# Found tortoise, north Las Vegas, Craig and Valley.



## BenHurDover (May 5, 2020)

So I encountered Benji in an unlikely place. A neighborhood surrounded with much pavement and not much desert suitable for desert tortoises for miles. He(assuming, opinions appreciated) had red all over his mouth which I thought was good at the time but after letting him get comfortable at home and I felt okay staring at him with fascination without possibly stressing him out I noticed he may have been hurt or been hurt on his horn type uper lip slightly damaging it. It was not too bad has since healed. But this gave me the idea a hawk bird of prey may have transported him from his home (attempted to devour him) but somehow allowed him to escape. His shell seems rather unscathed though so idk. Anyway I heard sulcata tortoises are popularly breeded here in Vegas and this neighborhood does have homes with backyard up to an acre in size. This being said I think it's possible someone's tortoises eggs hatched(considering breeders do not always keep their eggs I doors, idk) and one escaped. LONG STORY SHORT, I NEED TO KNOW MY JUVENILE TORTOISES BREED, ESTIMATED AGE AND GENDER. If you don't feel comfortable determining the 2nd two that's fine. THANK YOU! He has turned into the most outgoing, personality filled pet I've ever owned. He came to be the best pet ever rather quickly for a wild tortoise because of how young I found him or what, idk. I am so happy with the gift god gave me by putting this amazing creature before me and am dying to know more about my new life partner. Ty


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## Toddrickfl1 (May 5, 2020)

Not a Sulcata. It's some kind of desert Tortoise.


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## Markw84 (May 5, 2020)

That is a desert tortoises. It is very young. Less than 1 yr old.


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## MichaelL (May 5, 2020)

Wow so light colored!


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## LasTortugasNinja (May 5, 2020)

Nevada has strict laws governing desert tortoises, so you may want to look into what kind of permits you need to keep your new friend. With protected species, there are no “finders keepers” laws.


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## KarenSoCal (May 6, 2020)

Many people have desert torts in Nevada, so don't be afraid someone is going to take him from you. They won't.

In CA you fill out an application from Fish & Game, and receive a permit and a sticker that the tort wears on his shell. That permit is free.

Nevada might do it the same way. There are tortoise clubs in your area. Give one of them a call.


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## Yvonne G (May 6, 2020)

He's very dry. Soak him daily for about 15 minutes in a bowl he can't climb out of, warm water.


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## BenHurDover (May 13, 2020)

Markw84 said:


> That is a desert tortoises. It is very young. Less than 1 yr old.


Thank you. I thought so but was not sure from what I was told.


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## BenHurDover (May 13, 2020)

LasTortugasNinja said:


> Nevada has strict laws governing desert tortoises, so you may want to look into what kind of permits you need to keep your new friend. With protected species, there are no “finders keepers” laws.


I'm going to as soon as he gets a


KarenSoCal said:


> Many people have desert torts in Nevada, so don't be afraid someone is going to take him from you. They won't.
> 
> In CA you fill out an application from Fish & Game, and receive a permit and a sticker that the tort wears on his shell. That permit is free.
> 
> Nevada might do it the same way. There are tortoise clubs in your area. Give one of them a call.


Are you sure they won't take him even considering his age?


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## KarenSoCal (May 13, 2020)

I really don't think it matters what his age is. He can't go back to the wild, and they already have hundreds, if not thousands of them to care for and try to find homes for.

In AZ, there are state requirements that must be met re' his outdoor enclosure and burrow. I don't know if NV has that or not, but you should find out. In AZ, that might only be true if you are adopting from Game & Fish. They have an informative website. 




__





AZGFD







www.azgfd.com





Sorry I don't know anything about NV. I do know that Las Vegas has a huge population of backyard torts.


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## turtlesailor (Jul 14, 2020)

In Nevada, you might need a permit to hold possession of captive desert tortoise. You are not consider the owner of the tortoise. But a custodian looking after them on your property. lol

I would call the Tortoise Group NV
www.tortoisegroup.org/


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## Coco Channell (Aug 9, 2020)

BenHurDover said:


> So I encountered Benji in an unlikely place. A neighborhood surrounded with much pavement and not much desert suitable for desert tortoises for miles. He(assuming, opinions appreciated) had red all over his mouth which I thought was good at the time but after letting him get comfortable at home and I felt okay staring at him with fascination without possibly stressing him out I noticed he may have been hurt or been hurt on his horn type uper lip slightly damaging it. It was not too bad has since healed. But this gave me the idea a hawk bird of prey may have transported him from his home (attempted to devour him) but somehow allowed him to escape. His shell seems rather unscathed though so idk. Anyway I heard sulcata tortoises are popularly breeded here in Vegas and this neighborhood does have homes with backyard up to an acre in size. This being said I think it's possible someone's tortoises eggs hatched(considering breeders do not always keep their eggs I doors, idk) and one escaped. LONG STORY SHORT, I NEED TO KNOW MY JUVENILE TORTOISES BREED, ESTIMATED AGE AND GENDER. If you don't feel comfortable determining the 2nd two that's fine. THANK YOU! He has turned into the most outgoing, personality filled pet I've ever owned. He came to be the best pet ever rather quickly for a wild tortoise because of how young I found him or what, idk. I am so happy with the gift god gave me by putting this amazing creature before me and am dying to know more about my new life partner. Ty
> 
> View attachment 293517
> View attachment 293518
> ...


I live in Vegas and have a 11 month ET who looks like yours. I have mother too. They love red hibiscus flowers. They are very smart and loving


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## Coco Channell (Aug 9, 2020)

Keep him in house and only let out for hour or two supervised. Birds and rats here in Vegas love baby desert tortoises


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## Tom (Aug 9, 2020)

I agree its a desert tortoise. Too young to know the sex. The different types of tortoises are not breeds. They are individual species. This species is Gopherus agassizii. Most of the care info you find is old, out-dated, wrong info. Here is the correct care info:





The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise


I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...




tortoiseforum.org





Get some spineless opuntia cactus pads and plant them around your property. These will be excellent food for your tortoise. Mulberry trees and grapevines both provide leaves that are also excellent tortoises food. Grass is also an important component.


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## Coco Channell (Aug 10, 2020)

This is ET s house he likes to sleep in little box. I bring him out 3 to 4 hours a day. In yard supervised and in my kitchen 
Grreeenhouse window. He likes to eat there and look out window.
I live near you if you want to see my outside burrow for Pixie Mother
Carol


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