Howdy from Lake Powell! :)

[Ginja]

I am a brand new tortoise mom to a 10 year old desert tortoise! Hoping to learn how to take great care of him from all the awesome advice around here!

My first question is, is he just a "desert tortoise" or are there specific breeds of desert tortoise?
Here's a picture of my new baby!

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. Very cute tort. I don't know much about them so I can't answer your question. Seems like I have heard of two different kind, but not sure. Others will be able to positivity answer.

 

[Ginja]

Thanks and hello!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum.
Have a look at http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
They have recently been split into two species, but I'm afraid I know little more than that.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi
I don't know . But I love my 3 desert torts !

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

There are two species now. Gopherus agassizii and Gopherus morafkai. Morafkai is the Sonoran Desert tortoise and is all over AZ. Agassizii is the CA or Mojave reset tortoise. Care for both is the same.

Make sure your tortoise has a cool underground retreat to escape the heat of the day. You can use sprinklers, shade cloth and misters to keep temps down too. Here is another member's thread on this topic from earlier today:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/temp-control.160330/

Care for this species is identical to russian tortoise care too, except more grass and cacti in the diet for DTs.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

Here are some housing ideas hat work well for DTs:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/semi-underground-russian-box.98590/#post-922226
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/heating-an-outdoor-russian-night-box.116180/#post-1077261

It is common for this species to get bladder stones and die. This happens because people don't keep them well hydrated enough. Have at least two water sources in your enclosure, soak the tortoise two or three times a week in hot summer weather, and make puddles with a garden hose or sprinklers a couple of times a week. For some reason they love to drink from puddles on the lawn.

Fell free to ask lots of questions!

 

[Ginja]

Thanks for the info! I am going to start soaking him. I have only had him a week, so this is all very new!
I definitely need to figure out this whole hibernation thingy as well! I'm pretty nervous about that.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Thanks for the info! I am going to start soaking him. I have only had him a week, so this is all very new!
I definitely need to figure out this whole hibernation thingy as well! I'm pretty nervous about that.

There is no rule that you have to hibernate any tort ! And it's best not to hibernate any tort the first year ! Cause you don't know the care the tort had through out the year you didn't have it . So I'd wait til next year to hibernate your desert tort .

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome!

 

[Ginja]

He was down in Phoenix and it's a lot colder where we live, will he be okay outside?

 

[RosemaryDW]

He was down in Phoenix and it's a lot colder where we live, will he be okay outside?

If he is properly cared for, yes.

If you leave him outside, he's going to hibernate. There are different opinions here on hibernation and none of them are absolutely right or wrong. Ultimately its a personal decision.

Sounds like you know the people who had him before, at least a little bit? Can you ask him if he's hibernated previously? In my very limited experience, a tortoise that has hibernated all its life is going to want to hibernate again.

 

[Ginja]

Yes, I know the people and he has hibernated.
He hibernated outdoors, but I wondered if I would need to hibernate him inside or maybe in a box in the shed. I don't want him to freeze. Granted we are not as cold as Flagstaff, but it's much colder than Phoenix. We get the occasional snow. But it doesn't stick long.