# just out of curiosity..........................



## XxDarkEuphoriaxX (Aug 19, 2009)

Is the florida gopher tortoises diet comparable to say, a sulcuta or leopard tortoise? 
:being mainly grasses and weeds etc: 
if one was to be in captivity, would the manori tortoise diet be good/bad along with yard grass and dandelion, occasional romaine leaf every other day. 
are they said to be a "personable" tortoise?


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## bettinge (Aug 19, 2009)

I can't answer your question, but I just wanted to say I admire you for doing your research and not making a rash choice! You and the tort will be happier for that!

Let us know your final choice and why!!!


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## XxDarkEuphoriaxX (Aug 19, 2009)

yeah i tend to go crazy when I get interested in something and research literally for hours on end... and talk about what I find out, then everyone tells me to stop talking about it because they are tired about hearing it over and over etc....but thats just how I am.. heh.


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## bettinge (Aug 19, 2009)

Much more admirable than buying on a whim!


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## XxDarkEuphoriaxX (Aug 21, 2009)

well I might have said tortoise...


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## Meg90 (Aug 21, 2009)

If you actually do have it, put it _back_. Its cruel to remove something from its natural habitat for nothing more than a human want. Its wrong, and It is 1000000% ILLEGAL. You can't just go grab a wild tortoise, especially NOT this one. They are FEDERALLY protected. You get a fine for even TOUCHING one to move it out of your yard.

http://www.nbbd.com/godo/ef/gtortoise/


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## Crazy1 (Aug 21, 2009)

Now I can't speak to Gopherus polyphemus but I can to Gopherus agassizii and their diet is almost the same as a Sulcata or leopard, in fact most desert dwelling tortoise diets are closely related. There is a long list under the food section on the forum. 
The personallity of Gopherus agassizii is great. They are wonderful tortoises and respond well to their keepers. Well the several I have had and the two I currently have do anyway. They come out whenever they hear my voice.  I would assume from what I have read on Gopherus polyphemus ithey are very much the same.


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## Maggie Cummings (Aug 21, 2009)

I agree with Meg totally on this one. If you have removed one from the wild you need to put it back where you found it. Meg quotes about laws to prevent you from moving them, but my reasons for wanting you to put it backs is...you don't just take *ONE* tortoise from the wild. You effectively also remove all that torts off spring, and the off spring of the off spring of the off spring...ad infinitum
so when you remove one tortoise from the wild it's not just one, it's hundreds.


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## Crazy1 (Aug 21, 2009)

Now I answered regarding diet and personality. But I assumed you do not have one of these Gopherus polyphemus that have been taken from the wild! Because Meg and Maggie are right it is illegal just as taking a Gopherus agassizii from the wild or even touching one in CA is illegal.


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## Yvonne G (Aug 21, 2009)

I've read and re-read the OP and I don't see where it says he might have one. Also, if I'm doing it correctly, the OP is in Tipton, CA.

Yvonne


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## Maggie Cummings (Aug 21, 2009)

I trusted that Meg knew something I didn't. If you didn't take a tortoise from the wild I certainly apologize to you...Meg??? What's going on here???


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## Meg90 (Aug 21, 2009)

This is what I am talking about. 

He asks what the diet and personality are, and when he is told, that they are a nice species, he says:



XxDarkEuphoriaxX said:


> well I might have said tortoise...



Which is the "hypothetical" way of saying that he has it for real.


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## Madortoise (Aug 21, 2009)

I hear you all about the laws but please...I am always concerned whenever there is accusation and judgement before there is a need for more clarify. It makes visiting this site less attractive.


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## Meg90 (Aug 21, 2009)

If he hasn't done what I think he's implying, I will be the first to apologize. What I don't like is the idea of people using this site as an outlet to gather information on a species that is illegal to take into captivity in the first place.


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## dmmj (Aug 21, 2009)

the OP did not sound like they had one, that being said if he/she lives in calif he/she can't have a florida desert tortoise unless it is removed from the wild. As shipping across state lines would be illegal and morally wrong, for an endangered species. If OP lives in florida well I don't really know the laws regarding their desert tortoises, I am only concerned with CA desert tortoise laws.


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## Crazy1 (Aug 21, 2009)

I agree, we must be careful not to accuse someone of illegal activities. There are ways people can obtain permits legally to keep both Gopherus polyphemus as well as Gopherus agassizii. I agree with Yvonne and Mado we should not assume because someone is asking questions that he/she has illegally obtained a species of tort. 

Meg in this instance I think you believed he/she had illegally obtained a Gopherus polyphemus. But he/she never stated they had the tortoise. Care needs to be taken not to accuse a member of illegal activity. I realize you are passionate about this type of thing as are many others on the site, but unless he/she states he/she took it from the wild illegally, then you should not assume so. I am glad you did not accuse him/her of taking a tort from the wild and Mado is correct it does make it less attractive to visit here if Jugements are made simply on mis-information or what one person believes is "implied". 
I do research on different species of tortoise that are on CITES I, that does not mean I have one. 
Thank you for handling this in a more gentle manner than in the past, keep working at it.


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## 13skoots (Aug 25, 2009)

It appears to me that the statement some of us are using to condemn this person is nothing other than the writer correcting his use of the word turtle, to the word tortoise. I may not be right, but the meaning presented by the accuser seems to require a major stretch of imagination. I am sure everyone meant well, but even if our accusations were correct, this poor guy got railroaded.
This forum, if it is to serve its members and visitors properly must be remain professional. That means sticking to the subject of the thread. If information is requested, and we wish to share our knowledge and experience we should respond. I see nothing wrong with straying from the subject if needed to let somebody know they have or are about to do something not allowed by law. An excellent example of this occured recently on this forum when somebody appeared to about to incubate eggs artifically. This was a case where violation was clear due to photos, not by reading between the lines. We must not cheapen this forum like so many forums have. I would suggest that even if somebody clearly state an intention to do something not legal that if you reply to them with information they have requested you let them know the law. A forum of this level should not accuse somebody by simply saying there is a law against it. All laws are codified. A Proper accusation must state this codification so others may research and come to their own conclusions. The information this forum has supplied me has been invaluable. It has definitly improved the quality of living for my tortoises. The best part of it the open mindedness of all of you. You believe that everybody who makes an inquiry has the best of intentions and any law violation accurs only because somebody is not aware of it. In that case, a polite mention allows the violator to come in to compliance. Let the other forums do mudslinging and argue with each other about who knows the "right" way to do things. sorry to have stayed so very far from the subject of this thread and to be so long winded but I did want to express my opinion that this forum is for information and experiences exchanging and I appreciate everybody who does so.


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## katesgoey (Aug 25, 2009)

While I can see how the language "have said" tortoise may be interpreted the way it was by another member, I agree that the forum is to help educate. If he/she has/had the tortoise it is important it is cared for properly whether or not he/she should have it and then educating about what the law is may have helped ensure its safe return. But I also noticed that the inquiry was one of many of the inquiring poster who was researching types, substrates and habitats of various torts, who stated in the initial introduction lives in Indiana (I believe) and does not now possess any tortoises but researching which type might be best for that area. I think we best help our tortoise friends through education and there is always something more to learn.


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## egyptiandan (Aug 27, 2009)

Yes the poster is in Indiana. 

It is though easy enough to google Florida gopher tortoise and find out you aren't supposed to possess one. So asking a question of this type would seem a moot point, unless you had the animal in question.

That being said, the diet is very much like the other species of Gopherus. There is a list of what wild Gopherus polyphemus have been observed eating. I'll search and post a link when I find it.  http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-4817.html found it 

Danny


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## Yvonne G (Aug 27, 2009)

Woo hoo!! Danny's back!!!

I did the IP address search and it came up Tipton and that's as far as I read. We also have a Tipton in Calif. Sorry OP

Yvonne


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## LBSKUNK (Sep 1, 2009)

Amen....I couldn't have said it better myself! 



13skoots said:


> It appears to me that the statement some of us are using to condemn this person is nothing other than the writer correcting his use of the word turtle, to the word tortoise. I may not be right, but the meaning presented by the accuser seems to require a major stretch of imagination. I am sure everyone meant well, but even if our accusations were correct, this poor guy got railroaded.
> This forum, if it is to serve its members and visitors properly must be remain professional. That means sticking to the subject of the thread. If information is requested, and we wish to share our knowledge and experience we should respond. I see nothing wrong with straying from the subject if needed to let somebody know they have or are about to do something not allowed by law. An excellent example of this occured recently on this forum when somebody appeared to about to incubate eggs artifically. This was a case where violation was clear due to photos, not by reading between the lines. We must not cheapen this forum like so many forums have. I would suggest that even if somebody clearly state an intention to do something not legal that if you reply to them with information they have requested you let them know the law. A forum of this level should not accuse somebody by simply saying there is a law against it. All laws are codified. A Proper accusation must state this codification so others may research and come to their own conclusions. The information this forum has supplied me has been invaluable. It has definitly improved the quality of living for my tortoises. The best part of it the open mindedness of all of you. You believe that everybody who makes an inquiry has the best of intentions and any law violation accurs only because somebody is not aware of it. In that case, a polite mention allows the violator to come in to compliance. Let the other forums do mudslinging and argue with each other about who knows the "right" way to do things. sorry to have stayed so very far from the subject of this thread and to be so long winded but I did want to express my opinion that this forum is for information and experiences exchanging and I appreciate everybody who does so.


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