Baby Tortoise

  • Thread starter Thread starter 71Fan
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Ahh yeee-uuuuuuup, I be a torroise rancher. Got me a whole herd of turtles out back. Actually, they are Gopherus agassizii or desert torts the oldest of which has been a part of the family for about 80 years.

As they are endangered even one new baby is a cause for joy. I have two females old enuf for breeding so I am hoping to find between 10 and 20 hatchlings in the coming weeks. I also have two eggs incubating. Survival rate is 3 in 10.

Needless to say, we are extremely excited around here.:D
 
My friend has a snapping turtle. That thing is really crazy. It almost took my finger off.
 
71fan, when you posted that answer a few weeks back, I thought you were kidding. I forget which thread it was.
Are they kind of pets or is it a viable business? and where are you?
PURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
 
Pets. Family really. And no, not a biz. It be illegal to even have them without a permit for most folks. As these are part of a herd that was established prior to the Endangered Species Act, our family is exempt from govermental interference except that we can't release them in to the wild, or give (or sell) them to anyone outside the family without those persons first securing a permit, or that they at least be approved to keep them.

Permits are also needed to transport them across state lines, and in Utah it is illegal to possess them at all unless it is for research purposes......execpt that we might also be exempt from their state laws as federal laws preclude state laws. It's a gray area for sure but I ain't planning on moving to Utah any time soon anyways.:D
 
Congrats 71Fan. Sounds like you have a lot of good things going on in your life.(refering to other thread about daughter also).

I know how excited you all must be. I have a good friend that works with the Wildlife Dept here. It was years back but they were introducing Wild Turkeys back into the population. I was with them during one of the times and they had some hatchlings. It was a big day for celebration. They also worked with the Wood Duck population and Bald Eagles. Every Fall I go to a reserve to capture Bald Eagles on film. I love wildlife of any kind. One day I hope to go to Alaska. That would be a dream in itself.

I know you must be excited about the new little one. People don't realize what that feeling is, until you experience it especially with something that is endangered it's hard to imagine. I know how you're feeling. Enjoy, those moments don't come along very often.
 
I could make some real crude remarks about the excitement level of watching them breed, but I won't. :headshake Way to go dude. Gonna name it Harvick? :ROFLMFAO:
 
Congrats 71!

Is this the first hatchling in your herd ever?

Hoping you can improve on the 3 in 10 deal!:)

Would think that once the group reaches a sifnificant number (whatever number that would be for these critters) the survival of the species would benefit from strategic relocation to suitable habitats. However it reads like this is not permited. Is there some program for re establishing the numbers of the torts?
 
There is a re-release program in place for wild torts, and tho some folks think it is best to keep captive herds captive to help delay the spread of disease and to reduce stress in their natural habitat, there is continuing debate among the experts as to what is actually for the best. In Utah it is illegal to keep a desert tort except for research and California has gone so far as to outlaw the incubation of eggs.

Depending on how many hatchlings I can round up before the birds get to them I'll be contacting family first and then our local tort adoption folks. These critters grow slower than they walk so there is really no hurry. Takes 10 to 15 years to reach maturity and old GoGo (at least 80 or 90) has still got 30 to 40 years of like left in him.
 
71fan, I cannot believe what happened today. My kitty, for the 1st time ever, stayed out all nite and when I woke up around 5am she had a turtle (NOT tortois) on the deck!. She hadn't hurt it and was licking it like a kitten!!!!! I brought it to the Chatahoochee Nature Preserve and they welcomed it like a newborn. I FEEL SO GOOD :) :)
Lots of people don't realize the difference between the T's (land or amphibian).They look nothing alike to the informed eye.

PEOPLE, Please click on www.therainforestsite.com like in my signature....ITS FREE, as are the others.
PURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Kat:waver:
 
71.Do you use Turtle Wax on there roof top,Or are they born with clearcoat.:P You said you had 2 females that you were going to mate,Is there something we need to know here,or do you have a male also.:o Good luck my friend:)
 
Originally posted by pbunch
71.Do you use Turtle Wax on there roof top,Or are they born with clearcoat.:P You said you had 2 females that you were going to mate,Is there something we need to know here,or do you have a male also.:o Good luck my friend:)
Click to expand...

The Kat says "sigh", steps back and grabs the cast iron frying pan and SLAPS pb on the head with it.:takethat:

TURTLE ARE NOT TORTIS POOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT, PURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
 
Geesh Kat, I hope ya didn't hurt him;)

Glad you knew what to with the turtle......hmmm, let's see...nope, no turtle wax. Powdered calcium on their food tho. What else? Oh yea....

I remember the first time I saw a couple torts doing it thru the kitchen window. I called out to the wife....omg omg omg, are they doing what I think they're doing?.....and yea, they were.
 
If Kat don't knock off that pootin, I'm sending HER to Ward's Wildlife Preserve. Smells like a damn elephant barn in here...
 
I bet Kat pulls her own finger TW.:P Kat,Put that frying pan away unless you are gonna fry me some taters,And pork chops.:D
 
These fellers have got my attention. The tortoises that is.

Is this the usual time of year for hatchlings? I know you're out where the seasons aren't the same as ...well they just aren't the same. But it seems late in the year. Or does it have to do with the chances of getting rain?

What do ya feed a baby tort (or an adult tort for that matter) From what little I know or recall of them, which is nearly nothing, they are pretty much on their own from day one in the wild.
 
Believe it or not, I have a "desert weed garden" but the adults like my lawn much better. Not sure of the names of the weeds but folks go out in to the desert to collect seeds. Bermuda grass has been found to have exactly what they need. Most grasses are just fine. Generally speaking, store bought veggies are too high in protein and ya never quite know what kind of chemicals are on them. 10 percent protien is just about the max. Too much protien cause shell disfiguration and liver and kidney damage. Calcium is the only accepted supplement. Sweet fruit, lettuce, and most pet foods are big no-no's. Even prepared turtle and tortoise food is highly specialized for different species. Rule of thumb is that if it ain't found in the desert do not feed it desert torts.

Hatchlings happen Sept/Oct. Controlled incubation is 14 weeks or thereabouts depending on temps. One study showed that they appear after heavy rains. Whether they've hatched and are just waiting for the ground to soften to dig their way out of 8 to12 in deep nest holes, or if the rain simply fires up their insinctual need to eat is unknown. 2 to 12 eggs per hole is normal.

Speaking of which, time to go play rainman as the sun is just coming up. Then it's sit quiet with binocs and wait.
 
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