Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here are a few photos of the 5 gopher tortoises that pleasantly surprised us at school over the last several weeks. The 1.5 adults have about 1000 square feet of outdoor enclosure in a courtyard at school. Plans are to keep the hatchlings inside until the spring.

More photos can be seen on our school's herpetology club website at www.educationcentral.org/sandalwood/herpetology

Mike

Sandalwood Herpetology Club

arnt those tortoise protected under federal law? Its illegal to take any out of the wild and once you do which you are not allowed to you cant release them. If i were you i would not tuch those tortoises. Contact your local fish and game and tell them about them they will decide what to do. If you get cought you can get a big fine and jail time. Those tortoises are more protected then a desert tortoises. They will do fine in the winters thats the point of the law they want to get there population back up. Dont touch them!

Well i talked to someone on the fish and game through email and they said its acctually illegal to play or keep them as a pet. They said best thing is not to even touch the tortoise. Your best bet would be realease them back to the same place you found them.

Boxielover, click the link and check out their website. I don't think you understood the nature of the gophers they have. I'm sure they are permitted being that they are a school group. Good job guys! Great looking little ones .

I guess I could have prevented the uproar by mentioning that all of these tortoises are legally permitted. Thank you for at least knowing how protected they are. There are still many people in our local area that do not know much about them.

Mike
Sandalwood Herpetology Club

I figured that you mentioned 1.5 in an enclosure on a school property that was part of a herpetology club project... You had to know the legalities of this.

This does raise a couple of questions for me though.

What can you do with the babies? Can you or do you have permits for the adults?

In California it is relatively easy to get permits for DTs

>>I guess I could have prevented the uproar by mentioning that all of these tortoises are legally permitted. Thank you for at least knowing how protected they are. There are still many people in our local area that do not know much about them.
>>
>>Mike
>>Sandalwood Herpetology Club
-----
Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

My permit allows me my adults and "any progeny thereof." Of course, space is not unlimited, but few at least a hand full of years, we will be OK here. I may have to see about splitting them up several years from now, perhaps keeping several on private property.

Mike

Does your permit allow you to dispose of the babies? Was the permit hard to get?

>>My permit allows me my adults and "any progeny thereof." Of course, space is not unlimited, but few at least a hand full of years, we will be OK here. I may have to see about splitting them up several years from now, perhaps keeping several on private property.
>>
>>Mike
-----
Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

I can give them to any permit holder. These tortoises have to remain in Florida. They cannot cross state lines. I do not plan on starting a breeding colony. Space is the main issue. I want to maintain these and keep them going. One is already planned for our local science museum after the permit issues are worked.

Mike

are you going to try and continue on with a breeding project as the little ones mature? if so, do you plan on acquiring more gopher torts to be mates for your little ones? or maybe work out trades with others who have legal gopher tort colonies for genetic diversity?

i think that it's wonderful what you have done for these guys, and i'm sure that you and your lucky students must truly appreciate the opportunity to observe them! they're beautiful!

Sorry for jumping in i just did not want you or anyone to get arrested. They put big fines and jail time when messing with them in the wild. So you guys are breeding and releasting. THats great hope these guys can make a come back.

For permitts im guessing it would be fairly hard to get one. Desert torts. are fairly easy to get permits but the gopher tortoise has even less in the wild and are right at the edge. Plus i think you most likly need to live where they are native and all that.

It's valuable work. keep it up...

>>It's valuable work. keep it up...

Ditto on that!
Thank you so much for sharing the photos, they're wonderful & those little ones look very healthy!
-----
PHRatz

hey mike,

congrats on the young gophers! very nice website. this herpetology club must be terrifically rewarding. keep up the great work.

matt

Good luck with all of them..

DragonDavy