Buying from a local breeder or collector is always a good option for people looking to adopt a pet turtle. A local breeder is often someone who breeds a small amount of turtles as a hobby and there are many advantages to buying from such a person. Here are a few advantages if you choose to take this route in acquiring a pet turtle:
Most non commercial, local turtle breeders are very careful with their turtles and offer turtles that are in good health. (If this was not the case, it would be very unlikely that they would have any young turtles to sell).
The breeders will have a wealth of knowledge and experience from keeping and raising a specific species of turtle for some time. They will be able to answer all the questions you may have and share any useful advice on how to best care for your turtle.
There are also a few negatives about local breeders that you must consider before deciding to buy your turtle this way. Here are a few things you may need to think about before buying your turtle from a local breeder:
One of the biggest problems in dealing with non-commercial turtle breeders is actually finding one in your area. Non-commercial turtle breeders are much harder to find than hobbyist who breed other reptiles such as snakes and lizards. You may live in a large city and still it will be difficult to find a turtle breeder who lives close enough to make travelling easier.
Breeding turtles is an expensive and space conceiving task so most turtle breeders will stick to breeding only one species of turtle, even though you will find the occasional turtle breeder who breeds a small amount of different species. For this reason, the chances of finding a turtle breeder who sells your ideal turtle species may be slim. Variety is not always an option when you decide to buy your turtle this way.
Turtle breeders also sell their stock very quickly sometimes as soon as the turtle has hatched. It’s always a case of first come first serve and your luck may be out when trying to buy your ideal turtle. You may want to ask the breeder to put you on a waiting list or get in contact with you when they have the turtle you want in stock.
This is definitely not your only option when it comes to buying a turtle. There are other means and you may want to find out more about mail order and commercial turtle breeders.
