The Differences: Wild Caught Tortoises vs Captive Bred Tortoises

Today's Topic-

Wild Caught vs Captive Bred

Which is better? I don't believe one is better than the other, but it is more based off of preference. 

Below are some comparisons between the two. 

Wild Caught tortoises: 

PROS: 

• Depending on the species, may be cheaper to buy than captive bred 
• "Easier" to care for than captive bred (captive bred tortoise are almost always sold as babies which have more care requirements) 
• Good for breeding purposes 
• Juvenile or adult age 

CONS: 

• Juvenile or adult age 
• Accurate age is unknown
• Taken from the wild and may take a longer time to get used to you
• Comes with parasites, other unknown illnesses 
• Shell may not be as pretty/smooth as captive bred (scratches, scars, etc acquired in the wild) 

Captive Bred tortoises: 

PROS: 

• Depending on where you live, can be purchased locally 
• Bred in the same country/state you live 
• Can raise it from a baby to adulthood (the tortoise will grow with you)
• May be more friendly to you because he/she has been handled by humans since birth 
• Not taken from the wild 
• Can purchase species that cannot be imported 

CONS: 

• May be a more expensive than wild caught depending on the species 
• Purchased as a baby (~4 weeks old and up) 
• Require more care requirements than adults, thus are more fragile to own 
• May not be suitable for children in terms of handling and size 
• Tortoise may outlive you (who will take care of it when you're gone?) 

Either way, owning a tortoise is not easy work regardless of it being wild caught or captive bred. Please ensure that proper care is given to your tortoise. 

Any thoughts or difference that we missed? 

Give us a comment!