What to Look for when Buying a Tortoise

You will of course want any tortoise you purchase to be healthy, and for this reason the TPG urge you to buy from a reputable breeder.  If you are tempted to buy from a pet shop, garden centre, or over the internet, then you stand a very good chance of purchasing a tortoise that will subsequently suffer from illness and could cost considerable sums in veterinary fees.  Tortoises are often very slow to exhibit signs of illness (which makes the time-based refund offered by commercial sellers of little worth), and it is not easy to judge the health of a tortoise from initial observations.  However, listed below are a number of signs that you should look for in any tortoise you purchase.  Although they are no guarantee of good health, they are a strong indication that the tortoise is healthy.

Listed below are some points to look for to ensure that, as far as is possible to tell, you are buying a healthy tortoise.

 1) The eyes are usually black and should be open, clear and bright.

2)  The nose should be dry, there should be no signs of bubbling or wheezing or breathing through the mouth.

3)  Check the mouth and if it opens, the tongue should be a healthy pink and no signs of bubbling. The  beak should fit snugly, with the upper beak just covering the lower beak.

4)  The shell should be firm, after the tortoise is a month old, it should not feel soft or spongy, yet the  plastron can still have a little spring to it during the first year.  The plastron area should not be pink in  colour.

5)  There shouldn’t be any cracks or other damage on the shell.

6)  There shouldn’t be any wounds or hard lumps on the legs or neck and head, especially around the ear area.

7)  The tail area should be clean.  If faeces has been passed it should not be loose and runny.  Worms should not be present.

8)  Make sure the tortoise is active when in a warm environment.

9)  The tortoise should walk with its plastron (underneath shell) clear of the ground using strong legs.  The  hind legs shouldn’t be dragged behind it on the floor.  The tortoise should walk forward and not around  in circles.

10) The tortoise should be accompanied by the correct documentation and if the tortoise which is being  purchased is microchipped then it is advisable to have the tortoise scanned by a vet to ensure the  microchip details supplied with the tortoise, match the tortoise.