Here at West Berks Tortoises we produce and care for some of the best home-bred tortoises in Berkshire.
My name is Gary and I’ve been passionate about tortoises since I had my first pet tortoise bought for me at the tender age of two!
“Winnie” Number 1 Tortoise
She was a female Hermann’s tortoise and was named after my Nan’s next door neighbour “Winnie”. 50 years later, she is still with me and is still “number one” amongst my small collection. Four years ago she had her first hatchlings. They were perfect in every way and inspired me to breed tortoises and create this site.
Breeding tortoises is endlessly fascinating. Like birds, they are egg layers, but instead of nests they bury their eggs in soft earth. In their natural Mediterranean habitat, the sun would heat the earth to incubate the eggs. When our tortoises lay eggs, my son Jack and I delicately dig up the eggs and incubate them under a heat lamp for around 55 days before the baby hatchlings start to emerge. We have some photos of our females laying their eggs here.
Once the babies have hatched they are very tiny as you can see in our baby pictures. They require a little special care for a few days and then within weeks they are ready to go to their new homes.
This year I have a small number of home bred Hermanns tortoises for sale. So if you would like to buy a tortoise please call me on 0797 956 2896 or contact us using the form on the contact us page and we’ll get back to you to arrange a meeting.
Everything you need to know to care for your new baby tortoise can be found on our baby tortoise care page. And as your tortoise grows up, further information on what to do to make sure it’s happy and healthy can be found here.
Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we’re asked about buying a tortoise.
Q. How much is a tortoise?
A. Our Tortoises cost £100 each or £180 for two.
Q. Should they be kept in pairs or is one OK on its own?
A. They are fine on their own.
Q. Do I need any special equipment before buying a tortoise?
A. If you’re going to keep your tortoise table indoors we recommend a tortoise table and a good UV light (we recommend a 100Watt UV Megaray light). Vivariums are not suitable for our tortoises. We do make a few tortoise tables ourselves each year, but they sell out very quickly.
Q. Can you send me a tortoise?
A. No. We don’t entrust the care of our animals to any courier company, they must be collected in person.
Q. What do I do if I have a problem with my new tortoise?
A. Call us. We’ll be able to discuss any issues and advise you what to do.
Q. Why should I bother going to a breeder when my local pet shop has a tortoise for sale?
A. Some pet shops offer tortoises bought from UK breeders, but this is not always the case. Some of them have been taken from their natural habitats and sold with fraudulent paper work. These tortoises are often traumatised and may be contaminated. The safest way to buy a tortoise is from a breeder, where you have the opportunity to discuss its breeding and also learn more about the care of your new Hermann tortoise.
Q. Do your tortoises have all the legal paperwork?
A. Yes. They are all supplied with the legally required Article 10 certification.
Q. What is the collective noun for tortoises?
A. It’s a creep of tortoises. Not actually a frequently asked question, but fun to know!
