PLEASE HELP IDENTIFY TYPE OF TORTOISE AND SOME OF MY CONCERNS! *ABANDONED TORTOISE*

[Angel pineda]

Hello everyone! I am a new mommy tortoise and I really need help with identifying what kind of tortoise I have. I also have a backstory that I want to explain because since my tortoise was basically abandonedI have so many questions that worry me.... ANY AND EVERY ANSWER HELPS A LOT AND IS APPRECIATED!!

INTRODUCTION
(Long story short my sister would go days without feeding him and gave him no sunlight or warmth at all so i took over and started to care for it)
I basically took custody of my younger sister's pet tortoise... She has had him for 3 years and she never really took great care of it. She never bothered to give him and sunlight or gave him the chance to bask. As years past she slowly started to show little to no interest in him or her at all.(not sure what gender it is yet,but we always assumed it was a boy) Before I took over, I would always have to ask her if she fed him yet and she would tell me she hasn't fed him in 5 days which really angered me so I told her I would take over and that he would be MY pet tortoise and not hers anymore. Even though my sister didn't care for her tortoise very well he still has a good appetite and seems to be alert so that is a plus! I am glad I took over before his condition got worse!

WHAT KIND OF TORTOISE DO I HAVE?
My sister got her tortoise from a friend and her friend said that he was a Sulcata tortoise. Now that I did a little research I do not think he is a Sulcata tortoise because he is pretty tiny for being 3 years of age(maybe he's under developed because he did not get the uvb/uva that he needed...) and his shell is not 'dome like' and is much flatter than what I've seen in pictures I've looked up. Here are some pictures of when my sister first got him, mid photos are from a year ago, and current pictures are now. Looking at his shell makes me sad because I can tell it is under developed.

QUESTIONS THAT CONCERN ME
Since he got very little to no sunlight at all for his shell to develop correctly, if I start consistently leaving the uvb/uva and basking lamp on everyday will his shell be able to recover and grow properly? I just bought a uvb/uva light bulb and also have a basking lamp. I can't really put him outside since it is winter time and it is always cloudy in Las Vegas and when it is sunny I'm at work!

When i leave the uvb/uva lamp on should I take away any shade inside his enclosure so he's able to get the uvb that he needs? I want to leave the uvb lamp on almost all day but he likes to go in the shade and sleep, but since he hasnt been getting any sunlight almost all his life I want to give him as much uvb as I can from this day forward!!!

Is his shell too flat for a tortoise? I've seen so many pictures of tortoises and videos on youtube and their tortoises's shells are almost all dome like and I feel like him not getting any sunlight had something to do with it...

OVERALL I am so glad I took over with the care of this tortoise! His name is Nibbler. It has been about 3 days when I took him in and he does not seem sick at all. I hope to improve his health, let him live a happier more comfortable life and help him grow and improve that beautiful shell!!! Thank you everyone

 

[Fredkas]

100% not a sulcata.
Maybe he is a dessert tortoise or else, but definitely not a sulcata.
Sulcata doesn't have nuchal scute (small scute above his head).
Soon there will be a lot of senior members jump out to help you with the care.
How kind of you to take over him and have intention to give him a happier more comfortable life.
Welcome to forum and glad to have you here. ask as many questions as possible. a lot of people will help you happily.
Very important tips: never used coiled bulb, it has a risk of damaging tortoises' eyes.

 

[cmacusa3]

I agree with Fred. I believe it's a desert tortoise, Location is Vegas, correct?

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

That's a desert tortoise, not a sulcata. @Yvonne G is experienced with this species.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi Angel

 

[Fredkas]

I agree with Fred. I believe it's a desert tortoise, Location is Vegas, correct?

Well! i just know you are Abramsmytankturtle through your signature.
What happened to that account?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Are there laws against keeping an indigenous species there?
There are here and they are very strict.

 

[cmacusa3]

Well! i just know you are Abramsmytankturtle through your signature.
What happened to that account?

Had to change my email and decided to use my nickname.

Like Sarah posted @Yvonne G can give you some great info.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

You did a very good thing in taking over the care of this little desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). This tortoise species is protected and if you can keep him alive for another year or so, you should apply for a permit to keep him. I'm not familiar with the Nevada laws regarding this species, but here in California, we can keep them with a permit. I just did a quick search and came up with this for Nevada:

• All desert tortoises in Nevada, whether in captivity or not, are considered wildlife (NRS 501.097) and therefore belong to the people of the State of Nevada (NRS 501.100). Those who legally possess a desert tortoise are considered custodians, rather than owners, of the desert tortoise(s) in captivity.
• Citizens can serve as custodians of desert tortoises acquired through a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-approved adoption program, operated by Tortoise Group in southern Nevada, or if the tortoise was collected or born in captivity before August 1989 (NAC 503.093), which is pre-Endangered Species Act listing.
  • Pet desert tortoises (regardless of size, age, or origin) cannot be traded, sold, or given to others, nor can they be released to the wild (NRS 501.379, NAC 503.093 and NAC 503.135).

 

[popeye tortoise]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Thank you for stepping up and taking care of this little guy. There are a lot of very experience tortoise keepers on here that can help you.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Welcome to the Forum.
And bless your little Desert tortoise.
Have a look at http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
to start.

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome Angel !

 

[Gillian M]

Hi @Angel pineda and a very warm welcome to the forum.

What a cute little tort you have. GOD bless.

 

[Angel pineda]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

You did a very good thing in taking over the care of this little desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). This tortoise species is protected and if you can keep him alive for another year or so, you should apply for a permit to keep him. I'm not familiar with the Nevada laws regarding this species, but here in California, we can keep them with a permit. I just did a quick search and came up with this for Nevada:

• All desert tortoises in Nevada, whether in captivity or not, are considered wildlife (NRS 501.097) and therefore belong to the people of the State of Nevada (NRS 501.100). Those who legally possess a desert tortoise are considered custodians, rather than owners, of the desert tortoise(s) in captivity.
• Citizens can serve as custodians of desert tortoises acquired through a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-approved adoption program, operated by Tortoise Group in southern Nevada, or if the tortoise was collected or born in captivity before August 1989 (NAC 503.093), which is pre-Endangered Species Act listing.
  • Pet desert tortoises (regardless of size, age, or origin) cannot be traded, sold, or given to others, nor can they be released to the wild (NRS 501.379, NAC 503.093 and NAC 503.135).

I appreciate the information! I did a little research myself... My sister has Been feeding him the wrong things!!! (Kale, romaine hearts and cabbage) I just bought him organic collar greens, but he didn't want to eat it... I know that I should cut up the food he usually eats and then introduce the new food by adding it to the usual food he eats... I tried that and it seems like he knows the difference between which is what. I really want to improve his diet!!! It's frustrating me....

 

[Alexio]

I appreciate the information! I did a little research myself... My sister has Been feeding him the wrong things!!! (Kale, romaine hearts and cabbage) I just bought him organic collar greens, but he didn't want to eat it... I know that I should cut up the food he usually eats and then introduce the new food by adding it to the usual food he eats... I tried that and it seems like he knows the difference between which is what. I really want to improve his diet!!! It's frustrating me....

Tortoises can be especially stubborn about food . Once they are fond of "bad" foods they can be resistant to eating the "good" ones.
You could always try chopping it all up in really tiny pieces, then he will be unable to "sort" through his food as you have found.