# I think we found a sulcata tortoise



## Chassey (Apr 19, 2014)

Please help me identify what species this is so I can care for it properly. We found him/ her in the gutter at my dad's house today. He was thirsty and hungry. We live in the San Francisco Bay Area and my 7 and 9 year olds as well as my husband and I love this little guy already! Thanks!


----------



## Team Gomberg (Apr 19, 2014)

I know it's not a Sulcata. Looks like a young gopher/desert tortoise to me.


----------



## Zamric (Apr 20, 2014)

.... with possible MBD....

but not a Sulcata...


----------



## bouaboua (Apr 20, 2014)

Agree with Heather. Not a Sulcata for sure, you may found a~license required~gopher tortoise.


----------



## TortoiseWorld (Apr 20, 2014)

Very interesting...


----------



## TortoiseWorld (Apr 20, 2014)

Yeah it might be from the wild, maybe you can nurse him back to good health and release him to where they come from in Ca?


----------



## Laura (Apr 20, 2014)

DO NOT RELEASE it... it needs to stay in captivity.. it is a Desert tortoise and from where it was found.. Not from the wild.
It needs sunshine, heat and good diet. Its in rough shape. If you cant find the person who lost it.. ( prob shouldn't have it back) then find it a home where it hot and sunny. it needs to live outside. NO fruit. Spring mix, dandilions, weeds... and a large enclosure, preferably not the loos substrate its on,, its going to eat to much of it stuck to its food.


----------



## Maggie Cummings (Apr 20, 2014)

I absolutely agree with Laura. It is Gopherus agassizii (California Desert Tortoise). It looks like it was raised indoor without the proper lighting or humidity. You can't release it to the wild as it is an obvious captive raised tortoise . It needs a hot climate, a good UVB light and proper food. If you are going to keep it, you need to apply for a 'license' to have it. You will need a better indoor substrate, orchid bark (grade fine is good,) a decent outside *ESCAPE* proof pen. I would normally advise trying to find the original keeper, but they obviously didn't take good enough care of the tortoise. So what you do about that is up to you. It is a strict herbivore, grasses, weeds, hay, cactus pads no fruit or veggies
Yvonne (on this forum) operates a turtle and tortoise rescue in Fresno and she will, I'm sure, give you the best advice of all of us. She works with the DF&G to rescue and rehab desert tortoise.
BTW, the license is free and it's just a way of the state of Calif to keep track of a native threatened species.
My advice, if you intend on keeping, it is to thoroughly research it's care and feeding, set it up properly and give it a better life then it has had up to now...


----------



## Yvonne G (Apr 20, 2014)

This desert tortoise is someone's escaped pet. They are not native to SF. He has not been cared for very well, and his shell shows the effects. Put up signs on utility poles around the area where he was found, and put an ad in Craig's List (but don't give too much info on the tortoise, make the people who call you about it describe the tortoise)

If you do end up keeping the tortoise, you have him in a container that is way too small. This young tortoise is big enough now to live outside. You would be doing it a great injustice keeping it in the house in an aquarium. Tortoises are wild animals, and belong outside. During inclement weather he will need a safe and warm house to retreat to.

Please do research on caring for desert tortoises (Gopherus agazissi) and set this tortoise up in a good, safe habitat.


----------



## Yvonne G (Apr 20, 2014)

Just a note on whether or not the previous owner needs to have the tortoise back. It is not up to us to be the tortoise police. The tortoise belongs to someone whether or not we think that someone deserves to have it. What we can do is provide the tortoise's owner with the correct information so they can change the way they're caring for the tortoise. Please make every effort to find its owner. We don't know the circumstances. He is probably very much loved and they are missing him terribly.


----------



## Maggie Cummings (Apr 20, 2014)

Yvonne always does the right thing, me not so much.


----------



## TortoiseWorld (Apr 20, 2014)

yeah i didnt mean SF, you might have to travel to their territory (nevada?), just ask harry reed, the blm will take care of it, joke.


----------



## Maggie Cummings (Apr 20, 2014)

The BLM, the Dept of Fish & Game euthanizes any captive desert tortoise they get their paws on. Once it's been in captivity it is not returned to the wild. That is very dangerous to the wild (already decimated population.)Their habitat is Southern Calif, Southern Nevada into Mexico...


----------



## TortoiseWorld (Apr 20, 2014)

Why is it dangerous? Is it because of the dissimilar gut fauna or possible parasites form SF captivity? Tortoises are wild animals and it's in their genes to do what they do for millions of years. Do what ever is in the best interest of the tortoise, if captivity then keep it.
The blm can go to hell.


----------



## mike taylor (Apr 20, 2014)

You hit the nail on the head . This tortoise could carry something that could spread to the wild population .


----------



## TortoiseWorld (Apr 20, 2014)

OKAY sorry of wrong advice, don't release it in the wild!
If you and your family like this tortoise then keep it, but the right thing to do is post some fliers in your neighborhood first.
About a government license, personally I would not get the government involved. I am for less government and lower taxes and everything they get their paws on gets worse, and now this police state is out of control.


----------



## Chassey (Apr 20, 2014)

Thanks so much everyone for the advice! I think we've found the owners, my dad heard that a neighbor was missing a tortoise without even saying one had been found. We have come to love him already and will be sad to see him go. I will print all of this information and provide it to the owner as I want to make sure they are aware that they could be doing a better job of caring for him. I now owe a new turtle/tortoise to my kids. Any suggestions on what type and where to get?

Thanks!


----------



## T33's Torts (Apr 20, 2014)

Russian. They're fairly easy to care for and stay small (but they do need at least 4'x6' to roam in).


----------



## T33's Torts (Apr 20, 2014)

Here's a care sheet for the Russians: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/80698/


----------



## Chassey (Apr 20, 2014)

Ok, new update...we returned her and the owner gave her to us because my daughter was so heartbroken. They called her a box turtle so I'm glad we didn't have to give her back. Now to learn everything about how to care for her. Is she surely a gopher tortoise? How can I know for sure/who should I take her to/talk to? Thanks!!


----------



## Yvonne G (Apr 20, 2014)

Wow! Are you lucky, or what? Evidently they really didn't care much for the tortoise if it was that easy to give it up. And box turtle??? I wonder if the poor tortoise was being fed fruit and worms.

Yes, it is indeed a desert tortoise. They are protected by law. It is illegal to take them from the wild or to return them to the wild. It is perfectly fine for you to have the tortoise, but please apply for a permit. It doesn't involve getting the government in your lives. All it does it put your tortoise and his registration number into a system so that if the tortoise is ever lost then found again, and his number is put into the system, he will be returned to you. No one will come out and inspect your home to be sure you're doing a good job. All it takes is sending them an application, then they send you back a little sticker just like a car license renewal sticker. Any CTTC chapter can give you the form to fill out.

One of the very best desert tortoise care sheets that I've ever read is put out by Don (I'm not sure if I ever knew his last name), and here's a link to his site:

http://www.donsdeserttortoises.com/2.html


----------



## WillTort2 (Apr 20, 2014)

Great news, now comes the responsibility! As a tortoise caretaker, you have the obligation to provide the best living conditions that you can. Merely loving the tortoise is not enough. Please use this forum to obtain information to begin to correct the health problems that possibly exist with this tortoise.

Do not condem the previous owner, his knowledge level was just lacking on the elements necessary for raising a healthy tortoise. Be thankful that he had the wisdom to realize that the tortoise would be better off with someone that can provide the proper conditions. 

I know you will do a wonderful job! Looking forward to seeing glowing progress reports.

Good luck.


----------



## Maggie Cummings (Apr 20, 2014)

TortoiseWorld said:


> OKAY sorry of wrong advice, don't release it in the wild!
> If you and your family like this tortoise then keep it, but the right thing to do is post some fliers in your neighborhood first.
> About a government license, personally I would not get the government involved. I am for less government and lower taxes and everything they get their paws on gets worse, and now this police state is out of control.


It a disease of the blood called (I think) mycoplasma, somebody released a captive bred desert tortoise to the Mojave desert and it had that mycoplasma and it killed thousands of desert tortoises. Then the stupid US Army 'relocated' a lot of those that were left so they could play Army games in the tortoise area not realizing that like box turtles, desert tortoises are territorial and they gave up their lives trying to get back home. That's a real simplified answer and I am sure that my sister will correct me where I am wrong. Also, desert tortoises are not a threatened species like I said earlier, they are on the endangered list now...
The California government wants this permit for everyone of them so they can keep track of how many there are, and get your lost one back to you. It does not cost anything and the only real penalty is that's it a Federal offense to take them out of Calif... I believe there are more in captivity now then in the wild...
They are such great tortoises it's a damn shame...


----------



## Laura (Apr 20, 2014)

look here on the forum for the care of Calif Desert Tortoises.
Can you provide a proper, safe enclosure for it? outside? the weather there is not great for one,, but it Can be done...
Read A LOT.. if you can do it well.. do so.. if not.. place it elsewhere and look at getting a Russian.
They are great animals.. Enjoy!! oh and get the Permit!


----------



## TortoiseWorld (Apr 21, 2014)

I'm glad you got him back, good job and I'm sure most people here will say get a permit because it's not legal to keep one without it.


----------



## pishpash8 (May 2, 2014)

Ya my sulcatta looks nothing like that. 


My tortoise only has one nostril... But at least he's different! ^_^


----------

