Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Recently purchased a group of recent imported Chacos. Has anyone else purchased any and if you did, what has been your experience with them?
Ed

I have a group of them, they did ok inside, but soon as I got them outside they did 110% better. I tried to simulate there natural habitat. I have one male that won't leave the females alone. Those of you that keep them inside, how do they do?

Andy

get them to a vet ASAP. Have fecals done and if you can afford to do it have blood work done. These guys are real heart breakers.

They can do great for years and then crash. I've had the best luck keeping them indoors but I'm still holding my breath.

I recently acquired 4 really good looking animals after loosing I'm going to say how many. I really like these guys but they seem to be very difficult to acclimate for any lenth of time.

I did sell quite a few to different people who didn't lose any so I don't know the secret but I do know that they are heavily parasitized when they are imported.
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

Thank you for the info. Over the years we have had heartbreak with impressa,galbi and many other species, but you learn.
Our tortoise vet moved out of Florida, very hard to find a good tortoise vet. What has been the main problem with the imports? We are in Florida.
Pat & Ed Ruby

Chacos are in the same class as the species you mentioned. Once you have the individuals in your care acclimated they are bullet proof BUT getting them acclimated can be a female dog.

Of all that I lost I had 5 necropsied and they all died of different things. The medical cost was about 2 grand. The heartbreak was even more expensive. You will see what I mean if you have them for any length of time.

They are the most active and personable of any tortoise I've ever kept.

What I think is the most important is to clean out the protozoa. Keep them warm and dry. They do seem to like it hot...

Heck, email me and I'll send you an article I wrote for Reptiles that will give you my take on the keeping of the species.
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

Are these being legally imported now or smuggled in like the Pancakes and Indians?

Just curious.

Scott

Typical.

Paraguay has a limited quota for exporting Chacos. This is the way it should be.

These are not rare tortoises by any means.

Most importers will not touch them because of the reputation but with so many people trying to get their hands on them there is usually a willing importer.

Where these came from, I don't know but they do look familiar.

>>Are these being legally imported now or smuggled in like the Pancakes and Indians?
>>
>>
>>Just curious.
>>
>>Scott
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

I don't know about the Stars but the pancakes are being legally imported.

F/W has this industry under a microscope. If the paperwork is in order they allow the product in. It's as easy as that.

An example. A friend was importing some tortoises. F/W suspected that they were not CB. They had no way of proving that they were no but confescated the animals anyway. They are doing their job. What this means that most of the critters you see on the market in the US are legal.

Now, what countries are doing on the sending end is their business.
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

any imported star is illegal.... They are kinda like box turtle in america, they arnt allowed to be exported from its country of orgin.

A lot of tortoise "rare" or hard to find in the U.S. arnt rare somewhere else. Chaco's in South america i here are quite common speices and arnt going extinct... but they are declining.

I never tried chaco tortoises but i read and people told me they can be tough in captivity. I say if you want to try it record your experience, Maybe one day people will start breeding them on a scale where you will see CB babies on the market.