Desert Tortoise or Sulcata?

[Heidi Lopez]

Hey! My son found a tortoise roaming in a busy street last night and I am trying to figure out what kind it is so I can learn how to properly take care of it. Can someone please let me know what kind?

 

[wellington]

Desert.

 

[wellington]

Also where are you located? I believe they are illegal to take from the wild without a permit or something like that. It might also depend on where you are located. @Yvonne G can fill you in. Need location though.

 

[Heidi Lopez]

Phoenix, AZ. And I didnt even realize that could be an issue. Thanks for letting me know.

 

[Big Charlie]

It might be someone's pet that escaped.

 

[wellington]

Phoenix, AZ. And I didnt even realize that could be an issue. Thanks for letting me know.

I'm not sure if the laws in AZ. Most likely illegal to take from wild though. @Neal who also lives in AZ may know.

 

[Tom]

Can we get some more pics to be sure? Face and plastron?

 

[Neal]

I only "specialize" in a few species, so I'm not good enough to ID him for sure from this photo, so I'll second Tom's request for additional photos.

Removing desert tortoises from the wild in AZ is not prohibited and I do believe there would be an issue if you were to place him back, now that he's been removed...I could be wrong as I have not refreshed myself on the law in some time. That might not be a problem depending on where you are in the valley and where you found him.

Where exactly did you find him?

 

[Heidi Lopez]

Near 31st avenue and Peoria Avenue.

 

[Heidi Lopez]

 

[Heidi Lopez]

Are these the kind of photos you were looking for?

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Heidi

It was someone's pet ! There isn't wild torts in that part of the city . Put up some signs around that you found a tort and let them tell you it's a desert tort ! And give that desert tort a bath it's really dry !

 

[mctlong]

Looks like a little sonoran desert tortoise. He recently hatched, a brand new baby. If his parents are pets, then there's a good chance the owners have no idea this baby even exists. The baby could have just hatched out of the ground and wandered into the street. Does anyone near that street own adult desert torts? That would give you an idea of whose yard he may have wandered out of.

If it were me, I'd keep him if no one claims him.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Heidi, and welcome to the Forum!

More than likely, someone's pet desert tortoises had babies that hatched out in the yard without the keepers knowing about it. A bird flying by took advantage of the free meal and carried that baby off. Birds fly up high then drop baby tortoises on hard surfaces in order to crack open the shell. This baby was a lucky one. I doubt the baby's keeper even knew he had babies in his yard.

Here is an excerpt from an article about Arizona's tortoises:

Regulations
The Mojave desert tortoise was listed as threatened by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in 1990. Arizona law has prohibited removal of desert tortoises from the wild since 1988. The Sonoran desert tortoise is listed as a Candidate species by the USFWS. Lawfully obtained desert tortoises may be privately adopted, but desert tortoise adoption in Arizona is subject to specific rules.

Per Commission Rule R12-4-407(B)(1), a person may possess, transport or give away a desert tortoise or the progeny of desert tortoises legally held prior to April 28, 1989, or obtained through a Department authorized adoption program, without a special license. An individual who receives a desert tortoise that is given away under this rule is also exempt from the special license requirements. Possession limit is one desert tortoise per person. An individual shall not propagate captive desert tortoises or export a desert tortoise from this state unless authorized in writing by the Department.

To read the whole article, go here: https://www.azgfd.com/Wildlife/NonGameManagement/Tortoise/

The desert tortoises hatch out in September, so we usually see a lot of posts like yours this time of year.