24-05-2023, 11:02 AM
By ALINA HARTOUNIAN
yesterday
PHOENIX (AP) — They’re not fluffy, they don’t play fetch and they certainly don’t roll over. But there is such a thing as a lap tortoise.
What’s more, pet tortoises can wag their tails, will plod on up to greet you and some can even recognize their own names. The surprising warmth of this ancient cold-blooded creature has made them popular pets for families with pet dander allergies and for retirees.
......
Desert tortoises are herbivores and munch on Bermuda grass, weeds and many native plants. They also don’t need water daily, since they’re well-adapted to their desert homes. And you don’t need a second tortoise to keep your pet company.
“The funny thing about tortoises is they love people, but they don’t love each other,” said Sherri Graves of the nonprofit Tortoise Group
......
It’s unsafe for captive tortoises to be released into the wild, because they can spread diseases to dwindling native populations. And backyard breeding, which is now illegal in Arizona, means more baby tortoises than adoptive families. Add to that a 50-plus-year lifespan and the result is hundreds of tortoises surrendered to the state every year.
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“People are still breeding them in captivity. They start out so small and then people don’t realize how big they get,” she said. “And then they have 15 of them roaming their backyard.”
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we picked up our desert tortoise, now named Dotty for the light brown spots on her shell. Dotty is about a foot (30 centimeters) long, with scrappy legs made for digging. Her neck can extend out several inches, and she has a bubblegum pink tongue that pokes out when she’s chowing down.
Our first observation about her behavior: She’s very curious. Minutes into the drive home, she pulled herself up the side of the cardboard box she was in and stretched her head up high to see what was happening.
Other unexpected behaviors: She was much zippier than we imagined, exploring the yard at a rapid pace. She was surprisingly friendly, trotting up to greet us when we would go out to visit her and even clambering into our laps when we sat cross-legged in her habitat. And when she sleeps, she doesn’t tuck up inside her shell, as cartoons would have us believe. Instead, she splays out, legs akimbo, head frequently lolling to the side.
One thing to beware of: Like other reptiles, tortoises can carry salmonella. So people, especially kids, should wash their hands after touching or interacting with them.
Dotty is an Arizona native, which means it’s relatively easy to set up a habitat that suits her needs in the Sonoran Desert. Most of her diet consists of our lawn, which she happily grazes on. The rest comes from plants in our garden or the pockets of our daughter, who picks bright yellow trumpet flowers from the schoolyard to hand-feed to her.
......
One of the big things to keep in mind when taking the plunge is that a tortoise can easily outlive its owner.
“This is a long-term commitment,” said Misiak.
https://apnews.com/article/desert-tortoi...7c40db0b63
yesterday
PHOENIX (AP) — They’re not fluffy, they don’t play fetch and they certainly don’t roll over. But there is such a thing as a lap tortoise.
What’s more, pet tortoises can wag their tails, will plod on up to greet you and some can even recognize their own names. The surprising warmth of this ancient cold-blooded creature has made them popular pets for families with pet dander allergies and for retirees.
......
Desert tortoises are herbivores and munch on Bermuda grass, weeds and many native plants. They also don’t need water daily, since they’re well-adapted to their desert homes. And you don’t need a second tortoise to keep your pet company.
“The funny thing about tortoises is they love people, but they don’t love each other,” said Sherri Graves of the nonprofit Tortoise Group
......
It’s unsafe for captive tortoises to be released into the wild, because they can spread diseases to dwindling native populations. And backyard breeding, which is now illegal in Arizona, means more baby tortoises than adoptive families. Add to that a 50-plus-year lifespan and the result is hundreds of tortoises surrendered to the state every year.
......
“People are still breeding them in captivity. They start out so small and then people don’t realize how big they get,” she said. “And then they have 15 of them roaming their backyard.”
......
we picked up our desert tortoise, now named Dotty for the light brown spots on her shell. Dotty is about a foot (30 centimeters) long, with scrappy legs made for digging. Her neck can extend out several inches, and she has a bubblegum pink tongue that pokes out when she’s chowing down.
Our first observation about her behavior: She’s very curious. Minutes into the drive home, she pulled herself up the side of the cardboard box she was in and stretched her head up high to see what was happening.
Other unexpected behaviors: She was much zippier than we imagined, exploring the yard at a rapid pace. She was surprisingly friendly, trotting up to greet us when we would go out to visit her and even clambering into our laps when we sat cross-legged in her habitat. And when she sleeps, she doesn’t tuck up inside her shell, as cartoons would have us believe. Instead, she splays out, legs akimbo, head frequently lolling to the side.
One thing to beware of: Like other reptiles, tortoises can carry salmonella. So people, especially kids, should wash their hands after touching or interacting with them.
Dotty is an Arizona native, which means it’s relatively easy to set up a habitat that suits her needs in the Sonoran Desert. Most of her diet consists of our lawn, which she happily grazes on. The rest comes from plants in our garden or the pockets of our daughter, who picks bright yellow trumpet flowers from the schoolyard to hand-feed to her.
......
One of the big things to keep in mind when taking the plunge is that a tortoise can easily outlive its owner.
“This is a long-term commitment,” said Misiak.
https://apnews.com/article/desert-tortoi...7c40db0b63