Gopherus agassizi
California Desert tortoises are protected by law in
California. The California Turtle and Tortoise Club handles the
permitting of all tortoises in California. Desert tortoises thrive
in warm climates but require shelter from the sun and the cold. Even
in the desert they hibernate for a short period in the winter. They
are susceptible to respiratory illnesses that are extremely contagious, so
captive tortoises must never be returned to the desert. If the
bottom of their shell is concave, the tortoise is a male. The shape
allows the male to mount the female. If the bottom of the shell is
flat, the tortoise is a female. They are on the move constantly which is why
they are often lost by pet owners. Sadly many tortoises have a hole
drilled in their shell allowing the pet owner to tether the tortoise so it
cannot wander away. This often ends in tragic loss of limbs when the
chain or rope wraps around the leg and goes unnoticed until the circulation is
cut off.
Bea along with Jay were both surrendered in 2019 by someone who
could no longer care for them. They had
been outside for most of the winter. Bea
had a respiratory infection that took most of the rest of winter and part of
spring to clear up. These days, she is
eating and enjoying the warm/hot weather of the summer.