A life time of dreaming became a reality!

[ogmoses]

Our new member of the family?


This little giant Galap comes from Jerry Fife, who has been amazing through this process! This little guy was incubated as a male which makes no difference to us since we don't plan on breeding. We were lucky enough to cherry pick out of 16 babies. This little guy was already grazing on grass the day we brought him home!.
We have been an Aldabra family for many years. So there will be some construction to the backyard for segregation in the next coming years or months! For the next 120 days we are keeping him isolated to avoid any issues. Research that I have done has been intense not very much on the way of hatchling Galapagos tortoise. I will happily keep you all updated on our journey. Thanks and enjoy the pictures.

 

[Rue]

Congrats! So cute!

 

[wellington]

Congrats. After having aldabras, what made you want a Galop? I hear they aren't as friendly/social as the Aldabras.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Beautiful and fascinating.
Saw three adults in a Bioparc in Spain recently.
Awesome animals.

 

[ogmoses]

Congrats. After having aldabras, what made you want a Galop? I hear they aren't as friendly/social as the Aldabras.

Good question. I know caretakers from both zoos LA and San Diego they say the same thing that they're tortoises are The more friendly of species lol! my family was fortunate enough to interact with a lot of the big Galaps at the San Diego zoo two years ago when my wife is pregnant and since then they put us in contact with Jerry! Once the family started interacting with the babies and seeing the personalities on the Giant Galaps adults! That made our decision! Besides the fact that I always wanted one. Seven years ago baby Galapagos tortoises were never seen for sale and if they where numbers where in the 5 digits

 

[Tom]

Congrats. After having aldabras, what made you want a Galop? I hear they aren't as friendly/social as the Aldabras.

You've got it backwards.

 

[Tom]

Good question. I know caretakers from both zoos LA and San Diego they say the same thing that they're tortoises are The more friendly of species lol! my family was fortunate enough to interact with a lot of the big Galaps at the San Diego zoo two years ago when my wife is pregnant and since then they put us in contact with Jerry! Once the family started interacting with the babies and seeing the personalities on the Giant Galaps adults! That made our decision! Besides the fact that I always wanted one. Seven years ago baby Galapagos tortoises were never seen for sale and if they where numbers where in the 5 digits

Congrats on the new baby.

More tortoise envy for me...

 

[wellington]

You've got it backwards.

Nope, I don't. Aldabras are the friendlier more social ones. I believe it's @ALDABRAMAN that can confirm this. If not, there's another member, but I don't remember who

 

[Tom]

Nope, I don't. Aldabras are the friendlier more social ones.

How many of each have you spent time with? How much time?

 

[Alexio]

The most tortoise envy..... Sigh... if only I didn't live in the north

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Is this the species that has more captive females than males?

Cute little baby thanks for sharing!

 

[wellington]

None. Maybe.
Possibly the way they are raised or as GREG has said with his Aldabras, the males are more social. Read it http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/galapagos-and-aldabras-together.143991/ and I'm sure there's a member that does know that stated it too, that the galop is more territorial. Even you have said their personality are similar. I stick by the Aldabra's. Besides, I like them much better.

 

[wellington]

Btw, I seen your other post when you were asking if the two could be housed together, the Aldabra and galop. You didn't have room for both as adults, or teens. Did you get rid of the Aldabra? Or do you plan on still housing them together? I see your doing a quarantine. So, it does sound like the two will be together after the quarantine?
It will be some time before he's big. If you haven't seen N2TORTS galop yet, look up his threads. He's not real big yet and I think he's around 4?

 

[ogmoses]

Is this the species that has more captive females than males?

Cute little baby thanks for sharing!

Yes I think so.

 

[ogmoses]

Btw, I seen your other post when you were asking if the two could be housed together, the Aldabra and galop. You didn't have room for both as adults, or teens. Did you get rid of the Aldabra? Or do you plan on still housing them together? I see your doing a quarantine. So, it does sound like the two will be together after the quarantine?
It will be some time before he's big. If you haven't seen N2TORTS galop yet, look up his threads. He's not real big yet and I think he's around 4?

I still have my Aldabra he will never leave our family Not sure I ever said I didn't have room. I have enough for both, although I will have to split the yard. My house was was brand new when we bought it and I constructed the back yard to allow for Giant tortoise knowing I would get an Aldabra or two. The flower bed is raised to allow a nice green border. I have room on both sides as well for night pens they are 6x12' when they are old enough "big enough" I would like to use that for the baby but being on the side of the house it does not get enough light for know Sheldon is in a 6x4' beautifully constructed night house using Brazilian cherry wood and about 6-7" of sand!
Trust me the galap was not an impulse buy. It's was planned for a very long time.

 

[ogmoses]

Btw, I seen your other post when you were asking if the two could be housed together, the Aldabra and galop. You didn't have room for both as adults, or teens. Did you get rid of the Aldabra? Or do you plan on still housing them together? I see your doing a quarantine. So, it does sound like the two will be together after the quarantine?
It will be some time before he's big. If you haven't seen N2TORTS galop yet, look up his threads. He's not real big yet and I think he's around 4?

Also because of the size difference I don't think they can be together "even if they get along" for a very long time.

 

[ogmoses]

By the way did I mention that Jerry did some DNA research and found they bloodline to be of Santa Cruz and Isabella islands

 

[ogmoses]

One big question I have is for the night box for the baby. What substrate should I use. Keep in mind I bring him in every night. Right now I use a mix off moss sand and a little bit of organic top soil "very little" this would 8pm 7am in the day is on grass and 100% SoCal sun
My question was is the mix for the night box ok humidity is really high FYI like 85ish plus

 

[Tom]

One big question I have is for the night box for the baby. What substrate should I use. Keep in mind I bring him in every night. Right now I use a mix off moss sand and a little bit of organic top soil "very little" this would 8pm 7am in the day is on grass and 100% SoCal sun
My question was is the mix for the night box ok humidity is really high FYI like 85ish plus

I don't agree with raising babies that way. Outside in the SoCal sun all day for them is not good. Its not good for any species. I've done many experiments with several species testing these theories. The best thing you could do for that baby is set it up indoors in a big closed chamber and give it some outside time daily for an hour or two. In time you can leave it out longer and longer. Eventually it will be fine to live outside full time with a heated night shelter.

Its also too cold fro that baby to be outside at 7am. Its getting into the 50s here every night, even though day time highs are in the mid to high 90's. I don't put my young ones out until 9 or 10.

Sand should never be used as a substrate. Not even as part of a mix. I would use orchid bark. You can get it in bulk at a garden center.

 

[N2TORTS]

I would suggest not mixing it with your Aldabra either. They are from two different completely Eco-Zones/Islands - even being captive bred babies.