Baby Desert Tortoise Pet Information

The desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii) is native to the southwestern states, including California, Nevada and Arizona. As pets, the cute baby desert tortoise is hard to resist. But good care is essential to raising a healthy and long-lived desert tortoise. They are technically "babies" until they become sexually mature around the age of 15 to 20 years. They can live past the age of 50. Although after a year or two, past the hatchling stage, their care is much the same as an adult's care.

  1. Humidity

    • Native to dry, hot climates, desert tortoises need a very dry environment or they will get sick and die. They also need an outdoor enclosure to thrive, even as babies. Expert Liz Palika, in "Turtles and Tortoises for Dummies" says these tortoises do not "tolerate humidity well...If you live in a damp, cold, rainy climate...don't try to keep this tortoise."

    Housing Hatchlings

    • Hatchling tortoises, for the first few years, do well in an aquarium with some time spent in their outdoor enclosure during the day. A minimum 150-gallon tank with newspaper on the bottom and a box to sleep in suits them fine. Keep their day temperatures in the range of 75 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit and 70 to 75 at night. An under-the-tank heating pad and a heat lamp work well to keep the temperatures high.

    Housing Older Babies

    • Older baby desert tortoises can live in their outdoor enclosed area full time. Their ground space needs to be at least 100 square feet for one tortoise, the bigger the better. The "fences" only need to be about 36 inches high and made of solid wood. They do need shaded areas, well-drained soil and underground fencing--otherwise they will leave via a burrow. Because babies are more likely to be taken by predators at night, bring them inside during the night. They can be placed in a box during this time.

    Diet

    • It is not hard to get a desert tortoise to eat; they do that quite well. It is more difficult to meet their nutritional needs. They need to graze on their food throughout the day as they would in the wild. A daily healthy diet includes grasses, cactus, flowers such as roses (without the thorns), dandelions and kale. Supplement their diet with avocado, vegetables and some fruits as treats only. Sprinkle a reptile vitamin on their food twice a week.

    Legal Information

    • Desert tortoise populations are in trouble because of habitat loss and collection for the pet trade. As a result, several populations are listed as either threatened or endangered and therefore protected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and some state laws. Taking a baby desert tortoise from the wild is illegal. As for captive born pets, laws and regulations vary by state as to legal possession of a pet tortoise. Some states, such as California, require that legally obtained pet tortoises have permits attached to their shells. Before getting a baby desert tortoise as a pet, it is best to consult with your state's fish and game department for information on how to legally possess a baby desert tortoise.