Need help identifying Verne

[claireg]

This is Verne, recently aquired Verne. Sadly, he was very light and has several chips and old cracks in his shell. But good news, he has a hearty appetite and recently started climbing! but I don't really know what kind of tortoise he is or even how old he might be...can someone assist me?

 

[Shelly]

He is a Desert Tortoise, and might be anywhere from 20-80 years old. How did you get him?

 

[Yvonne G]

Verne looks like he might be LaVerne. Did you adopt her from a turtle club? I hope you didn't bring her home from the desert. That's illegal, and because there aren't many left in the wild, it removes MUCH from the gene pool.

Yvonne

 

[Laura]

He does look skinny.. Romaine lettuce is better then iceberg, but needs better still.
what kind of vitamins and calcium are you providing? Where did she come from? Do you have her history? Diet? etc...
Be sure to apply for a permit to keep her legally.

 

[claireg]

Well he was found in my mother's neighborhood, dehydrated and apparently abused (according to my nieghbor who also keeps tortioses), we spent the weekend looking for the owner couldn't find anyone. I did NOT take him out of the desert. We feed him napoles, prickly pear, kale (in moderation from what i've read on care sheets), spinach, romaine, turnip tops, carrots and a few other veggies i can't think of right now.....i have been putting calcium powder on his food maybe every other week. He can't really be 80 years old? really? Where do i apply for a permit?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

80% of his diet should be grasses and weeds...NO carrots...you can get an application and the CTTC...

 

[claireg]

80% of his diet should be grasses and weeds...NO carrots...you can get an application and the CTTC...

i have read several care sheets and carrots are okay occasionally....currently we don't have weeds and grass yet....we've only have him for a few weeks and still trying to make sure he's happy and healthy...but we are working to get some planters and such with the available weeds and grass patches.....

 

[Shelly]

My Vet said carrots should be given occasionally as well.