Mesa (Desert Tortoise)
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.
Mesa has very pronounced
bumps on his carapace. The plates or scutes grow at the seams.
Usually, a desert tortoise has very flat, gradual plates that make up
its carapace. When the shell is so
extreme as in the case of Mesa, it is an indication that he has had a poor diet
in the past. As he grows older, we hope his shell will level out some.