They can be found further than this, both in the wild and in captivity. Three Toed Box Turtles are native to the southern-central region of the United States. Some confusion occurs when these hybrid box turtles enter the pet trade and people have difficulty identifying them as a Three Toed Box Turtle or a Common Box Turtle. It is possible for them to cross breed with Common/Eastern Box Turtles. never take a box turtle from the wil to keep as a pet. They can often be found for sale in other areas as well. The easiest place to find a pet Three Toed Box Turtle is the south-central region of the United States, where they are native and also very easy to bred in captivity. They are one of the more adaptive subspecies of box turtle and have an easier time living in captivity throughout the country compared to other box turtles. Three Toed Box Turtles are very common in the pet trade. How Old can a Three Toed Box Turtle Get?.If you have any questions while preparing your yard, please call and leave a message and a volunteer will return the call to assist you.If you wish to adopt hatchings, a cover over the pen may be necessary to protect them from predators. If you wish to adopt a small tortoise remember to downsize your burrow. An inspection will be scheduled and a determination made at that time what size tortoise will be best for your yard.Leave your full name, address and the best time to contact you. If so, call 883-3062 and leave a message on the tortoise hot line requesting a yard check. Review the yard checklist one more time to make sure you are prepared for a yard inspection.The soil is essential to provide adequate insulation for the tortoise. Cover the burrow with a minimum of 8 inches of soil on top, sides and back. It is best to locate the burrow in a high area of your yard that is shaded in the afternoon. Make sure your burrow is situated so no water can enter the burrow from rainfall, irrigation runoff or drainage. Build a burrow following the guidelines on this site.A roll of sod is often adequate to feed a tortoise, so it is not necessary to have a large grassy area. Irrigation will be necessary, especially for the grass. Provide food for the tortoise in the form of grass or native plants.A self-locking gate is desirable to prevent escape. Check that your fence is underground at least 5 inches and that there is no route to escape around a gate, drainage hole, etc. Build a pen or make sure your yard is secured with no possibility for escape.These are the minimum requirements for your yard to pass inspection. Review the yard checklist in appendix I (Tortoise Care & Husbandry link).If you wish to proceed, prepare your yard for the tortoise, and either take advantage of the AZGFD online application process - Tucson area requests will be forwarded to us, or you can follow our process below: For example, if you have dogs, can they be kept separate? Also look at the pictures of the burrow under construction.ĭecide if you are comfortable with the requirements for tortoise care and the adjustments you may have to make to your yard. If you are interested in adopting a tortoise, here are the steps to take:įirst read all the information on the care of the desert tortoise on this website, including the appendices. Preservation of wild tortoise and turtle populations is emphasized and information about care and husbandry of captive tortoises and turtles is provided by telephone (520) 883-3062, information pamphlets, and this web-site. Tortoises are not placed between October 1 and April 1. Animals suffering from disease or malnutrition are generally retained for rehabilitation. Only animals in apparent good health are placed with custodians. The animals remain the property of the State of Arizona. Private individuals become turtle/tortoise custodians, not owners. These animals are referred to the Department of Herpetology. Other turtles and tortoises are occasionally accepted by the ASDM but are not administered through the TAP. The TAP exclusively addresses the Desert tortoise ( Gopherus agassizii) in the Tucson area (within the natural distribution of tortoises). The program is sanctioned by the Arizona Game and Fish Department and designed to assist with the transfer of unwanted or surplus captive desert tortoises to qualified private custodians. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (ASDM) established the Tortoise Adoption Program (TAP) to benefit the welfare of captive and wild tortoises and turtles.
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