ! Thank you!

 

[jeninak907]

Active, clear eyes and nose. Eating, good weight. It shouldnt feel light or "empty". Look at its environment, does the person keeping it know how to keep it? If you get one from the pet store (petsmart or petco) they usually are wild cought so they would mostlikely be less active or not active at all because in their natral habitat they would be hibernating right now.

This is really helpful, thanks so much for responding!

No problem here is a good website also http://russiantortoise.net/care_sheet.htm I use it all the time.

This really helped too, I am really exited for the new Russian, all this information really helps...I feel confident that I will be able to take really good care of it ! Thank you!

Good luck! And your welcome. Give your tort time when you first bring it home. It might be shy and not eat alot. It takes about a week for them to get comfortable. So dont push it just give it space, I would say look but dont touch unless you have to. That way it can settle in with less stress. Later you can do the hanging out. It will be happier that way.

 

[TortoiseBoy1999]

Active, clear eyes and nose. Eating, good weight. It shouldnt feel light or "empty". Look at its environment, does the person keeping it know how to keep it? If you get one from the pet store (petsmart or petco) they usually are wild cought so they would mostlikely be less active or not active at all because in their natral habitat they would be hibernating right now.

Yes, these are perfect things to look for

 

[Nami The tortoise]

Thank you all...sorry to just add this on there but I've heard bad things about getting them from pet stores, if anybody knows a good place to get a Russian that maybe you in the past have used I would greatly appreciate it

 

[TortoiseBoy1999]

Thank you all...sorry to just add this on there but I've heard bad things about getting them from pet stores, if anybody knows a good place to get a Russian that maybe you in the past have used I would greatly appreciate it

Try Craigslist

 

[Nami The tortoise]

Thank you all...sorry to just add this on there but I've heard bad things about getting them from pet stores, if anybody knows a good place to get a Russian that maybe you in the past have used I would greatly appreciate it

Try Craigslist

Thanks

 

[lynnedit]

Often tortoises on Craigslist are not kept in the best conditions. But Russians are amazingly hardy. So if they look relatively healthy, they will often thrive with better care.
The nice thing about getting a tortoise this way as you are helping at least one tort toward a better life!

Also watch the 'for sale' and 'adoption' section on this site, although Russians are not as commonly available.

 

[Nami The tortoise]

Often tortoises on Craigslist are not kept in the best conditions. But Russians are amazingly hardy. So if they look relatively healthy, they will often thrive with better care.
The nice thing about getting a tortoise this way as you are helping at least one tort toward a better life!

Also watch the 'for sale' and 'adoption' section on this site, although Russians are not as commonly available.

Yes, I noticed they aren't common, sadly I haven't found any luck anywhere hopefully one will turn up...thanks.