• Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

  • IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! About the Google Adsense ads being displayed

    =====================
    Posted 08/15/2025
    =====================


    Yeah, I know. They are a pain in the butt. But they pay the bills to keep my server running. Just a fact of life, I am afraid.

    Want to get rid of them? Simple. Just become a Contributor level member or above and they will be gone. -> Please click HERE."

    Is that too much for me to ask of you to keep this site running? Well, sorry about that. I too wish I could get everything for free. But alas.....

    =====================
    Addendum: 01/10/2026
    =====================


    Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....

Info Scam - Tortoise Center .com - www.tortoisecenter.com

Arizona Tortoise Compound

Arizona Tortoise Compound

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This website is a scam, they have used all of our photos and information sheets that we have listed on Arizona Tortoise Compound. Also some other information taken from Turtles and Tortoise Inc. Buyer beware! Give them a call at 424 286 6516 and let them know we do not like scammers in our community.
 
Andrew I notified them of your thread, this is their reply to me:



From: "Tortoise Center" <[email protected]>
To: xxxxxx(I crossed out my email)
Sent: Monday, February 6, 2017 4:01:32 PM
Subject: Re: Contact Us Form Submission

Sounds ridiculous,
I guess that is an aggressive tactics from competitors or something.

Who has time for all that?

We are legit and we have trading for many years now.

But we have not have such dis credible messages before.

Thanks we have to get to the bottom of it

Andrew, can you please post proof of infringement, that the photos are original and yours on your site, and that the Tortoise Center has subsequently used them without permission?
 
I recognize many of those photos as belonging to Andrew Hermes, Sam Pascucci, and others.

This has a similar vibe to the Tortoise World scam site. An African scamming operation.
 
nickolasanastasiou said:
I recognize many of those photos as belonging to Andrew Hermes, Sam Pascucci, and others.

This has a similar vibe to the Tortoise World scam site. An African scamming operation.
Click to expand...

I know the photos to belong too Andrew, & Sam as well..

I contacted them about a 6" Aldabra that weighs 16 pounds,(no 6 inch weighs 16 pounds) for only $650, told the guy, I'd come and pick up at his location, which he told me was Atlanta, Georgia, (his phone # is a west Los Angeles number) He told me he'd deliver to my location, I asked when, he has yet to reply....

GUARANTEED Scam!

Lynn Peterson
Big Time Reptiles
 
The United Kingdom seems like a prime place to raise tortoises?
 

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The phone number has a Los Angeles CA area code. A quick google search does not turn anything up. They do not appear to be listed on the California Secretary of State or BBB sites either. This seems unusual for a place that has supposedly been in business for 25 years.
I also think it's interesting that they must deliver the tortoises personally due to the fact that "all major airlines have a heat embargo for snub nose Tortoise, so we will not be able to ship any of our Tortoise via cargo with any airline"...."one of our staff members will take your Tortoise on the plane in a soft crate which fits right under the seat".
I've never had a breeder offer to do that before.
But then, I don't even know what a snub nose tortoise is.
 
They got back with me,

From: Tortoise Center <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Contact Us Form Submission
Date: February 6, 2017 at 3:57:16 PM CST
To: [email protected]

Hello we will come deliver to your location then, since you don't want the shipping of a thing


I asked: Are you going to answer me? As to when you are bringing the tortoise?

THANKS!

Lynn


His answer: Certainly I will do the necessary arrangements and get her over to you tomorrow.

Definitely A Scam...

Lynn Peterson
Big Time Reptiles
 
Herpin Man said:
But then, I don't even know what a snub nose tortoise is.
Click to expand...

They copied it from an Airlines website, which all of them say NO Snub nose dogs, or puppies, will be accepted for shipping during summer months.

Snub nose dogs, Pugs, English & French Bulldogs, etc.

They took out dog, and added tortoise.

The only reason I know this, we raise a snub nose breed.

Lynn Peterson
Big Time Reptiles




 
lillyorchid said:
On their website, they list this address for returns.....
http://www.tortoisecentre.co.uk/Refunds and Exchanges.aspx
1. Please email [email protected] to request a refund.

2. Mail your returned item to:

Wilton Pet Centre
95-97 Pound Lane/Bowers Gifford
Basildon,
Essex
SS13 2HN
United Kingdom.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking that business is legit, and the scammers took their name, the same as they took photos from legit breeders, and used em'.....

I went to the website in the UK, the prices are definitely with in reason for the tortoises being advertised for sale on that site, unlike the bogus website, mentioned earlier.

Lynn Peterson
Big Time Reptiles
 
Scammers did this on purpose. Tortoise center vs. Tortoise centre. It gave me some hassle earlier too.

Tortoise Centre = like Lynn I believe they are a legit business.
 
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