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| About Marcus Langford | ||
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I have been involved with reptiles since I was a child, when we collected Slow Worms and Common Lizards (not to mention newts and tadpoles) which then seemed to be in such abundance. This interest inevitably led to serious involvement in reptile conservation in my home county of Dorset. Shortly after I finished my university training as a pharmacist (and so became Marcus Langford B.Pharm M.R.Pharm.S.), I became a member of the British Herpetological Society Conservation Committee and was involved in British reptile conservation work almost continuously from 1983 until the HCT (Herpetological Conservation Trust) came into being in the late 90's, taking over most of its roles, and I had less free time due to family commitments. I have been a member of the British Herpetological Society since 1982, and of The Portsmouth Reptile and Amphibian Society (PRAS) and the International Herpetological Society (IHS) since 1995. I am also a long-standing member of The Tortoise Trust. I attended the Tortoise Trust 'Masterclass on Chelonian Husbandry' study day in Swindon in 2001 and I completed the Tortoise Trust's unrivalled 'Foundation Course in Chelonian Husbandry' in July 2007. Both of these have enabled me not only to provide better care for my own tortoises but also to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information possible to the people who buy my baby tortoises. The result is that I am confident that all my baby tortoises will thrive in the care of their new owners even if they have never kept a tortoise before.
I have also been a member of the Tortoise Protection Group since its inception in 2007. I have been keeping and breeding reptiles for over two decades now, initially native species of lizards, extending to other European species of lizards and snakes and in more recent times Mediterranean tortoises (since 1995), and currently some of the more exotic species like the Yemen Chameleon(since 2001), Panther Chameleon (since 2005) and the Indian Star Tortoise (since 2001). I currently specialise in tortoises and chameleons and my fascination for these animals continues to grow year after year. I breed more Indian Star Tortoises than anyone else in the UK and have pioneered much of the husbandry techniques myself in the absence of any up-to-date books on the subject of their care, and precious little on their breeding. I am also one of the UKs top breeders of both Yemen and Panther Chameleons Because of my grounding in conservation you will only find captive-bred reptiles born here in the UK on my price lists and it is important to note that every animal I sell has been bred by me. I believe wild reptile populations are under enough threat from habitat destruction and climate change without commercial exploitation so you can make a difference to the survival of wild reptile populations by buying your reptiles direct from a breeder like myself, who can guarantee that they have been bred in captivity. So I am a breeder of reptiles and I do not 'buy and sell-on' reptiles at a profit as many of the people in shops and many of those advertising reptiles for sale on the internet do. These people are traders often selling imported reptiles, and out to make a quick profit, not breeders like me who care for their animals 365 days a year and nurture their offspring. This is particularly the case with tortoises - the majority of tortoises, of many different species, available for sale in the UK - are imported, some of which are still caught and shipped to the UK direct from the wild. It is very difficult to prove whether the tortoises a dealer or trader is offering for sale are actually genuinely captive-bred (it is very easy for them to say that they are, they will even write it down for you, but very unlikely they will supply you with proper documentary evidence to verify that what they tell you is true). My own UK captive-bred tortoises are 100% healthy (I will never sell a sickly animal) and completely disease-free which cannot be guaranteed with any wild-caught or imported reptile which often carry parasites, viruses and/or bacteria which inevitably cause them to become sick often months after you have bought one. My tortoises have never travelled anywhere in their lives and have not have been subjected to the sub-optimal conditions (such as chilling or contact with other unrelated reptile species) during international shipping that imported tortoises will have had to endure. Both the Tortoise Trust and the Tortoise Protection Group are campaigning to ban the import of tortoises for these very reasons. Check out their links on http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/imports.html and http://www.tortoise-protection-group.org.uk/mission%20statement.html My philosophy is that the well-being of my reptile 'partners' is as important to me as their ability to produce income. The result is that my animals are in effect family members and their offspring are the best that I can make available to you, and are guaranteed fit, healthy and well-cared for. I will also always make sure that you have all the information and are able to obtain all the equipment you need to keep them that way. I will supply you with a comprehensive care-sheet and will also recommend a more in-depth reference book which covers your animal. Even if you have never kept a tortoise or chameleon before you can be confident of maintaining one of my youngsters correctly and in the best of health, so don't be put off by the fact that they appear rather more exotic than a hamster or a rabbit. Most of my reptiles are available as babies or as youngsters and this gives you a unique opportunity to observe them grow and reach adulthood in your care, with the unique satisfaction inherent in rearing any animal. When you buy an animal from me, my commitment does not end there - you are always welcome to phone or e-mail me for further advice or if you think you have a problem. Do look at my reptile pages. I cater for everyone from the first-time would-be reptile owner (it is always rewarding to start someone off with their first chameleon or tortoise and to be given progress reports on it as it grows and flourishes) to those of you who have experience with keeping reptiles already and who would like to try a different species. Do contact me for a free care-sheet if you are thinking of buying a particular reptile listed on my website - I will always give you clear and accurate advice to help you decide whether the tortoise or chameleon in which you are interested is suitable for you. I have young tortoises and chameleons - all of which are bred by myself - available to buy at most times of the year. I will always make sure you have everything you need to keep your animal correctly and in perfect health. Thank you for visiting my website - do enjoy your reptiles and treat them with the care and respect they deserve. |
| Marcus Langford Reptiles © 2007 |