Five New Little Babies!

[Yvonne G]

I had forgotten how pleasant it is to take care of hatchling desert tortoises. You pick them up and put them into the water soak, they lower their heads and drink. You pick them up and place them around the food, they lower their heads and eat. You open the plastic covering over their habitat, they look at you
and say, "Mama??" They're just not afraid of the human at all!

A fellow called me the other day and asked if I would take five little baby desert tortoises. Of course, I said, "Of Course!!" He had the adult pair for about 15 years, after they were given to him by his parents, and never had babies before. For this whole 15 years he really didn't know how to care for the tortoises. They just lived out in his backyard and he'd occasionally toss them some fruit or whatever he thought they might like. It was only last year, after he got a computer, that he decided it might be a good idea to do some research on the tortoises. He discovered how wrong his care has been this whole time.

 

[Careym13]

Holy cow...look how cute they are!

 

[Merrick]

I wish we down here in florida could get a gopher but I guess I am happier with them being out in the wild, anyways cute torts [emoji2]

 

[wellington]

I wish I could have some desert torts. They are cute

 

[Carol S]

Precious little babies. Desert tortoises are so personable.

 

[Tom]

I can't look. I want them all.

It makes me sad that people outside of CA can't also enjoy this fantastic species. They really are a great one.

 

[leigti]

I can't look. I want them all.

It makes me sad that people outside of CA can't also enjoy this fantastic species. They really are a great one.

What exactly is the law about desert tortoises? I have heard that you were not allowed to have them outside of California or Arizona. But I know some people who do. I'm not going to turn them in or anything, I was just wondering what the law is.

 

[Tom]

What exactly is the law about desert tortoises? I have heard that you were not allowed to have them outside of California or Arizona. But I know some people who do. I'm not going to turn them in or anything, I was just wondering what the law is.

They cannot legally be taken from the state. Within the state you must have a permit for them. They cannot be bred in captivity. If they do breed even though they weren't supposed to have the opportunity, you cannot legally interfere with the eggs. If babies hatch anyway, you can care for them, keep them or give them away, but they cannot be bought or sold under any circumstances.

Wild desert tortoises in the wild cannot be touched or disturbed in any way.

I think that covers it. @Yvonne G , Did I leave anything out?

 

[Yvonne G]

That just about covers it, Tom...except that the regulations pertain to ALL Gopherus species within a state, and not necessarily their home state. For example, I have several Texas tortoises. I can not move them out of California, even though they're not native to California.

 

[Tom]

That just about covers it, Tom...except that the regulations pertain to ALL Gopherus species within a state, and not necessarily their home state. For example, I have several Texas tortoises. I can not move them out of California, even though they're not native to California.

Thank you. I've not kept up on the laws for other states and other species of Gopherus. I just pay attention to the ones here in CA as far as the laws go...

 

[leigti]

That just about covers it, Tom...except that the regulations pertain to ALL Gopherus species within a state, and not necessarily their home state. For example, I have several Texas tortoises. I can not move them out of California, even though they're not native to California.

So basically if it is a desert tortoise in a certain state it can't leave that state once it's found there. I have no idea where the people I know of got there tortoises from or all the other circumstances surrounding them. They are trying to breed them but as far as I know they're not trying to sell the babies. I don't really say anything to them and I will never turn them in. I would be afraid they would just euthanize the tortoisess or do something just as stupid.

 

[Yvonne G]

So I get a phone call from this same fellow who brought me the five babies. He found another baby.



Look at how much bigger a month of eating every day makes the babies.

 

[thehowards]

I wish we down here in florida could get a gopher but I guess I am happier with them being out in the wild, anyways cute torts [emoji2]

I also wish we could care for these beautiful torts. I know they are better off in the wild but it is all I can think about when I pass by gopher tortoises that have been victims of our roadways.