Buying a turtle should be a well-considered choice. A turtle lives for decades and it is therefore a long-term responsibility that we are led to assume. You must also follow strict regulations, obtain a license to hold or even resell if that is your goal. A turtle has a significant cost. Before the purchase, during and especially after, with costs throughout its life, whether medical, food or everyday life.
What budget should you plan for if you plan to become the owner of a turtle? It is important to know the expenses that you are about to incur to know if you are ready to meet all the needs of the animal. This concerns both the cost of purchase and the costs to be incurred throughout the existence of the chelonian.
Purchase cost
Land turtles are more expensive than aquatic turtles. In either case, buying a turtle is not trivial. We often spend one or even several hundred euros.
In fact, everything will really depend on the species in question. Hermann’s tortoise, the best known of all, sells for between 150 and 500€. It is important to remember that the sale and possession of Hermann’s tortoises from the natural environment are prohibited.
It will cost you 180 to 400€ for a Greek or Levantine tortoise, or even 150 to 600€ for a bordered or marginated tortoise. A leopard tortoise can be bought for around €150, while you can go up to €2,000 for a spurred tortoise of about fifty centimeters, €2,500 to €3,000 for an Indian star tortoise, a Madagascar tortoise and a Burmese tortoise.
The cheapest? These are undoubtedly the steppe tortoises, which usually cost around a hundred euros.
The accessories
The accessories to buy will depend on the nature of your turtle. Terrestrial, it will need a terrarium or an outdoor enclosure. Aquatic, it will need an aquarium with, most often, a dry corner. In any case, you will have to buy his place of residence before acquiring your turtle.
Think big, because a juvenile turtle doesn’t stay small for long. It grows rapidly and will subsequently need landscaping. Count more than a hundred euros for a terrarium already including the main accessories (UV fluorescent tube, water point and heating). As for the enclosure, you will have to create it with your own hands. It should be secure. Do not forget a corner of grass, plant compost and a water point as well as plants. For an aquarium, do not forget the filter to clean impurities and allow your reptile to evolve in a healthy environment.
The terrarium must contain a substrate (tree bark, compost and earth) so that your turtle can evolve there safely. Do not hesitate to add hiding places, rocks.
Food costs are not that high. Count all the same between 20 and 30€ per month in vegetables, fruits and vitamin/calcium supplements. Plants are not the most expensive and as your turtle likes many fruits, you will be able to alternate according to the seasons.
medical expenses
Your turtle may outlive you. Some are over a hundred years old. It happens, like humans, that yours gets sick. In this case, you will need to consult a NAC specialist, whose prices are generally 45 to 60 euros for a routine visit.
However, your turtle can develop certain pathologies such as eye problems, anorexia, diarrhea or even respiratory infections. Drug treatment will drive up the bill. Surgery will cost several hundred euros. You must be prepared to spend more than expected. The best thing is still to reduce the risks by allowing your turtle to evolve daily in a healthy and suitable environment.
The place of purchase
The purchase of a tortoise is regulated in France. Depending on the species, you must apply for a permit to keep non-domestic animals. Thereafter, you will have to send a CERFA document by registered letter to the Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations.
Buy from a professional breeder
We advise you to go through a professional breeder. A turtle requires constant attention, care, and a healthy environment. All that can be offered by a person qualified to hold and raise a reptile of this kind. As it is a protected species whose sale is regulated, make sure that your seller is in good standing. In addition, a turtle is always chipped in order to identify it.
pet stores
Not all pet stores do the right thing when it comes to keeping pets healthy. Maybe a little less turtles, but still. beware
