Found baby tortoise

[Rayge]

Hi guys, I know there are tons of these threads but, I was hoping maybe someone could help identify a tortoise I found when cleaning my parents back yard. To me he looks like a desert tortoise but I'm just guessing. There were tons of weeds and stuff in the yard and no idea how or when he got back there. Have not been able to find his momma. Also, my mom fell in love with him and is thinking of keeping him. I know we're probably not supposed to but, I saw another post here from Las Vegas (where we live) that said they were putting them to sleep!!! Can't have that. So any ideas on creating a habitat for him? They have dogs too so maybe the back yard is not the best place.

 

[Rayge]

Oh, by the way he is very active crawling all over the place.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

I don't know the Nevada laws about keeping native tortoises. That is a Gopherus agassizii, or commonly called, desert tortoise. You have to protect them from birds. Ravens are the top most predator of baby tortoises. You are also correct to try to protect the baby from the dogs. There's some good info on raising baby sulcata tortoises at the top of the sulcata section. You can take care of baby desert tortoises the same way as baby sulcatas. And you might try to find more babies, because mama most likely laid 6 or 8 eggs in the nest.

 

[bouaboua]

This may never happen in northern Cal....Lucky you and may be the baby DT too.

I know this little one is in a good hand now...

 

[dmmj]

Before making a dec. check nevada laws on native species. Whether or not you can keep it, and if you can release it back into the wild.
Cute little bugger.

 

[ascott]

What are the surroundings to the yard you found the tortoise in?? I mean, does the area look native to the tortoise? In that state permits are able to be issued for gifted tortoise...sure seems like a gift to me...that is, unless the yard is simply a place the tort may be passing through???

 

[Telid]

View attachment 81130 I know we're probably not supposed to but, I saw another post here from Las Vegas (where we live) that said they were putting them to sleep!!! Can't have that.

Somewhat off topic, but could you link to the post about putting them to sleep? That's not friendly...

 

[ascott]

http://www.infowars.com/before-neva...m-was-euthanizing-endangered-desert-tortoise/

 

[naturalman91]

before doing anything look up your law's a lot of places it's illegal to so much as even touch a wild desert tort

 

[Telid]

http://www.infowars.com/before-neva...m-was-euthanizing-endangered-desert-tortoise/

Thanks, Ascott. I read about the standoff, but had not read the backstory on it. I'm a little conflicted on it - if the animals were truly sick and could not be safely housed alongside the non-sick animals without significantly risking them, then I could see ethanizing them being an option. I do not see why they could not offer the tortoises to experienced housers to tend for them though, at the person's expense. Give them a waiver for the possession, and let them see if they could take care of them. Hell - if they did really well then you could create a foster program. It's certainly a better option than killing them.