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CAPTIVE BORN TORTOISES & SNAKES FOR SALE
Periodically we sell tortoises that we have hatched at the Institute. These are offspring from tortoises that we have either hatched and reared to adulthood or that were hatchling or juvenile tortoises that we have raised to adulthood. The species that are available will be listed here and you can either fill out the order form and send it to us or you can pay for the purchase through Paypal online.
Why are we Selling Tortoises?
We are carrying out a number of on going research projects with a number of species including reproductive hormones through their reproductive cycles, various
behavior studies, and ultrasound (low frequency communications). Until recently much of the support for this work and the cost of maintaining these animals has been paid through to donation of funds from our company and donations and grants. We are retiring now. Our work will be devoted to teaching, mentoring, helping with conservation efforts, and our research. None of these will be able to replace the funding from our consulting work. So the excess animals are either loaned to qualified institutions or individuals, traded for tortoises we need, or sold.
OUR EFFORTS TO EDUCATE AND TO ENCOURAGE PROPER HUSBANDRY
We will provide a fact sheet about the species you are interested in purchasing. This will be emailed to you prior to purchase. It will explain food, water, cover, need for sunlight, and what we know about the natural history of the species. Two things...
First, if you cannot provide an outside enclosure for the tortoise during the growing season, then please do not purchase our tortoises.
Second, if you get tired of or decide you cannot keep the animal, we will be glad to take the animal back from you. We will not purchase it back but we will pay for shipment. We cannot take really sick animals and hope you will give it up before stress and other issues cause the animal to get sick.
PLEASE DO NOT RELEASE THESE ANIMALS IN THE WILD OR GIVE OR SELL THE ANIMALS TO SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW ABOUT PROPER HUSBANDRY.
Breeding Tortoises
We encourage you to keep one tortoise and enjoy it. We hope to put out info soon on how to train your tortoise to be friendly and responsive. For some reason many people want a pair of tortoises (it is very difficult to sex immature tortoises in many species). If I have a female, it will be twice as expensive as a
male. Why, because there is no need of people trying to breed tortoises unless they want to get into the business. That will likely be 10-20 years after you get your first juvenile female. Second, we usually need more females than we have. There is a propensity for producing males in captivity due to incubation methods. Most people spay or neuter dogs and cats because they realize the problems of having kittens or puppies. Well, you have to first care for eggs (incubator is needed) and then hatchlings with totally different food and habitat requirements.
SUN AND GRASS
IF YOU CANNOT PROVIDE A SUNNY, SECURE OUTDOOR HABITAT FOR THE TORTOISE WITH A WEED AND GRASS BASED FORAGE DON'T BUY OURS OR ANYONE ELSE'S TORTOISE
(for most Savannah, desert, or Mediterranean tortoises - with some needing very special forage as well). Indoor tortoises are far more likely to suffer
diseases and deformities than those that are kept outdoors most of the time. Details about this and enclosures will be in the handout that you receive.
ABOUT THE SNAKES
Snakes are from captive born parents that were acquired as yearlings or hatchlings. They are from the private collection of Dr. Elliott Jacobson, a veterinarian with expertise in reptile medicine and disease.
CURRENTLY IN STOCK
The incubator is full of eggs but we currently have no hatchlings. Please check with us again in June 2011 which is the earliest we expect to have tortoises for sale. The status of tortoises for sale will be updated when hatchlings are a minimum of 3 months old.
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