Not a good outside for Tito.

[P. A. Schilke]

How big will he get?

Hi Joe,

They continue to grow their entire life. His mom is 42 years old and twice as big as Tito. Tito is the size of a large Salad plate and his Mom is bigger than a big dinner plate.

Here is a pix of an about 60 year old tortoise...

The lady is with Arizona Game and Fish and in charge of about 100 Tortoise waiting for adoption. I am considered a lay expert on Sonoran Deseret Tortoise and teach a class on them from time to time....the lady, Tegan W. is holding one that is about 60 years old. Most folks do not want one this big when they adopt them... Tegan and I are in touch by email...Great lady...

Best,
Phil

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[P. A. Schilke]

So , Mr. T just has free reign in the house ? he's in the kitchen , there he goes down the hallway , get up at nite to pee and stub your toe on him ? Or is he "restricted" ?

Hi NB,

Yes, Tito had free reign of the house...we learn to look down to not kick him by mistake but it does happen...he is cool with this happening.... Because he is a diurnal herbivore, diurnal means awake during the day as opposed to nocturnal and plant eating, nighttime he is parked and asleep like just now when I took this picture as he is waiting for Margie to slip her feet under the toe kick and he will move and park his shell up against her feet. He loves her, and kisses her ankles as a sign of his affection. For me, when I feed him and he is through, we do a nose bump...he actually waits for me to get down on hands and knees and bend down to his out stretched neck and we bump noses and then he ambles off... So far, selfie's of the nose bump are a problem as Margie simply does not get her cell phone camera operation....

Here is a pix of him asleep tonight... he will shift his feet a bit but he is ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

Best,
Phil

 

[9zero1790]

tito is fascinating im enjoy the info and pics you share of him.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

i got interested in turtles after i saw this guy on tiktok diggin fresh hatchlings out of the dirt in his yard. he breeds them or something.
I've wanted one since, but know its out of my league with the travelling i do for work.

Hi RP,

Not Sonoran desert tortoise but so cute. Here is a pix of my gardener's Male tortoise, Cruizer transformation to a Cruiza...

About one month old...about the size of a silver dollar. Note the color different from the video and theses are a bit smaller than the hatching of the Tortoise your video shows. That said, they are so cute! Pictured here are four males and one females. From the bottom clockwise, Male,
male, male, male, female

Best,
Phi

 

[NotBudule]

Hi NB,

Yes, Tito had free reign of the house...we learn to look down to not kick him by mistake but it does happen...he is cool with this happening.... Because he is a diurnal herbivore, diurnal means awake during the day as opposed to nocturnal and plant eating, nighttime he is parked and asleep like just now when I took this picture as he is waiting for Margie to slip her feet under the toe kick and he will move and park his shell up against her feet. He loves her, and kisses her ankles as a sign of his affection. For me, when I feed him and he is through, we do a nose bump...he actually waits for me to get down on hands and knees and bend down to his out stretched neck and we bump noses and then he ambles off... So far, selfie's of the nose bump are a problem as Margie simply does not get her cell phone camera operation....

Here is a pix of him asleep tonight... he will shift his feet a bit but he is ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

Best,
Phil

That is VERY cool sir ! I just assumed he would always be trying to get away , sounds like you couldn't kick him out if you wanted to ... zooming in on the pic , his shell looks like a freaking work of art ! Damn , even looks like a little red led right by his head ...

 

[wanted33]

OK, I'm fascinated. I've just learned more about Turtles in the thread than I've learned all my life. Now, I'm wanting a dedicated Tito thread myself. A spolied Turtle....who'ed a thunk it.

BTW, I know a moderator here. He's a decent fellow, and would probably figure out a way to put a damper on Tito somehow. Or which 303 product would make that shell shine. @AzScorpion may just allow that thread to florish.

 

[NotBudule]

Hi Joe,

They continue to grow their entire life. His mom is 42 years old and twice as big as Tito. Tito is the size of a large Salad plate and his Mom is bigger than a big dinner plate.

Here is a pix of an about 60 year old tortoise...

The lady is with Arizona Game and Fish and in charge of about 100 Tortoise waiting for adoption. I am considered a lay expert on Sonoran Deseret Tortoise and teach a class on them from time to time....the lady, Tegan W. is holding one that is about 60 years old. Most folks do not want one this big when they adopt them... Tegan and I are in touch by email...Great lady...

Best,
Phil

Waiting for adoption? I would think the waiting list would be the other way around , but I'm in WV and people here would try to eat one most likely ... can they not be released in the wild somehow ? Or some sanctuary somewhere?

 

[NotBudule]

OK, I'm fascinated. I've just learned more about Turtles in the thread than I've learned all my life. Now, I'm wanting a dedicated Tito thread myself. A spolied Turtle....who'ed a thunk it.

BTW, I know a moderator here. He's a decent fellow, and would probably figure out a way to put a damper on Tito somehow. Or which 303 product would make that shell shine. @AzScorpion may just allow that thread to florish.

No damper! Tito IS a damper ! And , no 303 on his shell , .... cause , turtle wax ...

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Waiting for adoption? I would think the waiting list would be the other way around , but I'm in WV and people here would try to eat one most likely ... can they not be released in the wild somehow ? Or some sanctuary somewhere?

Hi NB,

Arizona law requires captive tortoise to remain in captivity their entire life for mainly two reasons...Captive tortoise are fed and loose much of their foraging skills and because they are handled by us humans, we pass virus off to them...most of these virus are begnine to us and to the tortoise, but they are infected...Arizona Department of Game and Fish wants to keep the wild Sonoran Tortoise virus free.. This did not happen with the Mojave Tortoise and tortoise with a fatal respiratory virus decimated the Mojave Tortoise population to the point that on the Federal Government Endangered Species list they are listed as Threatened with Extinction. Sonoran Desert Tortoise are in much better shape and not on the list at this time...

Best,
Phil

 

[P. A. Schilke]

That is VERY cool sir ! I just assumed he would always be trying to get away , sounds like you couldn't kick him out if you wanted to ... zooming in on the pic , his shell looks like a freaking work of art ! Damn , even looks like a little red led right by his head ...

Hi NB,

The little red mark is a paint mark to help identify him if he did get loose...some folks file marks in their shell, but because the tortoise can feel the filing, I decline to file notches in his shell, so a Sharpie marker...

Best,
Phil

 

[NotBudule]

Hi NB,

Arizona law requires captive tortoise to remain in captivity their entire life for mainly two reasons...Captive tortoise are fed and loose much of their foraging skills and because they are handled by us humans, we pass virus off to them...most of these virus are begnine to us and to the tortoise, but they are infected...Arizona Department of Game and Fish wants to keep the wild Sonoran Tortoise virus free.. This did not happen with the Mojave Tortoise and tortoise with a fatal respiratory virus decimated the Mojave Tortoise population to the point that on the Federal Government Endangered Species list they are listed as Threatened with Extinction. Sonoran Desert Tortoise are in much better shape and not on the list at this time...

Best,
Phil

So , if I retire (few more years, or as I see fit) in Arizona , which I am now considering for the first time , I can adopt and have these in my house, garage ,and yard ? Roaming around and just passing time ? Not sure how any member here in or near AZ is not at full boost on their way to get one . ? surley we can guilt somebody here into a foster home caretaker type situation...

 

[P. A. Schilke]

So , if I retire (few more years, or as I see fit) in Arizona , which I am now considering for the first time , I can adopt and have these in my house, garage ,and yard ? Roaming around and just passing time ? Not sure how any member here in or near AZ is not at full boost on their way to get one . ? surley we can guilt somebody here into a foster home caretaker type situation...

Hi NB,

Retire to Arizona and you can adopt a Tortoise. Law is one per person per household and if you have more than one Tortoise, the must be same sex...No little tortoise hatchlings... If you get two Males, you can expect them to fight each other so you have to keep the males separated. Females just ignore each other... Sonoran Desert Tortoise are solitary animals...

AZ Game and Fish handles about 350 Tortoise a year and right now they have over 100 waiting for adoption.

You cannot transport a Sonoran Desert Tortoise over state lines...they must always reside in Arizona. It is against the law to buy or sell them. If you find a wild one in the desert, you must leave it alone. If you are caught taking a wild one out of the desert, the Max fine is $750 and up to 1 year in jail. Since there are over 100 waiting for adoption there is no need to disturb a wild one..

Best,
Phil

 

[NotBudule]

Hi NB,

Retire to Arizona and you can adopt a Tortoise. Law is one per person per household and if you have more than one Tortoise, the must be same sex...No little tortoise hatchlings... If you get two Males, you can expect them to fight each other so you have to keep the males separated. Females just ignore each other... Sonoran Desert Tortoise are solitary animals...

AZ Game and Fish handles about 350 Tortoise a year and right now they have over 100 waiting for adoption.

You cannot transport a Sonoran Desert Tortoise over state lines...they must always reside in Arizona. It is against the law to buy or sell them. If you find a wild one in the desert, you must leave it alone. If you are caught taking a wild one out of the desert, the Max fine is $750 and up to 1 year in jail. Since there are over 100 waiting for adoption there is no need to disturb a wild one..

Best,
Phil

Hmmm... 1 male for me , 1 male for wifey , then we ALL stay separated!

 

[NotBudule]

I guess the only question now is , who is going to be the first member here to step up ? Im sure somebody else here is from AZ ? Pretty sure somebody else here is from......Show of hands ? What's the adoption fee ? And , damn it , another problem I didn't know existed ,Tortoise's in need of a home ... what else don't I know about ??? ....NO ! NEVERMIND !!!

 

[P. A. Schilke]

I guess the only question now is , who is going to be the first member here to step up ? Im sure somebody else here is from AZ ? Pretty sure somebody else here is from......Show of hands ? What's the adoption fee ? And , damn it , another problem I didn't know existed ,Tortoise's in need of a home ... what else don't I know about ??? ....NO ! NEVERMIND !!!

No Fee for adoption! Have to meet the AZDGF or Sonoran Desert Museum requirements. See their webpage..left side click on Tortoise...Basically escape proof area. Enclosure from the sun and freezing low temps. Source of water even though they can go for over a year without taking a drink of water. Escape proof is more difficult that you might imagine. Many folks try chainlink fence. Being little earth movers they are under the chainlink in the blink of an eye. Fix...bury the fence 6" below grade...however...the tortoise will figure out how to climb the fence and escape anyway...so chainlink is no good. Finer mesh fencing might work, but masonry wall is best with a 8" footing, which is what we have with spring closing gates. Tito knows the gates but he is not strong enough to push the gate so he ignores it.

Being curious and loving to explore new things, we also use vision block on the gates to keep him from peering through the gate at the greater expanse of our backyard.

Here are some pix of two male tortoise fighting

Grunting and hissing

Oh no...

Winner ambles off. Defeated tortoise may be able to flip himself back
over, but if he can't for some reason...a slow but certain death.

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