HOW DO I FIND A MATE FOR A SEX STARVED TORTOISE?

Do not advertise. Even people using a box number have been duped by thieves who pretend they have a possible mate and talk owners into giving an address. Instead, contact the Tortoise Trust (BM Tortoise, London WC1N 3XX), sending in an s.a.e. and a photo of the tortoise next to a ruler, so that they can first check what species he is. It is important, for conservation and for safety reasons, to get the same species of female tortoise! Finding a mate may not be the right thing to do. There are disease risks in introducing tortoises. Before an introduction any new tortoise should be quarantined for six months. The danger is that it may bring in something called runny nose syndrome. Make sure that the female is not too old.

IS MY FEMALE TORTOISE TOO OLD TO MATE?

Elderly female tortoises (over the age of 30) who have never been bred from or who do not regularly lay eggs are in danger, if mated for the first time. They often have egg retention problems unless they have laid regularly. Treatment is long and costly with a high percentage of fatalities. They should be kept separate from males. The other danger is that their shells, which thin with age, may be harmed by attempts to mate.