# Where did you get your DT?



## JLuck13 (Mar 12, 2012)

Hi all, long time tort owner first time poster. I was at the LA Zoo with my fiancÃ© yesterday to see the new reptile layer and man was it awesome!!! They have a giant outdoor enclosure and had a good sized DT cruising around in it and it got me interested in working with the species. I know it's illegal to basically buy/sell/collect them I just don't know the legal ways to acquire one. I'd love a hatchling but bet those are a wee bit harder to get lol


They had some giant Aldabras too that we're just magnificent!


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## Yvonne G (Mar 12, 2012)

Hi JLuck13:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

*What would you like us to call you?*

Do you live in the Southern Calif. area? There are many chapters of the California Turtle and Tortoise club down there and they always have adult male desert tortoises to adopt out.


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## ascott (Mar 12, 2012)

Welcome to the Forum 

I practically grew up at the LA Zoo.... and Griffith Park and love Travel Town...I have not been to the zoo there for about five years....they use to have a big old alligator that was there ever since I was little and he was there the last time we went...he is one of my absolute favs....I could sit and watch him for hours...even if he was just basking..lol

Yvonne is right, if you are in Cali...then you can adopt one from the CTTC....I know up here in the high desert they have some big ole boy CDTs that need a place to call home....

I had my first one after finding him after he was dropped off at a park...felt bad for him because he had a broken horn that was still attached to his neck skin....another came to me after being removed from a person that had been stealing them from the desert and since he had been around other tortoise he was not allowed to be released back...and the other two came to me after a prior boss of mine decided he was moving out of state.....so they just chill and hang out here.....I just am absolutely in love with this species of tortoise...


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## ALDABRAMAN (Mar 12, 2012)

*Welcome!*


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## JLuck13 (Mar 12, 2012)

Thanks for the welcome guys  my name is Jason btw.

I'm in Yorba Linda right now so I'm sure meeting up with the CTTC wouldn't be a problem. I would kinda stay away from adult males simply because I'm currently in a town home and while we're allowed small pens for dogs, building an out door enclosure for a full grown adult would prolly get me kicked out lol. I have a reptile room set up though and have an 5x8 ft space that I could build a tort table in which would be more than enough room for a baby/juvi I'm sure. I'll be in my own house in the next few years but for now this is it lol. Currently I'm keeping two little silicates babies on a table the same size and their doing fine so change the substrate/plants around a little and I'm sure I could do DTs. My retics and chameleons need so much heat/humidity the room seems to lend itself to not having to worry about humidity levels or ambient air temps lol


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## Shelly (Mar 13, 2012)

ascott said:


> I practically grew up at the LA Zoo....they use to have a big old alligator that was there ever since I was little and he was there the last time we went...he is one of my absolute favs...



The one missing the toes? He's still there. When he was little, my son would run all the way from the car to his enclosure!
I have 4 DTs. I have a 2 year old I adopted from Yvonne, a 13 year old male I adopted as a hatchling, a 16 year old Female I traded a male for, and a 58 year old female I adopted from the CTTC 14 years ago. I also rescued/fostered 3 males at various times from people that could no longer care for them. They all found good homes.


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## ascott (Mar 13, 2012)

Lol...Shelly...very cool...I have to say I never noticed missing toes! I was always too busy staring at his smile teeth eyes and tail....lol...now I will have to look at his toes when we go again...


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## Janine2566 (Jun 3, 2012)

The CTTC do not like to adopt out their torts. I have a 50X50 area ready for a tortoise water, shade native plants etc and still waiting after a year. So, if anyone has 1 or 2 that need a good home let me know. I am in Yucaipa.


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## dmmj (Jun 3, 2012)

Janine2566 said:


> The CTTC do not like to adopt out their torts. I have a 50X50 area ready for a tortoise water, shade native plants etc and still waiting after a year. So, if anyone has 1 or 2 that need a good home let me know. I am in Yucaipa.


I am gonna disagree with you, That is the CTTC's main job is adopting out CDT's

To the OP the CTTC may not adopt one out to you since you live in a town home and can't provide an outdoor enclosure for it.


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## Laura (Jun 3, 2012)

I would wait to get a DT until you are settled into your own place with BIG yard. Your sulcatas and your DT would have to have seperate enclosures and outside is best.. 
CTTC has rules for adoption, and they will turn some people down, but they Do adopt out. 
A adult Male DT is Nothing compared to a adult sulcata.. let alone 2 of them HA!
Welcome... 
stick around... learn and when you move you will be ready!


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## kimber_lee_314 (Jun 3, 2012)

The Chino CTTC has several DTs ready to be adopted right now. I also saw the San Diego Tortoise Society has a lot of DTs on their adoption list. I have never had a problem adopting from the CTTC so I would start there. Good luck!


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## 2torts4me (Jun 22, 2012)

We saw that big ol guy recently too! SO COOL! My torts came to me from a friend.


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