Putting new tortoises together...help

[Proud mum & dad to Dexter]

Hi

We have a tortoise and am considering getting a second one. Our first tortoise was in the shop in the viv with 2 others, and we now want to buy one of the other ones that it was in the shop with....

Do we still need to quarentine it even though they have lived together already for a year?

Thanks

[Frase]

how long ago did you get him? how long has he been apart from these two?

I think purely to the fact they are in a viv at the local shop and they are shop bought and not private breeder, i would prefer to leave it a couple of months myself just on the off chance, it might be a pain in the bum at the moment but it could save you a lot of stress and upset and money in the long term by preventing possible illness and vet bills.

[Proud mum & dad to Dexter]

we bought our first one in Sept this year and want to get the other one on Dec.

[Frase]

well still, leave it for a month seperated maybe ? I would wait for more experienced guys to give proper answer but i would still be vry cautious, its not a cheap old game is it lol.

[annsimpson1]

how do you know, after all this time that its the same tort? thats the main reason for separation, couldn't the shop owner say it was from the same batch simply to make a sale after all they do all look alike. Most shops have a reasonable turn over of their stock they wouldn't sell them if they had them sitting around for months plus you don't know that they came from the same source in the first place, shops don't usually bother with quarantine and they aren't usually together for long. It can takes months for any sign of illness to show so unless you can be 100% sure its the same tort from the same breeder I'd not take any risks.

[EVIEMAY]

The origin of the tortoise should determine whether or not to give them a longer quarentine period - do you know where they have come from originally?

If they have been living together for a year and no other tortoise has been introduced to the viv in the the pet shop then I would only quarentine for a few weeks - get a feacal sample checked and then introduce them.

Purplepixie would proberly be the best one to give advise on this.

[EVIEMAY]

Originally Posted by annsimpson1

how do you know, after all this time that its the same tort? thats the main reason for separation, couldn't the shop owner say it was from the same batch simply to make a sale after all they do all look alike. Most shops have a reasonable turn over of their stock they wouldn't sell them if they had them sitting around for months plus you don't know that they came from the same source in the first place, shops don't usually bother with quarantine and they aren't usually together for long. It can takes months for any sign of illness to show so unless you can be 100% sure its the same tort from the same breeder I'd not take any risks.

As mentioned it does come down to how well you trust the petshop.

As Ann has mentioned it can take months for any sign of illness and because of this I think the recommended period has been extended.

I think you take a chance what ever the length of quarentine unless you really know where the tortoise has come from.

[Proud mum & dad to Dexter]

Thanks guys

They are def the same torts, they have coloured dots on them, and everytime we go in to the store my fella spends ages looking at them, inspecting their shells etc ha...but cos ours werent in the best condition when we got him home and checked over, thats the reason we want to rescue the other one, bring him to a nicer home than the horrible cramped pet shop.

So to get another one basicall, we'd need a separate enclosure? Yeh Frase, that is expensive haha. Well we have another appt at the vet soon, so maybe I shall ask for her opinion also.

Thanks again

[Proud mum & dad to Dexter]

Oh and they are bothe Hermanns, from slovenia.

[Frase]

yeah wellk just be careful. a temporary setup is potentially so much cheaper and safe for your torts (both of them) then the vet charges and stuff.