Where to Order Tortoise Online
It is best to order tortoises on the internet from reptile shops that specialize in these species. buy tortoises usa can help you find the perfect tortoise to meet your requirements, and provide guidance on habitats, lighting and humidity requirements, as well as heat and other essential accessories.
Tortoises are a long-lived animal which can live for as long as 100 years. These fascinating creatures require a lot of care.
How to select the tortoise
If you're planning to purchase a tortoise through the internet, make sure the seller is reliable and sells captive-bred animals. Captive-bred reptiles are less likely to become sick because they've been raised in the conditions they need. They are also generally healthier and more social than tortoises that come from the wild.
Also consider the amount of time you have to devote to caring for your pet. Tortoises are a long-term commitment. They can live as long as 80 years in captivity. Do you know someone who will take care of your tortoise should you not provide it with the required care?
You can check the health of the tortoise and see it in person when you purchase from local breeders. A well-cared-for tortoise appears alert and be healthy in body weight. Its shell should be firm and free of bruises, cracks, or other injuries. Its plastron must have a springy feeling (but do not hold a tortoise baby in your hands because it could be extremely stressful). The legs should be strong and muscular. The eyes, the skin and the vent should be free of discharge.
Before purchasing a tortoise request from the seller an Article 10 certificate. This is a document the seller must sign to show that the tortoise has been microchipped and given an ID number. In the US, it is required to complete this form prior to selling any tortoise.
It's recommended to bring your tortoise's pet to a veterinarian who is experienced in exotic pets and has experience with tortoises. The vet will check the animal for signs of disease, parasites and other problems. He or she may suggest an examination of the feces and blood tests, especially if the tortoise was imported illegally or was imported from a different country. A fecal test will help determine the presence of Salmonella bacteria which can be extremely harmful to tortoises and humans. The vet will also conduct an overall checkup and determine the age of the tortoise. In the US hatchlings and young tortoises are sold when they reach 4 inches in length. This is to distinguish males from females.
Tortoise Care
Tortoises live long and require special attention. tortoises for sale should think about your ability to care for tortoises before purchasing one online. This is particularly true when you're searching for an exotic tortoise that cannot be found in pet stores. Tortoises imported from their native countries have a higher chance of suffering from illness or injury when they are shipped. The purchase of captive-bred turtles reduces the chance of suffering from this.
You'll have to consider how much space you have available for a cage for tortoises. African spurred tortoises (also called Leopard tortoises) and Burmese Mountain Tortoises require a lot of space to move around and graze. They will not thrive in a cramped home environment. Russian, Hingeback and Mediterranean tortoises are smaller and best suited to homes with a limited outdoor space.
You must have a big habitat for your tortoise. Include an attractive reptile carpet or a substrate. It's crucial that the environment has a hiding place and a water dish that is shallow. Tortoises rely on soaking to hydrate, defecate and clean themselves. Soaks should be administered two to three times a week for 10-15 minutes. Soaking dishes should be slender and constructed from an material that allows the tortoise to easily enter and exit without drowning. Soaking dishes need to be cleaned and disinfected every day to avoid the spread of bacterial infections.
Other equipment required include the daytime UVB bulb and fixture, a nighttime bulb or ceramic heat emitter, a humidifier, spray bottles to mist, an automatic fogger, a terrarium thermometer and an vivarium lighting. You'll also require an food bowl and a shallow dish of water, and tortoise feed.
A lavishly decorated tortoise enclosure can be another option to give your pet a personal touch. You can decorate your enclosure with plants and stones that are safe for the tortoise. Make sure that your pet has an area that is warm in the enclosure for basking and cool sides with an enclosure with a cave or hide box to find shelter.
If you'd like to play with your pet tortoise, it's important that you allow it to become accustomed to you and trust you before handling it often. Tortoises are prone to stress when they are handled too frequently. It's also crucial to have someone on hand to take care of your tortoise in the event that you aren't able to be around. The person must be able to follow your tortoise's care instructions precisely and know when to call a vet.
Tortoise Feeding
The needs of tortoises for food a specific species vary hugely however all tortoises require a diverse diet and an adequate supply of both calcium and UV-B. This doesn't mean a supermarket salad, but rather an appropriately varied selection of delicious nutritious, nutrient-rich plant species that a tortoise would find in the wild. The tortoise is supposed to graze and browse daily in daylight hours or after it has been laid to rest for the night. Tortoises who are forced into continuous feeding patterns throughout the year show horrific rates of metabolic bone disease (see the latest article "Tortoise Shell Deformities: a View From Inside').
The food should be provided in a shallow dish that is suitable, and should never be left uneaten for long in order to avoid rotting and other health risks. During tortoises for sale of grazing the tortoise must be fed as much food as it can consume within 20 minutes. This allows the tortoise consume food without placing too much stress on its jaws, and prevents the so-called 'beak' located in front of the tortoise from becoming overgrown.
Certain species require fruits in their diet. This is particularly important for rainforest species like Red-footed and Yellow-footed Tortoises. Fruits should only be served in small quantities, but not more than once a day. They must also be cleaned to eliminate any contaminants, like pesticides or other chemical compounds which may be found in the flesh or on the skin of the fruit.
A variety of fruits can be offered to a tortoise. However, it is recommended to avoid them in the event that a tortoise is predisposed to diarrhoea. It is also worth avoiding foods that are high in goitrogens or oxalic acids. Oxalic acid may bind to calcium and prevent absorption, while goitrogens can interfere with thyroid function. In the same way some of the cruciferous vegetables which are frequently recommended as a part of a tortoise's diet like collards greens, turnips, mustard and bok choy - are high in the oxalic acid.
Tortoise Health
It is crucial to only buy a tortoise from a seller who is familiar with the species. Reptile shops and people at reptile shows/expos are excellent choices since they can give you the best guidance regarding how to care for your new pet. They will also be able to provide you with the appropriate equipment, such as an enclosure for tortoises. They will know how to recognize signs of illness and will be in a position to answer any questions you may have. This is a far better option than buying a tortoise from a large pet store, since the tortoise might have been fighting with other animals while in a small aquarium, which could cause stress and damage their shell.
Tortoises can live for up to 50 years. It is important to plan their care and to provide them with the best possible environment to enjoy their life. Proper nutrition, housing, and the environment are the primary factors.
If your tortoise is sick, you should take it to a vet who is experienced with exotic animals. A veterinarian who is unfamiliar with tortoises can cause disastrous consequences.
A tortoise's illness is characterized by swelling of the neck and limbs as well as difficulty in moving, loss of appetite, or an overflow of fecal excretions. These signs are indicative of problems with digestion the kidneys, liver or intestines and should be treated immediately by a reptile vet.
The swelling of the neck or the limbs of a tortoise could be caused by trouble digesting food insects, insect bites or parasitic infections, toxin buildup, constipation or a combination of these issues. Soaking the tortoise in warm water for 30 minutes in a water bath, with the level only covering its plastron (bottom shell) is usually enough to alleviate this condition. It is also possible to treat this issue by increasing the tortoise's fibre intake, adding dandelion root to the feed or giving it liquid parafin or lactulose.
A healthy tortoise is active, its muscles will be strong and it will walk with its bottom shell, known as the plastron, clear of the ground. It will also dig easily and climb up with ease.