Chaco Tortoises

[lindafrew]

Hi. I have posted before on this website before and met a nice guy named Steve (I believe) who answered some questions about sexing Chacos and he expressed interest in purchasing the two nice Chacos I now know to be both males. If anyone knows how to reach this Steve person, I may consider a sale to the right person who has knowledge of Chaco tortoise care, all subject to my approval.

As an aside, thinking ahead a year or two, also looking for the right person/environment for a 25 year old male Galapagos tortoise. Exploring options for a new, perfect environment for this incredible animal. Have had some prior interest expressed. Purchased from a dealer here in Arizona. Rules for transporting out of state unknown. Please know that I will be very selective as to where my Bert goes and I know his value..

 

[jaizei]

was it @turtlesteve

 

[turtlesteve]

Sent you PM

 

[lindafrew]

was it @turtlesteve

Thanks for your reply. Do ‘t recall the last name and don’t have his contact info any more. Hoping he will reply. Thanks. Linda

 

[Tom]

As an aside, thinking ahead a year or two, also looking for the right person/environment for a 25 year old male Galapagos tortoise. Exploring options for a new, perfect environment for this incredible animal. Have had some prior interest expressed. Purchased from a dealer here in Arizona. Rules for transporting out of state unknown. Please know that I will be very selective as to where my Bert goes and I know his value..

It's illegal to sell a Galapagos tortoise across state lines. You can transport your own tortoise from state to state, and you can give it away for free across state lines, but there can be no "commerce" across state lines. You can do whatever you want with it in your own state.

 

[lindafrew]

It's illegal to sell a Galapagos tortoise across state lines. You can transport your own tortoise from state to state, and you can give it away for free across state lines, but there can be no "commerce" across state lines. You can do whatever you want with it in your own state.

Understood. Bert was acquired from an Arizona dealer who had the proper CITEs permits to bring the hatchling to AZ 25 years ago. Thans for the communication. Linda

 

[Dustin]

I am in Florida so I can't buy your tortoise but I know a few people in Arizona who might be interested.
Can you share some photos of the Galapagos tortoise? Has he been kept alone for all 25 years? Do you remember who you bought him from? Do you know who they got him from if they brought him into Arizona from another state? Any chance you know who its parents were and what species/sub-species they were? There were a few Vicina, Becki and Porteri being produced in Florida 25 years ago, perhaps some other species as well. It would be fantastic to see a male from one of these species pop up..

 

[zovick]

I am in Florida so I can't buy your tortoise but I know a few people in Arizona who might be interested.
Can you share some photos of the Galapagos tortoise? Has he been kept alone for all 25 years? Do you remember who you bought him from? Do you know who they got him from if they brought him into Arizona from another state? Any chance you know who its parents were and what species/sub-species they were? There were a few Vicina, Becki and Porteri being produced in Florida 25 years ago, perhaps some other species as well. It would be fantastic to see a male from one of these species pop up..

Hi Dustin,

I am only guessing here, but I think it is very likely that this tortoise came from Jeff Gee who owned the Captive Bred Wildlife Foundation in Portal, AZ. Jeff had a CBW and a working relationship with Ramon Noegel and Greg Moss and was enlisted to help sell off the Life Fellowship Galapagos Tortoise collection around the time the OP says she purchased her tortoise. As I recall it, none of that group were actually pure representatives of any particular species/subspecies (IE, they were interbred).

Obviously, I could be wrong, but let's see what the OP has to say.

Do you know anything about the Life Fellowship Galaps? I believe John Heidecker's investor group bought many of them. The group they bought was moved to Jason Abels' property and is still there to the best of my knowledge.

 

[Dustin]

I assumed it was from Jeff Gee. I am somewhat familiar with the the tortoises from the Life Fellowship collection but I don't have the detailed knowledge that some of the other GTA members have. I know they had a number of pure animals, both wild collected from the Townsend expeditions in the 1920s, some from later zoo collections and F1s from their own production. They produced many hundreds of animals during their time, some people from Arizona have tried to track them all down. John and Jason have some of the older animals along with at least 3-4 other people in Florida. I think that all of the known pure F1 Vicina in private hands were produced by them. I think there are 4 known animals, all female. Finding a male would be great. Mark will have more info than me.