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Desert tortoises are found in the wild in the Sonoran Desert and it is illegal to take one from its natural habitat and keep it as a pet. Despite this, they have become desirable as pets and some people illegally breed them, Wolf said. ... A desert tortoise has a lifespan of around 80 years.

While many tortoises are happy to play alone, many more enjoy interacting with their humans through play. This isn't to say that you'll end up with a dog-like tortoise who plays fetch or wants to roll around on the floor with you. But in their own ways, tortoises can bond with their humans during playtime.

Few people are lucky enough to see a desert tortoise in its natural habitat. If you do, please do not 'help' it by picking it up or moving it. This is illegal and harmful to the tortoise. Do NOT take it home and do NOT feed it.

By counting the number of rings on the shell of a tortoise you can guess it's approximate age.

The Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), has a high - domed shell and elephant-like legs and is easily distinguishable from its turtle cousins. They range in size from two inches up to 15 for a mature male. ... Males have longer curved gular horns which protrude from their lower shells underneath their neck and head.

Found a Desert Tortoise? If it is in an undeveloped area, leave it alone. If it is in a residential area, away from natural areas, it is likely an escaped captive tortoise, and the CTTC should be contacted to try to find its owner through the Department's permitting program or to arrange for its adoption.

Desert tortoise (Gopherus morafkai) have a high domed shell, carapace (top of shell) length of 9 to 15 inches, elephantine or "columnar" legs that are heavily scaled in the front. A desert tortoise can't be mistaken for anything else native to its range (introduced tortoise species complicate this).

It is illegal to collect desert tortoises from the wild. ... Prior to protection as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1990, desert tortoises were collected as pets and individuals have been legally allowed to keep those desert tortoises as well as their progeny.

Found a Desert Tortoise? If it is in an undeveloped area, leave it alone. If it is in a residential area, away from natural areas, it is likely an escaped captive tortoise, and the CTTC should be contacted to try to find its owner through the Department's permitting program or to arrange for its adoption.

Found a Desert Tortoise? If it is in an undeveloped area, leave it alone. If it is in a residential area, away from natural areas, it is likely an escaped captive tortoise, and the CTTC should be contacted to try to find its owner through the Department's permitting program or to arrange for its adoption.