Need opinions on potentially contraversial topic :/

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haha.svt

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Okay guys, Ive been around lurking for a long time. In my intro thread I explained how I had a DT and he died a little while ago from what I am guessing now was more than likely an RI. At the time I didnt know better and knowing what I know now I feel terribly for Shelly. IVe been working on setting up both an indoor enclosure and a table for a new tort or two and the time is starting to come where the dry runs of the setup are starting to level out and Ive got steady temps and plants starting to grow etc.

I still have yet to decide what species I would be most interest in. While I love Sulcatas, they just get too big in the ong run and I dont want to have to worry about a place for him to stay 20 years from now incase I dont have a house or something.


Now my question is, while I know it is illegal to sell DTs, what is everyones opinion on colecting one and bringing it home while out field herping? Every spring/summer me and a large group of friends go out into the foothills and into the desert looking for scorps, snakes, torts etc to photograph and see. WE mever really take anything home (one of my friends will take an occasional scorp or spider because thats what they are into, im more or a snake guy) and no animal is ever harmed, just photographed, measured and replaced.

We quite a few DTs, from hatching (though unfortunatly they are usually dead/sickly there are healthy ones) to good sized well established juvies. The more I think about it the more I would love to have another DT. Would it be terribly wrong of me if i took a healthy guy out of the wild? Or even a sickly guy out of the wild? MY last one I found the day after we moved into out new house in our backyard (actually we found 5 of them) as our house was in a new development on the top of a hill that was full of wildlife and we continued to find all sorts of stuff for a few years.


Anyways Im getting long windered and rambling. I guess Im just trying to make sure in the tort community i wouldnt be considered that evil guy IF i was looking to give one a good home and make sure he/she survived..

opinions?
 

Yvonne G

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NO!!!!!

That is So illegal. If you were found out and caught, you might suffer a $15,000 fine! Please don't do that. Plus, you remove an animal from the gene pool in an already depleted pool.

There are many clubs and rescues that adopt out desert tortoises. I have some right now for adoption (but I only adopt in my area). Look up the California Turtle and Tortoise Club and place your name on their waiting list.
 

tortoiselady

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NO! PLEASE DON'T. If you are in California we can help you. Contact your closest chapter of the California Turtle and Tortoise Club at www.tortoise.org If you are in California and have a qualified home you will get one - possibly a hatchling depending where you are located and how good your set up is. You will also get support for care and housing. If you are in a different state please contact your local chapter for the state club that handles the desert tortoises there. We can permit you and keep it legal, and protect the endangered desert tortoises in the wild - there is a reason they are listed federally and state as endangered. No one will judge you for not knowing and inquiring is the way to go so good for you for checking first. If you are near the Valley or Magic Mountain I would be happy to work with you.

Take care and please consider legal adoption...for the sake of the :tort:
 

ascott

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Please do not do it....

Besides being illegal, once you remove one it can never be returned...it will be an outcast forever.....forced to live in captivity....such a regal creature to forced to be trapped by ripped from the wild land....

Also...stealing a scorpion or spider or lizard is not the best thing either...so many health issues can be forced to the surface when you take a wild animal and place it into a captive environment....I totally get the humanizing of " if I take one it will have a better life" .. the life they should have is their life in their world not ours....

I have four beautiful male CDTs here that I host...and I love them and am sad to think that if someone would have just left things alone they would have remained where they belonged and added to their specked....so it is my privilege to offer them the best captive situation I can so they can live out their long life....

Please reconsider this ....as Yvonne stated there are so many CDTs that need a host ...
 

Shelly

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haha.svt said:
Now my question is, while I know it is illegal to sell DTs, what is everyones opinion on colecting one and bringing it home while out field herping?

Anybody who does that deserves punishment to the full extent of the law.
 

Angi

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There are plenty that need homes. As stated above you can get one from the T&TS. The one in San Diego is great to work with and so many are in need of good homes. Keep reading and asking questions. Please post pix of enclosures you are working on.
 

Jacqui

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emysemys said:
NO!!!!!

That is So illegal. If you were found out and caught, you might suffer a $15,000 fine! Please don't do that. Plus, you remove an animal from the gene pool in an already depleted pool.

There are many clubs and rescues that adopt out desert tortoises. I have some right now for adoption (but I only adopt in my area). Look up the California Turtle and Tortoise Club and place your name on their waiting list.

I think that pretty much sums it all up quite well.
 

dmmj

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If you live in CA there are more than likely many at the CTTC who needs homes, of all sizes. It is legal to adopt one from there and it is free to do so, so no need to incur a huge penalty from wild collecting.
 

ALDABRAMAN

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emysemys said:
NO!!!!!

That is So illegal. If you were found out and caught, you might suffer a $15,000 fine! Please don't do that. Plus, you remove an animal from the gene pool in an already depleted pool.

There are many clubs and rescues that adopt out desert tortoises. I have some right now for adoption (but I only adopt in my area). Look up the California Turtle and Tortoise Club and place your name on their waiting list.

:)
 
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