New Gopherus

[tortoiseguy65]

Since I am not experienced with this Genus, I thought I would defer to the experts. What do I have? I know it is a female as she laid eggs a week ago. I just got her this evening. She was found wandering the streets of a central Illinois small town near the Illinois River. She was with the previous owner for 6 years. She is very friendly and outgoing. Let me know what you think.

 

[Kristina]

She sure as heck looks like a Florida Gopher to me. I almost never nail ID's, so I am probably wrong, LOL. I just keep trying and hope to learn from my mistakes.

 

[Yvonne G]

I'll be darned! So it really was a Gopherus and not a sulcata. Well, I'm not real good at i.d.ing the gopherus species, but I'm going to guess Texas or Gopherus berlandieri. Of course you know that Danny is going to shoot me down!

 

[tortoiseguy65]

Yvonne, Yep, it wasn't a sulcata. I am glad that it wasn't. I hope Danny does let me know what I have. That would be cool if it is a Texas. Ya never know.

 

[matt41gb]

Hey, Jeff. If it's a "Texas" you have to send it to me! Ha!

-Matt

 

[egyptiandan]

You have a Desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii, Jeff

Danny

 

[matt41gb]

Since I am not experienced with this Genus, I thought I would defer to the experts. What do I have? I know it is a female as she laid eggs a week ago. I just got her this evening. She was found wandering the streets of a central Illinois small town near the Illinois River. She was with the previous owner for 6 years. She is very friendly and outgoing. Let me know what you think.

I would say you have a gopher. I was looking at some pictures I took of one a few years ago. A guy who is a trucker picked one up off of the road in Florida and brought it back to Texas. I know, I know, it's illegal. I told him that, he understood and took it back. The pictures look very similar. I'm noticing there is no nucal scute. I wonder if it was injured there? All of the gopherus seem to have this scute present.

Florida Gopher

-Matt

 

[tortoiseguy65]

Thanks Danny. Could you direct me to a good reference where one can distinguish between the 4 species?

You have a Desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii, Jeff

Danny

---

Matt,
Regardless of which species it is, I don't think I can legally send it anywhere. Correct me if I am wrong, Danny? I am pretty sure It shouldn't even be here in IL, but I am guessing someone grabbed it years ago and brought it home perhaps thinking they were saving it. Who knows how long she has been here in Illinois. She looks quite old, and her previous owner had her for 6 years. As I said before that, she was found wandering the streets in a central illinois community.

Hey, Jeff. If it's a "Texas" you have to send it to me! Ha!

-Matt

 

[egyptiandan]

Texas tortoises are the only Gopherus species that can be shipped. None of the other 3 species can be shipped.
I'm not sure, but I think you will have to get a federal permit to keep her.
Here you go Jeff http://www.chelonia.org/gopherus_gallery.htm

Danny

 

[matt41gb]

Jeff, I was just saying that since I live in Texas of course. But......... If you do want to send her this way, I wouldn't be opposed to the idea. Ha!

-Matt

 

[Kristina]

Wait, Texas tortoises can be owned outside of Texas? With or without a permit?

I too used to have a Gopher polyphemus, and it looks JUST like Gomer - The spot on the shell were it is split looks like an old injury. It definitely looks like it was raised in captivity to me.

 

[egyptiandan]

Yes Texas tortoise can be owned outside of Texas without a permit.

I agree with the raised in captivity and most likely CB. The no nuchal scute looks like a genetic defect to me.

Danny

 

[Kristina]

HUH, I did not know that about the Texas torts (runs off to find one, lol.)

 

[Candy]

I was right! Yeah I'm so happy because I did learn something from the one thread that was posted by Yvonne earlier (I think) this month where Danny had posted pictures of the Texas DT. The face looks just like Fernando's, but the shell is a different color and darker like Danny had said. Anyway nice looking little girl congratulations.

 

[Itort]

Yes Texas tortoise can be owned outside of Texas without a permit.

I agree with the raised in captivity and most likely CB. The no nuchal scute looks like a genetic defect to me.

Danny

Before we all go out looking for Texas Tortoises please check these out : www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/endang/regulations/texas/index.phtml

 

[Kristina]

LOL, Larry, really I was joking. I for one am many miles from Texas, and I don't have the climate to care for one. I should have made it clear that I was not serious. I would never take a wild native tortoise and try and keep it in captivity. I hate that my Hingebacks and Russians are wild caught, but, people setting up breeding groups is the only way that we will get captive bred populations of them.

Thank you for posting that and making me explain myself, I really did give the wrong impression, and it is good for everyone to know that our native species do need to be protected.

 

[egyptiandan]

Didn't mean to say that you can go down to Texas to pick one up. Just that ones that came from Mexico ( a few came in a few years ago) and ones that are already out of the state of Texas are legal to own without a permit in most states. They aren't federally protected, so can be transfered from one state to another.
The ones that came in from Mexico were expensive Kristina, $1,500 each

Danny

 

[Fokkerdon]

Actually you need permit for Berlanderei (Texas) if in california, just the same as Agassizii.

 

[Fokkerdon]

Didn't mean to say that you can go down to Texas to pick one up. Just that ones that came from Mexico ( a few came in a few years ago) and ones that are already out of the state of Texas are legal to own without a permit in most states. They aren't federally protected, so can be transfered from one state to another.
The ones that came in from Mexico were expensive Kristina, $1,500 each

Danny

Danny,
They are federal protected under the ESA and are CitesII listed too, lest to the best of my info at this time. Is this just for the ones that are still in the wild/texas or does it also apply to all captive ones???

 

[egyptiandan]

Don all tortoises are either CITES I or II. CITES has no bearing on whether animals can be shipped between states, just for import or export. The only thing that prohibits interstate travel (without a permit) is animals on our Endangered Species List. So I can ship Egyptian tortoises (CITES I animals) without a permit between states as they aren't on our Endangered Species List. Radiated tortoises (still a CITES I animal) are different though. You can't ship them (unless you have permits) between states as they are on our Endangered Species List.
The only native tortoises on our Endangered Species List is the Desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii and the Gopher tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus.

Danny