Looking for a desert tortoise?

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
If you live in the Fresno/Clovis (California) area and are looking to adopt a desert tortoise, I have several that are looking for homes.

2017 Rescue #8.jpg 2017 Rescues #3,4,5,6.jpg

The tortoises in the group picture are 7 and 9 years old. The single tortoise is appx. 10 years old and was found walking in the highway, owner not found, so no information on him. Large fiberglass patch on carapace.

There is no fee required, however, you have to live close enough to me so that I can come take a look at the yard where you want to keep the tortoise. These are the things I look for:

Yard Inspection


Is habitat large enough for this species?
Fencing Tall enough?
Secure at bottom to prevent digging?
Is fence “see through”?
Gates Do gates latch securely?
Is there a spring for automatic closing?
Does tortoise have access to whole yard?
(Games like softball and soccer can adversely affect
turtles or tortoises, which may be in the path of a child not
watching where he is running)
Is there a dog? (Dogs WILL chew on tortoises and turtles)
Is there a pool? Fenced? (Most tortoises cannot swim and
will drown in an unfenced pool)
Is there shelter from the sun?
From the rain?
From the cold?
Is there an adequate water supply?
Is there a clean area for feeding?
Is the enclosure planted with plants that are good for them to
eat? To hide in?
Is there grass or weeds for grazing?
Are the tops of the corners guarded to inhibit climbing?
Is there a separate enclosure for each species?
Is the hibernation area for tortoises dry?

And while we're walking around and looking at the yard, I'm talking to you, listening to you, and getting a feel for if you really understand what you're getting into with the adoption.
 

CharRed

New Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2017
Messages
5
If you live in the Fresno/Clovis (California) area and are looking to adopt a desert tortoise, I have several that are looking for homes.

View attachment 201584 View attachment 201585

The tortoises in the group picture are 7 and 9 years old. The single tortoise is appx. 10 years old and was found walking in the highway, owner not found, so no information on him. Large fiberglass patch on carapace.

There is no fee required, however, you have to live close enough to me so that I can come take a look at the yard where you want to keep the tortoise. These are the things I look for:

Yard Inspection


Is habitat large enough for this species?
Fencing Tall enough?
Secure at bottom to prevent digging?
Is fence “see through”?
Gates Do gates latch securely?
Is there a spring for automatic closing?
Does tortoise have access to whole yard?
(Games like softball and soccer can adversely affect
turtles or tortoises, which may be in the path of a child not
watching where he is running)
Is there a dog? (Dogs WILL chew on tortoises and turtles)
Is there a pool? Fenced? (Most tortoises cannot swim and
will drown in an unfenced pool)
Is there shelter from the sun?
From the rain?
From the cold?
Is there an adequate water supply?
Is there a clean area for feeding?
Is the enclosure planted with plants that are good for them to
eat? To hide in?
Is there grass or weeds for grazing?
Are the tops of the corners guarded to inhibit climbing?
Is there a separate enclosure for each species?
Is the hibernation area for tortoises dry?

And while we're walking around and looking at the yard, I'm talking to you, listening to you, and getting a feel for if you really understand what you're getting into with the adoption.
Hello.
Im in Los Angeles and we have about 1 1/12 acres dedicated to our tortoises. We have enclosures, custom houses, hibernation houses, watering holes, safe digging areas and separation Gates when needed. Etc. Forever loving home for a couple of torts and we can drive to you.
Char
 

the Turtle Shepherd

Active Member
Joined
May 16, 2017
Messages
300
Location (City and/or State)
nowhere
please tell me is it true that the license costs 300? I am not interested in adopting but i wish you all the best:) they are so cute:) is the fiberglass holding some previous damage together? i mean one would think it would be an easy id mark:) just curious:) they look exactly like redfoots to me except not red;) i love them:)
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Do you happen to visit Las Vegas ever?
No, I don't 'visit' anywhere. The only time I leave my property is once a week to run errands. Besides that, it is against the law to take CALIFORNIA desert tortoises across state lines.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
please tell me is it true that the license costs 300? I am not interested in adopting but i wish you all the best:) they are so cute:) is the fiberglass holding some previous damage together? i mean one would think it would be an easy id mark:) just curious:) they look exactly like redfoots to me except not red;) i love them:)
Permits to keep desert tortoises cost nothing. The tortoise with the patch was found that way, so his story is unknown.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hi. Really interested in adopting. I live in Huntington Beach. Any chance you visiting here for a surf?
This species will not do well in HB unless it is mostly indoors and has a heated shelter outside. The coastal climate makes them sick. They need to be inland a bit.
 

Dave S.

New Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2017
Messages
20
Location (City and/or State)
Huntington Beach, California
Well Tom when was the last time you were in HB? I've adopted a DT in April 2017 from a great lady who lives in Pasadena who shelters them . Build him a nice house and an burrow and he preferred the burrow. He's now brumiating since I haven't seen him in 3 days. It's been over 95 degrees here in HB for the last 3 days. Not very "tropical" so far and he hasn't appeared from his cool burrow so...
 

Cat Cat

New Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2017
Messages
8
Location (City and/or State)
Las Vegas, Nevada
No, I don't 'visit' anywhere. The only time I leave my property is once a week to run errands. Besides that, it is against the law to take CALIFORNIA desert tortoises across state lines.
You're right. I apologize, I do already know that. I don't know what I was thinking.
 

Totally_Tortoise

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2018
Messages
74
Location (City and/or State)
Madera California
HI, is the tort taken?
If you live in the Fresno/Clovis (California) area and are looking to adopt a desert tortoise, I have several that are looking for homes.

View attachment 201584 View attachment 201585

The tortoises in the group picture are 7 and 9 years old. The single tortoise is appx. 10 years old and was found walking in the highway, owner not found, so no information on him. Large fiberglass patch on carapace.

There is no fee required, however, you have to live close enough to me so that I can come take a look at the yard where you want to keep the tortoise. These are the things I look for:

Yard Inspection


Is habitat large enough for this species?
Fencing Tall enough?
Secure at bottom to prevent digging?
Is fence “see through”?
Gates Do gates latch securely?
Is there a spring for automatic closing?
Does tortoise have access to whole yard?
(Games like softball and soccer can adversely affect
turtles or tortoises, which may be in the path of a child not
watching where he is running)
Is there a dog? (Dogs WILL chew on tortoises and turtles)
Is there a pool? Fenced? (Most tortoises cannot swim and
will drown in an unfenced pool)
Is there shelter from the sun?
From the rain?
From the cold?
Is there an adequate water supply?
Is there a clean area for feeding?
Is the enclosure planted with plants that are good for them to
eat? To hide in?
Is there grass or weeds for grazing?
Are the tops of the corners guarded to inhibit climbing?
Is there a separate enclosure for each species?
Is the hibernation area for tortoises dry?

And while we're walking around and looking at the yard, I'm talking to you, listening to you, and getting a feel for if you really understand what you're getting into with the adoption.
I'm am interested in adopting a desert tortoise soon. However I do not have an out door enclosure, but I will in probably less than a month. I am in Madera which shouldn't be any more than a 45 min drive I think. We have a very large back yard, the enclosure i plan to build will be 8x8. if that is not big enough then i will build a larger one.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
I'm sorry, but I only do yard inspections in Fresno and Clovis.
 
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