Some tortoise prices

[River14]

I think these are very much cheaper in Hong Kong? HK$ divide by 7.7 to get US$

 

[dmarcus]

Its to bad they got the different types crammed in the same cage.

 

[River14]

Everything is too bad about the housing. I bet most of these animals will take three to four months to die once bought.

 

[egyptiandan]

Yes the price for Star tortoises is much cheaper than it is here. The price for Sulcatas is about the same as here.

Danny

 

[River14]

The Stars are further divided by symmetric of pattern, a small white cross painted on their backs means you can get them even cheaper because they have four stars down one side and five down the other or two stars are not spaced evenly as the others etc.

Far as Im concerned this is not on. A tortoise is a tortoise and needs the same care and attention and expense on its keep no matter what its pattern is, the prices should all be the same.

I was a bit shocked today as I needed to get some cactus at the Goldfish market, the number of Stars out there is literally hundreds and hundreds.

Just a year ago amongst much publicity 300 were confiscated at customs here and again amongst much publicity distributed around the world to zoos and recognised private conservationist keepers (not dealers) by the AFD and Tortoise Trust. Some were even sent back to India in an effort to conserve the creatures. Yet the pet shops are overflowing with them now. Something is not right.

Many hatchlings and juveniles, also plenty of Greek, leopard, pancake, red foot, etc etc hatchlings . Many adult Sulcatas and Leopards as people find they grow too big for an apartment and sell them back to the shops. Someone came into the store pushing an enormous Sulcata on a trolley while I was in there.
Im told they captive breed Indian Stars and Madagascar Radiated tortoises in India and Madagascar and now in China! I just dont know what to believe anymore on this score.

Its all upfront no hiding, so I can only assume there is some kind of loophole in the law being worked?

It seems the world has suddenly gone tortoise mad, turtles are hardly visible these days. Few years ago it was the exact opposite a tortoise was a rare sight. Now with tortoises and turtles all facing huge pressures of habitate distruction and poaching and and and this also doesn't seem quite right! I wonder what the heck is going on?

 

[River14]

Will take more pictures. Was heart broken to see a relatively large aldabra for sale sitting an aquarium that it could just fit into. It couldn't turn around or move forward or backwards. I don't know where it came from but as far as Im concerned the original seller must take the blame. Its up to them to ensure where their tortoises end up. In the UK the breeders have very strict rules and demands for anyone buying their tortoises they also very rarely export.

 

[TortieLuver]

Oh that makes me cringe to look at those Sulcatas with the stars. Most people label star tortoises as a "fragile" tortoise and often times we here of ones dying, however, it is often associated with mixed species. Stars are very susceptible to parasites, more so than other species. Too bad they can't separate them.

 

[River14]

It makes me cringe to see any different species together. Some are and some not in the market, but you can never know where and how they were before. Often imported in one mixed lot.

 

[River14]

BTW Stars are nothing of the sort.......fragile! Only wild caught Stars are fragile and dont often survive. Captive bred are exceedingly easy and rewarding same as a sulcata or even Aldabra.