What to look for when buying a russian tortoise
First, off i would recommend not getting a tortoise from a brand name pet store such as petco etc. They take poor care of there pets and chances are you might end up getting a sick one. However, if you feel the need to rescue a tortoise that is probably the place to go. Craig's List is a good place to look or any privately owned store. If you plan to order a tortoise from online make sure the site is repuatable and ships over night or 2 day first class shipping to where ever you live.
Secondly, before you buy any tortoise it is good to examine the shell and look for shell rot. If any part of the shell is soft or bleeding then there is shell rot. Also check for cracks in the shell. If the shell feels empty when you pick it up it is a sign that the tortoise is sick. Check the eyes to make sure that they are clear and alert and that there is no pus coming from them or the nose.
It is always good to ask the owner how it tortoise has been taken care of: what do you feed it?, how ofte does it eat?, does it get outside? After buying a tortoise from anywhere is always good to have it taking to reptile vet. This can be quite expensive, about 50 dollars for the visit, 15 to have the feces cultures (to find out what bacteria it has), and 15 for a urine examination. If you think something might be wrong with your tostoise then this is definitely worth it as they will most likely out live you if taken care of properly but not 100% necessary.
Secondly, before you buy any tortoise it is good to examine the shell and look for shell rot. If any part of the shell is soft or bleeding then there is shell rot. Also check for cracks in the shell. If the shell feels empty when you pick it up it is a sign that the tortoise is sick. Check the eyes to make sure that they are clear and alert and that there is no pus coming from them or the nose.
It is always good to ask the owner how it tortoise has been taken care of: what do you feed it?, how ofte does it eat?, does it get outside? After buying a tortoise from anywhere is always good to have it taking to reptile vet. This can be quite expensive, about 50 dollars for the visit, 15 to have the feces cultures (to find out what bacteria it has), and 15 for a urine examination. If you think something might be wrong with your tostoise then this is definitely worth it as they will most likely out live you if taken care of properly but not 100% necessary.
posted by Z.J. at 9:37 PM
1 Comments:
Great to see someone into Russian Tortoises! I've read over your blog and look forward to reading more of your thoughts.
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