Baby Tortoise identification
- Thread starter tlrobb
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Welcome to the Forum, tlrobb!!
Have you seen his parents? The shell certainly looks like sulcata, however, the scales on the front legs don't.
Have you seen his parents? The shell certainly looks like sulcata, however, the scales on the front legs don't.
Welcome!
Where in the US are you located? It looks like a baby gopher tortoise, which are federally protected throughout all their range, just so you are aware.
Welcome 
I don't believe the OP is in the gopher tortoise's range.
tlrobb: It is perfectly ok for you to have this baby (unless you live in gopher tortoise country). Once the tortoise has reached about 3 years of age, you just apply for a permit and register that you have the tortoise. In California you get the permit application from one of the chapters of the California Turtle & Tortoise Club. There is no fee and no one will come to inspect your tortoise or your property. In the space provided you say you received the tortoise from a friend.
tlrobb: It is perfectly ok for you to have this baby (unless you live in gopher tortoise country). Once the tortoise has reached about 3 years of age, you just apply for a permit and register that you have the tortoise. In California you get the permit application from one of the chapters of the California Turtle & Tortoise Club. There is no fee and no one will come to inspect your tortoise or your property. In the space provided you say you received the tortoise from a friend.
Yvonne, how do you know they are not in the gopher's range? There's nothing in their profile that indicates their location.
I've been privileged enough to put my hands (legally) on a few baby gopher tortoises. I will assert that the similarities between them and hatchling is uncanny, especially to those who have seen many baby sulcatas and very few baby gophers. The confusion is understandable.
Until we know more information, I am going to go with the Occam's Razor principle. Hybrids, either naturally-occuring or bred in captivity, are rare.
All the aforementioned similarities are acknowledged, the tortoise in question most closeley resembles a hatchling (or very young) gopher tortoise. Until the OP's location is confirmed, perhaps it is a hatchling of another member of the Gopherus genus.
I've been privileged enough to put my hands (legally) on a few baby gopher tortoises. I will assert that the similarities between them and hatchling is uncanny, especially to those who have seen many baby sulcatas and very few baby gophers. The confusion is understandable.
Until we know more information, I am going to go with the Occam's Razor principle. Hybrids, either naturally-occuring or bred in captivity, are rare.
All the aforementioned similarities are acknowledged, the tortoise in question most closeley resembles a hatchling (or very young) gopher tortoise. Until the OP's location is confirmed, perhaps it is a hatchling of another member of the Gopherus genus.
Looks like a gopher to me.
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