Can you buy a tortoise in California?
In California, it is illegal to sell, purchase, harm, take, possess, transport, or shoot a projectile at a tortoise (Gopherus) (California Fish and Game Code 5000). It is illegal to have a tortoise as a pet unless it was acquired prior to 1972.
Can you adopt a tortoise in California?
Turtle and Tortoise Adoption. Each year, California Turtle and Tortoise Club Adoption Committees place hundreds of abandoned, lost, seized, injured or diseased turtles and tortoises that have been turned in by other humane organizations, members of the public, local and federal government officers and veterinarians.
Can you own a giant tortoise in California?
Although it’s legal to keep tortoises as pets in California, owners need to apply for a permit to own desert tortoises that are native to the area. Sulcata tortoises, hailing from Africa, are exempt from this permitting process — but they are not necessarily the ideal pets for every family.
Do you need a license to sell tortoises?
All tortoise species are listed on CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and are sub-divided into Annexes. Species listed in Annex B require no sales certificate (referred to as a License) to purchase or to sell.
What tortoise can I own in California?
desert tortoise
It is the law in the State of California that a permit is needed to possess a desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii, as well as any other species of Gopherus tortoise such as a Texas tortoise (G. berlandieri) or a gopher tortoise (G. polyphemus).
Where can I buy a tortoise in California?
The desert tortoise is designated California’s State reptile and is found in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of Southern California. They inhabit semi-arid grasslands, gravelly desert washes and sandy canyon bottoms below 3,500 ft.
What’s the best tortoise for beginners?
10 Best Pet Tortoise Breeds for Beginners
- Pancake Tortoise.
- Leopard Tortoise.
- Red-Footed Tortoise.
- Hermann’s Tortoise.
- Indian Star Tortoise.
- Sulcata Tortoise.
- Russian Tortoise.
- Greek Tortoise.
What tortoises are illegal in California?
CALIFORNIA Links & Information on Regulations & Adoption: Rules and Regulations pertaining to desert tortoises in California: The Mojave desert tortoise is the only native tortoise species that resides in California. California law has prohibited removal of desert tortoises from the wild since 1972.