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Tortoise Hatchlings For Sale
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Marginated Tortoises
(Testudo marginata)
Marginated tortoises are possibly the biggest and most beautiful of all the Testudo species. Adults (see photos below) have a wonderful black shell color, with lighter centers on each scute and they appear quite graceful, with their elongated shape and the characteristically flaring rear marginal scutes. Add to that the fact that they mature quickly and are incredibly hardy and you have one of the best pet tortoises available.
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These are three week old marginated tortoises.
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Price and Shipping
My marginated tortoise hatchlings are $125 each. I ship by UPS Next Day Air, which has proven to be very reliable. Shipping rates vary depending upon your zipcode, but generally shipping is between $45 and $60 to any zipcode in the contenental USA. Bad weather (too hot or too cold) may prevent shipping until more favorable conditions return. I generally cannot ship to the East Coast or Midwest between the months of December and March. I do not discount for wholesalers or jobbers.
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General Care Instructions
Marginated tortoises are very hardy and require the same care as that provided to Greek, Hermann's and Russian tortoises. During the warm months of the year, the hatchlings should be kept outdoors in spacious, well planted enclosures that are covered with wire or plastic mesh. In the winter, they should either be hibernated or brought indoors and kept in "summertime conditions." It's important not to keep these tortoises too warm indoors and a good rule of thumb is if the room is comfortable for you, it's comfortable for your tortoises. If it's too warm for you, it's too warm for them. Aquariums are not suitable for housing marginated tortoises indoors because they are generally too small and they hold too much heat. Large, shallow, open tubs are best for indoor housing for these tortoises. The tub should be fitted with an incandescent bulb to provide a warm basking area and a U/V producing fluorescent light for additional lighting. These tortoises come from temperate (not tropical) regions, so provided your house does not get colder than 50 degrees at night, they will need no additional night heat - they do beautifully at nighttime temperatures that are comfortable for you in your home.
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Diet and Feeding
Marginated tortoises should be fed daily a mixed diet of greens (escarole, endive, dandelion, kale, mustard, turnip) with a little fruit (tomato, apple, berries) and/or veggies (squashes, broccoli, okra, corn) added. I add liberal amounts of calcium supplement (Repcal with vitamin D3) and vitamin supplement (Reptivite) at each feeding. Outdoors, they will supplement their diet with the grass, clover and weeds that grow in their pen. They should be provided with a shallow dish of water each day.
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How Big Will They Get?
This is probably the question I get asked more than any other. Marginated tortoises are the largest of the European tortoise species, but are still smaller than many of the other tortoises commonly kept as pets, such as redfoot, yellowfoot, sulcata and leopard tortoises. Marginated tortoises grow fairly quickly and can reach breeding size in 7 to 8 years. I've seen an old male (40+ years old) that was about as big as a computer monitor, so they can get to be good sized animals. I have 9 year old breeding females that weigh about 7 pounds and a 14 year old male that weighs almost 8 pounds, each of the three being roughly the size of a football. The pictures below will give you an idea of what adult marginated tortoises look like.
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ABOVE: Adult female marginated tortoise that hatched in 1993, with a 3 year old juvenile.
LEFT: Adult male marginated tortoise that is 14 years old.
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To Place An Order Or For More Information
Please email me to order hatchlings or for detailed care sheets. Also, please follow the links below to see the other tortoise species I have available. I can be reached at:
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Other Tortoises Available For Sale
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