More Tortoise Adventures - Baby Desert Tortoises!

(**Note: This is the fourth post in my Desert Tortoise series - I have three rescued Desert Tortoises. They are indigenous to this part of the country, an endangered species, and require special care - please don't ever pick up a Desert Tortoise if you find one in the wild, it's against the law and can kill the tortoise. You can meet Doris and Momma Tortoise & Speedy with these links.... and share breakfast with them here...)

I acquired Momma Tortoise over four years ago. When I got her, I was told that she had mated, which means of course that she could lay eggs. Once a tortoise breeds, they can lay eggs for up to four years - I guess that's a survival mechanism since Desert Tortoises are solitary animals and don't run into each other very often in the wild.

I have two male Desert Tortoises, so I keep Momma Tortoise in a separate enclosure that is surrounded by a two-foot high cinderblock wall. One of the males, Speedy, has been seen climbing over that wall, however. I also let Momma Tortoise out into the main yard so she can enjoy some of the native desert plants I have growing that aren't available in her enclosure. Both of my male tortoises flirt with her, but she's pretty grumpy most of the time...

Here is a picture of Momma Tortoise in her private habitat:

Well, lo and behold, last October we found three baby tortoises in the back yard! They were so tiny that all three together fit into the palm of my hand. (I can't find that picture right now, but I'll post it when I do!) They were each about 2" long when we found them. I don't know who the father is - since Momma Tortoise is such a hussy, she isn't sure... and neither of the males will admit to anything! Men!

Because I have dogs, and there are cats and wild birds outside, I made a terrarium for the babies. They'll stay there until they are big enough to stay in the yard. I know I don't have enough room for three more tortoises even though I have a big yard, so I didn't name them. (Once I name something, I tend to keep it...)  I put a tiny spot of nail polish  on each one so I could identify them, and I simply called them #1, #2 and #3. (You really shouldn't paint a tortoise or turtle's shell, it can hinder the growth and cause deformity or death - these dots are very small!)

Here is a picture of #2 and #1 sunning themselves under the terrarium heat lamp at age 4 months. The large paper clip gives an idea of their size, which was about 2 1/4" at this time. #3 was hiding in the "cave" underneath. As babies, they have a strong sense of self-preservation. It is hard to get pictures, because when they see me, they run for cover!

My daughter works for a very reputable company that keeps unusual and endangered animals & reptiles. They put on shows to educate children about these animals, and didn't have any Desert Tortoises. In June I let them adopt #2 and #3. It was hard to let them go, but I know they have a good home, and a great purpose for their lives.

Now I could name #1 - I kept that one because it has the unusual orange coloring that Doris has. I like to think that Doris is the father. I decided (probably mistakenly) that #1 is a girl, simply because she's so darn cute. (Of course, that's what my brother assumed about Doris, and look how that turned out...  You can't tell the sex of a tortoise until they're about 5 years old and their shells are more mature.) I named her Sweet Pea because every time I give her a fresh dish of greens, she pees in it while she's eating! Then I have to dump it out and get fresh ones for her. Naturally, she hasn't done this since I named her... go figure! I can always change the name to Sweet Pete if I guessed wrong...

Here's Sweet Pea in June, enjoying some dandelion greens. She's still skittish around me at this point, but is starting to get used to me. I always speak softly to her, and hold her a bit while reassuring her I'm not a monster... There's a nickel next to her for perspective:

I just measured Sweet Pea, and she continues to grow. She is now 2 1/2" long. Yesterday morning she was sitting in her food dish, waiting for breakfast. All my patience and kind words for the last nine months has finally paid off. I was able to feed her some dandelion greens right from my hands! I am so excited!

Afterward, she climbed up on her log to get some "sun" and digest her meal. Isn't she just the cutest thing you have ever seen?

I am so blessed to be able to share my life with such wonderful creatures!