Toby the 100 year old Tortoise

[joysmith1213]

We live in Mississippi. A 96 year old woman originally from California moved here and brought her tortoise with her. Unfortunately she was going to have to go into the hospital and she left the tortoise and her little dog at the vet. She didn't make it and subsequently died. The little dog died, too, but that left Toby. Our daughter told us about it and asked if we would adopt it. My husband got to work building it an enclosure and all is working out great. I saw on this forum that there is another new member whose tortoise is named Toby. How ironic, unless that's a typical name for them! Hehe Thanks Y'all, glad to be here!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi and welcome to the Forum!!

(Your picture looks like it has been Photo Shopped???)

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

hype that is a very sad story. but I'm glad the Toby found a good new home. maybe you can take a picture of him.

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome . Sad about the lady and dog. The tort is nice looking. Great eye Yvonne, I see the weird part of the pic.

 

[Tom]

Pretty interesting story. Just so you know, it is not legal to have a CA desert tortoise in Mississippi. If the "authorities" find out, it will be a problem for you.

 

[Yvonne G]

Tom, I'm not so sure about the law in this instance. Yes, it was illegal for the California lady to take the tortoise out of California, but I think it would be ok for this person to have it. They MIGHT have to get a permit, but I really don't know the law on second owners like this is.

 

[Millerlite]

The law does say can't take them out p. ca and he did not, idk how it works now that you have it, they might just put it to sleep of they get a hold of it I don't see them sending back to ca. Just keep It

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Our herp rescue in Alabama had a similar situation a few yrs ago; someone brought them a tortoise, and it turns out it was a desert tort. But they weren't the ones who transported across state lines. Our fish & game didn't give them guff.

 

[Jacqui]

My understanding is the law only applies to those within the protected states, that once they leave they are no longer under those laws and as such need no permits. Also last I knew none of the states want them back, once they have crossed out of their native ranges. In the past, they have killed returned out of state tortoises.

 

[EchoTheLeoTort]

I'd just keep it. I think unless you have reasons the authority would need to search your house, you'll be fine

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

That is.a nice looking old tort.
I wish you best of luck with it

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

 

[yagyujubei]

First of all, no one knows when that tortoise was taken to Mississippi. It could have easily been brought to Mississippi well before 1973 when laws were enacted.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Well I be leave it was2yrs ago a teacher went to Florida and. Found a sea turtle nest in the sand. She thought the eggs were bad (there were 10 eggs) and she took them back to her state( it was a land locked state) and all10 hatched . A judge gave her a choice take all 10 back to Florida (no not mail them either) or pay 10000.00 dollars per egg. So she took them back to Florida

 

[lynnedit]

It is a great story, but the pic does look a bit odd. We hope to see more pics of him in his enclosure, and learn more about his history.

 

[joysmith1213]

I'd just keep it. I think unless you have reasons the authority would need to search your house, you'll be fine

Oh, then maybe I should be worried! Hehe We researched all of this before taking him. In California there are actually tortoises that go to adoptees because of their habitat being ate up by humans. I feel he has a much better chance with us than he would out in the desert anyway.

 

[joysmith1213]

I'm having trouble seeing what y'all are seeing in his picture. I have more of his enclosure to post.

 

[joysmith1213]

We live in Mississippi. A 96 year old woman originally from California moved here and brought her tortoise with her. Unfortunately she was going to have to go into the hospital and she left the tortoise and her little dog at the vet. She didn't make it and subsequently died. The little dog died, too, but that left Toby. Our daughter told us about it and asked if we would adopt it. My husband got to work building it an enclosure and all is working out great. I saw on this forum that there is another new member whose tortoise is named Toby. How ironic, unless that's a typical name for them! Hehe Thanks Y'all, glad to be here!

OK, so more pictures, huh? Gladly. Actually it was 1948 when the lady from Yazoo City brought it over here to MS. It has lived here for 65 years. I would think it's now an official Mississippian

 

[Jd3]

Hi and welcome to the Forum!!

(Your picture looks like it has been Photo Shopped???)

That is flash shadow. If you zoom in you'll see the rocks line up and such through the shadow.

Point and shoot cameras do this a lot. It is a hard flash shadow and the low quality flash and optics along with angle make it look bad.

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I'm not sure if the specifics if the story, but the photo is just poor quality. Not photoshopped. If you zoom In close to the funny edge you'd actually see that it would be fairly impressive to photoshop the rocks and like in to the shadow...

Lets let that rest and give the op the benefit here. I'd like to hear more and see more.

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[ascott]

What a great looking tort.....awesome actually....

 

[Sh3wulf]

That's a cool tort and how neat to have an animal that is so old! The enclosure is neat looking too. Is the tort safe from predators? I only ask cause Mississippi I would imagine has some animals that tort would make a nice meal for.
Also, just curious about environment. Mississippi is generally very humid isn't it? Will Toby fair ok i, as a desert tort, she's suppose to be relatively dry?
Not bustin chops, just curious on housing animals in environments not accustomed since I'm raising a Leopard in Southern Ontario
I think it's wonderful you were willing to take Toby on and have gone to great lengths to make her comfortable


Two kids, One husband, One Hines57, One Leopard Tortoise, and a room at the sanitarium lol