Animalscaretips
(Gopherus agassizii)
| Weight: 8 lbs. - 15 lbs | Sexual Maturity: 15 - 20 years |
|---|---|
| Height: 4"- 6" | Mating Season: August - October |
| Length (carapace): 9" - 15" | Incubation Period: 90 - 120 Days |
| Life Span: 50 - 80 Years | Number of Eggs: 1 - 14 |
| Diet: Herbs, Grasses, Cacti & Wildflowers |
- How long do desert tortoises live as a pet?
- How can you tell the age of a desert tortoise?
- Can you keep a desert tortoise as a pet?
- Is it illegal to touch a desert tortoise?
- How long do Desert Tortoises hibernate?
- How long can desert tortoises go without water?
- Do desert tortoises get lonely?
- How long should a tortoise sleep for?
- What does a desert tortoise need to survive?
- How often should I feed my desert tortoise?
- How cold is too cold for a desert tortoise?
- What do tortoises do when it gets too hot in the sun?
- How fast can a desert tortoise move?
- How much do desert tortoises cost?
- Is my desert tortoise male or female?
How long do desert tortoises live as a pet?
Desert tortoises are known to live as long as 60-80 years, and may live even longer. Because growth varies with food availability and other conditions, tortoises grow faster in captivity than in the wild. It is impossible to determine the exact age of an adult tortoise.
How can you tell the age of a desert tortoise?
Count each thicker ring (which develops during the tortoise's main annual growth period) and the thinner ring beside it (which develops during the annual slow growth period) as a single ring. So, if you count 20 of these ring pairs, you might estimate the tortoise is 20 years old.
Can you keep a desert tortoise as a pet?
In Arizona, California, and Nevada, legally obtained captive desert tortoises and their progeny may be kept as pets, provided that the custodian complies with the respective State's Wildlife Board or Commission and Department/Division rules regarding desert tortoises (Berry and Duck. 2000).
Is it illegal to touch a desert tortoise?
It is unlawful to touch, harm, harass or collect a wild desert tortoise. ... The desert tortoise is a threatened species under the California state Endangered Species Act in 1989 and the federal Endangered Species act in 1990.
How long do Desert Tortoises hibernate?
Hibernation should last 4-6 months. When the temperatures rise above 65 degrees consistently it is time to have your tortoise come out of hibernation.
How long can desert tortoises go without water?
Desert tortoises are herbivores, dining on grasses, flowers, fruit, and cactus. These foods contain a lot of moisture, and desert tortoises can go for up to one year without access to fresh water!
Do desert tortoises get lonely?
No, they don't! Unlike humans and other social animals, tortoises don't necessarily feel the need for any companionship, so they don't get lonely. In the wild, they prefer living solitary lives and spend most of their time alone.
How long should a tortoise sleep for?
Your Tortoise's UV lighting should be on for 12 hours a day. A baby tortoise can sleep for around 19 – 22 hours a day, according to the owners of two baby torts – an Iberian and a Dalmation Hermanns, commenting inside the Tortoise Forum.
What does a desert tortoise need to survive?
Desert tortoises are strictly herbivores and need a high fiber, moderate protein, low fat, and calcium rich diet. Eighty-five percent (85%) of the diet should consist of grasses, weeds, and dark, leafy greens while only 15% should be hard vegetables.
How often should I feed my desert tortoise?
Adult tortoises can be fed every day but it is recommended to give them a starve day twice a week. A starve day is a day without food and this allows time for the tortoise to digest as it has a slow digestive systems. These starve days can be any day of the week but it must be consistent from week to week.
How cold is too cold for a desert tortoise?
Anything less than 50 °F (10 °C) is too cold for a desert tortoise, except during hibernation, when the low temperature will need to be closely monitored and regulated.
What do tortoises do when it gets too hot in the sun?
A tortoise will bask to raise its body temperature, but when the temperature begins to rise above that which it prefers, the tortoise will begin to search for options to keep from overheating. In the wild, a tortoise will escape from excessive heat by finding a shady spot, burying down or by using scrapes and burrows.
How fast can a desert tortoise move?
There are, however, other types of tortoise such as those that live in deserts that are pretty quick. They won't break any land speed records, mind you, but at around 5 kilometers per hour, a desert tortoise can certainly move some reasonable distances and certainly shouldn't be considered “slow”.
How much do desert tortoises cost?
$199.00 – $299.00 Sale!
Is my desert tortoise male or female?
The shape of the tortoise's plastron
The tortoise's belly or bottom of the shell is called the plastron. By looking at the underside of the animal, you can determine if the plastron is concave, indicating that it is male. On the contrary, if it is flat, it is characteristic of females.
