# Sonoran Desert tortoise



## KateZ (Dec 10, 2016)

Hello,

I just found the tortoise forum today and haven't stopped reading the posts. I love the knowledge sharing and photo viewing. I am learning a lot. Thank you.

I have had a Sonoran Desert tortoise for 9 months after adopting him from the Arizona Tortoise Protection agency. He is eight years old. His name is Donatello and I think he is an amazing title guy. He is currently hibernating and I find that I miss him a lot. 

This week I also became the proud owner of a one year old African Leopard tortoise. He seems so small in comparison. 

Donatello, my Sonoran, prefers his converted dog house to his burrough. It is heated and filled with substrate, peat moss and dirt. In the summer he basks at the entrance until he is warm enough and awake enough to venture out for food.


Thank you all for the great posts and advise I a,m sure to continue he to learn about these amazing little guys.


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## dmmj (Dec 10, 2016)

don't worry your leopard tortoise be very big very soon, they are the fourth largest land tortoise


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (Dec 10, 2016)

Hi Kate


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## Yvonne G (Dec 11, 2016)

Welcome to the Forum, Kate!

I know your leopard is small now, but I wanted to remind you that when it gets big enough to live in the yard, you still need to keep it separate from the desert tortoise. Mixing species can cause illness and even death in one or the other.


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## KateZ (Dec 11, 2016)

Thank you. I have had so much fun building outdoor habitats. I have two now. One for each on separate sides of the yard. Do you think that there is a problem letting them go on separate days to a huge lawn area? About 30 ft by 20 feet. Could they get contaminants left by the other one the day before? May not be a good idea. They do each have sod in their own habitat.


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