New! Just got 2 Calif Desert Tortoises, SO happy!

[gerberwoman]

hi! i am gerber. i have two fifty-plus year old Desert Tortoises that i have had now a little over a week.
they came to me thursday the 13th, on saturday the 15th ( my 10th wedding anniversay!) the female laid eggs!

i am a first time tortoise owner and have spent many hours already sitting with them, talking to them, noticing how in their mild abiding with the world they have turned that part of my yard into something akin to a Zen Temple.

i go in and say, 'hello, buddha-one, hello buddha-two!.'
we have actually named them 'Mush', ( the male, rhymes with 'push') and 'yoizel', ( the female, rhymes with.....uh..... shmoizel?)

the only pics i have are when they had been at my house less than an hour and began mating, and i dont think i shall post that, it's private, lol!

gerber in thousand oaks, california. bye4now!

( i also have a ten plus year old ornate box turtle named bernard, who is also a recent adoption; he was ebing retired from a hands on childrens museum, and is getting a much needed break from too much human attention.)

 

[ascott]

Welcome to the Forum and we LOVE PICS

I know folks think that purposely encouraging breeding of this species of tortoise is ok and acceptable...I would hope that you would abide by the laws and intentions that the State have set up when offering people the opportunity to host these most precious and sensitive species....males and female should never be housed together...for the exact reason you mentioned...this species has such a huge captive population that are sitting in rescues and most of which will never have a forever host, it is not responsible to support and encourage reproduction of this species in captivity....it may be energy better used volunteering to aid the wild ones that are being killed off and dying off due to habitat destruction.....you have them permitted with the state correct? Okay, enough of that....I hope you understand that I say these things because some folks do not know these things and so I share....

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

Welcome and Congrats!

 

[Julius25]

Congrats =)

 

[gerberwoman]

thanks for the note. they were rescued together and have been together 30 years or more so even though they are male and female, that is how they came to me. i know the rules about the eggs, i dont touch them or help them to incubate, she covered them, i 'marked the spot' and if they hatch they belong to the state of california.
an expert i talked to from the tortuga gazette said there isnt much chance it is warm enough where i am for the eggs to hatch, anyway, i will do as the desert tort people instruct me in all things, i love being a guardian to these amazing creatures!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Gerber:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

 

[Zamric]

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[mctlong]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Tom]

Keep an eye on that spot around a year from now. You might just get a surprise.

Hello and welcome.

 

[Laura]

pictures are a MUST!!!

if the eggs hatch.. they can't be released. They just go into the rescue system. or you have LOTS of them yourself.
permiting is easy and doesn't cost anything. If the person you got them from had one.. you might be able to transfer it to you. If not, just get our own.

 

[gerberwoman]

i forgot to address the permit question! i was approved after a home inspection by the CTTC and have permits for both of them!
when and if those eggs hatch, im calling them, as they have someone nearby who 'specializes' in hatchings as there is no way i am set up for such a responsibility!

 

[DesertGrandma]

Would love to see a pic of them. I'm sure you are enjoying them immensely. If I had more space I would adopt an AZ desert tort.

 

[TORTOISEMAN1]

Welcome!

 

[pam]

Welcome.