I have a question and problems with my pet tortoise. Where do I go for answers?

Many basic questions are answered in our pamphlet called Desert Tortoises Adoption and Care.  Download the entire pamphlet from our website Home Page.  Free pamphlets are also available at all veterinary clinics in the Las Vegas area and Pahrump and all public libraries in Clark County and Pahrump. If these places are out of pamphlets, call us at 702-739-8043.   

I have been given a desert tortoise. How do I care for it?

If you have been given a desert tortoise and are not sure how to care for it, check the Tortoise Group pamphlet, called Desert Tortoises, Adoption and Care.   Or, pick up a free pamphlet at any veterinary office in the Las Vegas area or Pahrump, or public library in Clark County or Pahrump.  Our information on care is of value if you have a desert tortoise even if you live outside of Nevada.  If you have been given another kind of tortoise, call us and we can direct you to a source of information on care. If you live in northern Nevada, call the Reno Tortoise Club at 775-972-8532,   If you don’t have access to our website and want us to mail a copy of the pamphlet to you, send three, first class stamps with your request to Tortoise Group, 5157 Poncho Circle, Las Vegas, NV   89119.

I’m afraid to have Tortoise Group come to my house if I call for advice. They might not like my habitat, and I’ve heard that they could take my tortoise. Is it true?

Absolutely not. Your tortoise belongs to you. There is no reason to be afraid to call Tortoise Group. We want your tortoise to stay right where it is. We’ll make suggestions on creating a wonderful, safe habitat for your tortoise. Call 702-739-8043 for a yard consultation.
 

Am I permitted to give my tortoise to someone in Nevada who is willing to prepare for it?

It is legal to give your tortoise to another Nevada resident. See that they read our pamphlet Desert Tortoises, Adoption and Care.  It is also available at all veterinary clinics in the Las Vegas area or Pahrump or public libraries in Clark County or Pahrump. If you do not have time to make sure their yard is ready before you give them your tortoise, a member of our Adoption Committee will make a free visit to that yard and provide information to help that person prepare their yard before accepting the tortoise from you. Nevada tortoises must stay in Nevada. If someone in another state wants your tortoise, ask them to contact one of the organizations in that state that handles adoptions of tortoises living in that state. We can help you make the connection. Call 702-739-8043. Tortoises are not to be taken across state lines.

How does someone adopt a tortoise? See Adoption

If the desert tortoise is on the federal list of threatened and endangered species, how is it that they are available for adoption? When the Mojave Desert population of the desert tortoise was listed in August 1989, the wild tortoise received protection under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (amended). Those tortoises legally held in captivity prior to the listing date were considered pre-Act tortoises, not protected under the Act. However, tortoises hatched in captivity after the listing date, are protected under the Act. They may be maintained in captivity without a Federal endangered species permit provided they are given proper care and not subjected to harmful conditions(such as being kept indoors and fed a deficient diet). Pre-Act tortoises and those hatched in captivity after the listing may be adopted without special permit or registration.

I need to give up my tortoise, what should I do? 

If you live in Clark County and have a pet tortoise that you can no longer keep call (702) 593-9027. The Clark County Tortoise Pickup Service will take the tortoise to a holding facility. It will be cared for until Tortoise Group can find a home where it can be given responsible care or become part of another authorized program. Do not release it in the desert. Such action is not only illegal but can cause harm to the wild tortoises in the area.

I am moving out of Nevada.  May I take my tortoise? 

No, the tortoise must remain in Nevada. It is in the tortoise's best interest to live in a desert climate and according to law, desert tortoises are not to be taken across state lines without authorization from the Nevada Department of Wildlife, 702) 486-5127, and the corresponding agency in the state where the tortoise is going.  For their own sakes, tortoises should remain in a desert environment.

I am moving to northern Nevada may I take my tortoise?

Yes, this is legal but you should contact the RENO TUR-TOISE CLUB (775) 972-8532 for information on the special care needed for tortoises kept in northern Nevada--outside the natural range of tortoises.

What should I do with a tortoise that I found wandering in a developed area of Clark County?

If you find a tortoise wandering in a developed area, rescue it and call the Clark County Tortoise Pickup Service (702) 593-9027, immediately. You are not to keep the tortoise or let it go in the desert. However you may adopt that tortoise after your yard is made ready if the owner does not claim it and the tortoise passes a health test. Tortoise Group is authorized to handle the adoption of the healthy tortoises.

If I see a wild tortoise in the desert what may I do and what shouldn't I do?

Watch wild tortoises from a distance. If you are too close, the tortoise will pull in and there will be nothing to watch. Do not touch. For more information, including what to do if you see a tortoise crossing a road in the desert, see The Law and the Tortoise.

I need a vet for my pet tortoise.

Tortoise Group maintains a list of vets in the Las Vegas area who care for tortoises.  Call 702-739-8043.

Do desert tortoises need to drink water?

There are times when tortoises need a drink of water to flush out toxic accumulations in the bladder. When there is rain during the time of year that tortoises are active, March through September, wild tortoises, look for puddles. Tortoises may drink for 15 minutes or until the puddle is gone. This may be the only drink a wild tortoise gets during a year. The water is stored in the bladder and passes through the bladder wall into the tortoise's system when needed. For this reason the tortoise holds that water until there is fresh water to drink. Pet tortoises may drink at any time but particularly when it rains, upon emerging from hibernation and just prior to hibernation. See that clean, shaded, shallow water is always available. See Provide Water on page 15 of the Adoption and Care pamphlet.

Is it true that the Clark County euthanizes unwanted tortoises? NO. The only tortoises that may be euthanized are those that show signs of Upper Respiratory Tract Disease or whose blood tests are positive for that disease or are too severely injured to live, despite treatment.

What is Upper Respiratory Tract Disease (URTD)?

See Medical Problems, on page 27 of the Adoption and Care pamphlet.

Can I get Salmonella from a tortoise?

Salmonella is all around us. Raw or rare meat and chicken are the most common sources, and reptiles are additional sources. Assume that your tortoise has Salmonella, causing it no ill effects, and handle the situation accordingly. Washing your hands after handling a tortoise and certainly before you eat is one of the best ways to avoid getting the disease from tortoises. You can see that your children wash their hands before eating but preventing small children from putting their fingers in their mouths is a consideration when you have a tortoise or are thinking about adopting one.  See Information Sheet #26 on Salmonella.

How do I become a member of Tortoise Group? Go to our membership signup page. Dues start at $15.00. Members in good standing receive a 10% discount on all items we sell and 33% on MegaDiet.

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Click on the button below to cancel your subscription.

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Email sales@tortoisegroup.org and we'll re-send it to your registered email address.

I've changed my email address. How do I update my information?

Email tortoisegroup@att.net with your old email address and physical address and we will update your information with your new address.

I entered incorrect information into the membership form. What do I do?

Email tortoisegroup@att.net with the correct information. Be sure to remind us that you were completing the membership form. We will make the corrections in our database.