# My Baby Desert Tortoises



## LRacks4 (Oct 5, 2021)

Hi all! I want to officially introduce everyone to my new babies! Bilbo and Frodo! They are desert tortoises, hatched 9/23/21 and 9/24/21. 
Bilbo, born 9/23, weighs 20 grams. He’s eating, love to make a mess, and constantly tries to escape lol. He’s not a quitter! Strong and wild! 
Frodo, born 9/24, weighs 16 grams. When I brought him home he was only a few days old and has maggots in his sac. With help from people on this forum I saved him! He’s doing so great! I am a very proud mom! He is eating, he loves the water, and he’s slowly getting some strength and starting to get more curious. 
They are currently not housed together, but hopefully soon! 
I’ve loved every second of being their mom! These past two weeks have been incredible! I’ve watched them grow so much and I am so in love! 
Expect to hear from me a lot. I am very paranoid about this “mortality rate” and I am constantly worrying about them when I’m not home! 
Call me obsessed! But I love my kids so much already! Being a tortoise mom is definitely an adventure in itself!


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## wellington (Oct 6, 2021)

Did you find them or actually bought/adopted them from someone? Can't believe someone would be so ignorant to sell or give away a tort with maggots and the egg sack not gone. 
Anyway, tortoises do not do good in pairs, so don't count on being able to house them together down the road.


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## Yvonne G (Oct 6, 2021)

I too am curious why you thought you had two sulcatas and how the breeder didn't know about the maggots.

Your babies are so darned cute. I love desert tortoises! Good luck with them, and I hope you have many, many years of enjoyment with them.


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## Tom (Oct 6, 2021)

LRacks4 said:


> Hi all! I want to officially introduce everyone to my new babies! Bilbo and Frodo! They are desert tortoises, hatched 9/23/21 and 9/24/21.
> Bilbo, born 9/23, weighs 20 grams. He’s eating, love to make a mess, and constantly tries to escape lol. He’s not a quitter! Strong and wild!
> Frodo, born 9/24, weighs 16 grams. When I brought him home he was only a few days old and has maggots in his sac. With help from people on this forum I saved him! He’s doing so great! I am a very proud mom! He is eating, he loves the water, and he’s slowly getting some strength and starting to get more curious.
> They are currently not housed together, but hopefully soon!
> ...


So glad you were able to save them both. They are a terrific species! Don't believe what you read about them. Soak them daily until they are at least 100 grams, and then you can start skipping a day now and then. Keep them on damp substrate and offer a humid hide. Overly dry conditions will kill these babies just like any other species. Seems like most of the advice given for this species is dry dry dry, and to keep them outside (where it is too dry) all day. That advice can work for larger juveniles and adults, but its terrible for babies.

Please keep us updated and we love to see pics of healthy happy tortoises!


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## LRacks4 (Oct 6, 2021)

wellington said:


> Did you find them or actually bought/adopted them from someone? Can't believe someone would be so ignorant to sell or give away a tort with maggots and the egg sack not gone.
> Anyway, tortoises do not do good in pairs, so don't count on being able to house them together down the road.


I adopted them I did purchase them.


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## Yvonne G (Oct 6, 2021)

Ah. . . that's why they told you they were sulcatas. Because it's illegal to take money for desert tortoises!


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## CharSparda (Oct 12, 2021)

They look stunning! Congratulations. Desert tortoises are very warm-hearted, or at least that’s been my experience so far.


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