Buying a tortoise for the first time should not be taken likely as you must understand their basic needs. The main factors that you need to take into account before going ahead with your purchase are:

• Initial setup costs for equipment to house your tortoise.

• The upkeep costs (i.e. replacing lamps and electricity costs, etc).

• Could you afford the Veterinary costs that might lye ahead?

• Is your garden big enough (space)?

• Do you have any other pets in the household?

• Do you have any small children?

• Do you have enough free time to look after tortoises as they are not low maintenance?

• Have you carried out your research prior to buying a tortoise (i.e. diet and accommodation, etc)?

• Who and where are you buying your tortoise from?

Of course there are more points I could add to this list but these are just a few of the main ones you need to ask yourself before committing to keeping a tortoise as you may find it's much more involved than you originally thought. If you are buying a hatchling tortoise, you are not just thinking about the present but also the future years ahead when your tortoise becomes fully grown. A tortoise really is for life. There's a good chance you will be leaving it/them in your will.

So, where do I buy a tortoise from?

We recommend that you only purchase from a reputable breeder who offers pre and post sales advice and support. Also you need to make sure that your purchase meets all the legal requirements.

Please do not confuse a 'Dealer' with a 'Breeder'.

A 'Dealer' can be a high street pet shop who claim that their tortoises are UK captive bred when they're not. They may be illegally imported. Some shops will even try and sell you a tortoise without issuing the correct paperwork. Always make sure that the 'Country of Origin' on the certificate states 'United Kingdom'. A genuine 'Breeder' will be reputable and recognised within the tortoise community. When buying from a 'Breeder', you will receive the correct paperwork and may also benefit from being able to see the breeding adults. In the 'Quick Links' navigation pane you can find a list of 'Genuine Breeders' in the UK.

Below is a video courtesy of the Tortoise Protection Group, which shows the illegal importation of tortoises. The idea behind showing this video on our site is so that it will give people a greater awareness before setting out to purchase a tortoise. We want to give our full support against this kind of commercial activity taking place. This video is quite sad and graphic, so if you are amongst the faint hearted, you may wish not to view it.

Checklist for buying a healthy tortoise:

1)  Eyes - Should be clear and bright.

2)  Nose - Should be dry, and there should be no signs of bubbling or sneezing and that there is no wheezing or breathing through the mouth.

3)  Mouth - The tongue should be a healthy pink and again no signs of bubbling. Any drool or a white discharge inside the mouth could indicate a condition called stomatitis. The beak should fit snugly, with the upper section just covering the lower section. Overshot or undershot beak (where either the upper lower jaw is too long) can sometimes lead to problems with feeding.

4)  Shell - Should be firm, after the tort is a month old, should not feel soft or spongy, yet the plastron can still have a little spring to it after they are a month old, I have to stress it is very bad for babies to be squeezed And should be done ever so carefully with very little pressure and only done this one time to check when buying the tort, The shell should also be smooth and still have lustre. Check the underside (plastron) for signs pinkness, which may indicate a lack of calcium or the start of septicaemia. Signs of softness may indicate shell rot, a serious condition requiring veterinary treatment.

5)  Diet - Make sure you see the tort eating and that the tort is being fed a healthy diet of weeds and not pellets.

6)  Limbs - Reflexes, ever so gently tug on the back leg, to see if the torts pulls it back towards the shell. Ask if you can see the animal walk before you buy. Do not choose a cold time when the animal may not want to move, or a very hot time when it will probably be resting. When it does walk it should be high on its feet and not drag its plastron along the ground.

7)  Tail - The tail should be dry and clean, unless there is evidence that the animal recently passed water. If there is any faecal matter in the area, check that it is not runny and that there are no signs of worms.

8)  Skin - The skin around a tortoise's neck is quite soft and occasionally flakes off in small pieces, this is quite natural.

9)  Activity - make sure the tortoise is active.

10)  Housing - Check that it is being kept in the right conditions not in a vivarium.

11)  Breeders - With any good breeder you should be able to see the parents and that there is the right amount of parents for the number of babies they are selling.

Alternatively you can download this checklist as a Word Document should you want to print a copy off to take with you when purchasing your tortoise.