CDT or mislabeled Sulcata? IE, CA

[Floof]

This ad popped up on my local Craigslist. Actually, two ads--but we'll stick with the one with clear pictures.
I wasn't too sure at first whether it was a CDT as the ad declares it is, but a rescue friend of mine is 100% sure it is, indeed, a California Desert Tortoise. I still have doubts, and looked up CDT hatchling pics to be sure, which confirmed my suspicion--this baby looks 100% sulcata to me.

But we still can't quite agree on what it actually is. Anyone care to weigh in???

... And, in either case, it is a baby tort who appears to need assistance. Post lists as having a cracked shell. If it is a CDT, they are illegally selling it. If it is a Sulcata, they're asking full price for an injured baby... So either way it's not a great situation...

http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/pet/4448248705.html

And the ad in which they state it has a cracked shell:
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/pet/4448449533.html

 

[T33's Torts]

Looks like a sulcata to me.. Large arm scutes.

 

[happyjoyjoy]

I say who cares...... save this poor little guy his shells cracked and he looks dried out.... Id guess a sulcata too.

 

[Tom]

Both ads are full of incorrect info. The person is either a crook or an idiot. Maybe both.

Its a sulcata, and its nowhere near two years old. Sad that the person can't even spell.

 

[Floof]

Yup, trying to get the person to answer me now. Before I thought to google pics and make 100% sure, I mentioned the law to her and she declared he'd been sold. Sure... It's not far from me, but she's stuck on "it's sold, it sold for $60 (listed for 50)" even though it was available when I first texted at 9. Sigh.

 

[Floof]

Omg. So the gal said she's had this tortoise for a year. She got it from a neighbor that kept her babies for a year after her tortoises bred. This is also not her only tortoise....

 

[Floof]

Wow, don't know why it took me so long to notice. The two different ads are two different tortoises, but yes from the same person and yes both 2 years old (or so she says)--probably same batch. One has a nailpolish smear on its shell, the other doesn't.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Both ads are full of incorrect info. The person is either a crook or an idiot. Maybe both.

Its a sulcata, and its nowhere near two years old. Sad that the person can't even spell.

Love your new avatar. Nice looking animal, pretty natural looking...

 

[Floof]

Wow, actually got this gal to sell me her poor stunted torts. 3 of them total. They were surprisingly concerned (but not concerned enough to waive the fee, sigh), and have no intentions to keep any more tortoises, so that's good. They are all super small for 2 yrs old (53, 64, and 65 g ea), but alert.

 

[Tom]

That's crazy. My hatchlings are bigger than that at 6 weeks old. Wow.

I'm glad they are in better hands now.

 

[Floof]

Thanks, Tom. It is crazy how small they are. Two years old... smh. The cracked baby passed away on Saturday. At least he got to know actual sunlight before he passed. They were most recently keeping them in a plastic sterilite drawer with no substrate, light, anything, indoors. The good news is they don't plan to try the tortoise thing again--they were selling these because their huskies think tortoises make great little appetizers, as dogs often do.

The not so great news is they found these in their yard, originally from their neighbor who has a trio of "Desert Tortoises from Florida" (seriously what these people thought these babies are) that breed every year. Sounds like they let the eggs incubate and hatch in the yard, but don't make an effort to collect the babies or anything. They're keeping my number in case they find any more when babies start hatching. Hopefully they do, because the alternatives tend to suck... On the other hand... What does one do with a gaggle of baby bulldozers? :/

 

[Floof]

Incidentally, the injured baby's shell wasn't so much "cracked" as "caved in." His shell was so soft that his shell broke along a growth line, and the top two scutes were pushed into the body cavity on one side. It was hard to tell with the gooped up neosporin they'd been applying, until he passed and I could get a better look without hurting him. His plastron was starting to go translucent and was crazy soft from MBD. Not nearly as bad as the Leopard baby I took in last year, but well on his way.

 

[bouaboua]

Thanks, Tom. It is crazy how small they are. Two years old... smh. The cracked baby passed away on Saturday. At least he got to know actual sunlight before he passed. They were most recently keeping them in a plastic sterilite drawer with no substrate, light, anything, indoors. The good news is they don't plan to try the tortoise thing again--they were selling these because their huskies think tortoises make great little appetizers, as dogs often do.

The not so great news is they found these in their yard, originally from their neighbor who has a trio of "Desert Tortoises from Florida" (seriously what these people thought these babies are) that breed every year. Sounds like they let the eggs incubate and hatch in the yard, but don't make an effort to collect the babies or anything. They're keeping my number in case they find any more when babies start hatching. Hopefully they do, because the alternatives tend to suck... On the other hand... What does one do with a gaggle of baby bulldozers? :/

All I can say is WOW......! ! ! ! !

 

[bouaboua]

Incidentally, the injured baby's shell wasn't so much "cracked" as "caved in." His shell was so soft that his shell broke along a growth line, and the top two scutes were pushed into the body cavity on one side. It was hard to tell with the gooped up neosporin they'd been applying, until he passed and I could get a better look without hurting him. His plastron was starting to go translucent and was crazy soft from MBD. Not nearly as bad as the Leopard baby I took in last year, but well on his way.

Thank God. They are in a good hand now.......

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Wow, actually got this gal to sell me her poor stunted torts. 3 of them total. They were surprisingly concerned (but not concerned enough to waive the fee, sigh), and have no intentions to keep any more tortoises, so that's good. They are all super small for 2 yrs old (53, 64, and 65 g ea), but alert.

Thank you for being a warrior. They likely won't stop though...

 

[kball]

It's definitely a sulcata.

 

[Floof]

Thank you for being a warrior. They likely won't stop though...

Especially with dozens of babies tromping into their yard every year from the neighbor's breeding adults. One can hope, though. They have my number, so hopefully they do call me instead of trying to keep them when more show up.