Pet’s Place: Tortoises Take to Yard Life in Arizona
Their backyard desert habitat suits these two young brothers
Tortoises aren’t exactly cuddly, but having these desert denizens as pets is like having a bit of the wild in your backyard. And there’s no worry about housebreaking or ruining your furniture. Rose Baldo and her husband, Martin Hepler, acquired their two male desert tortoises as hatchlings about 10 years ago from friends in Nevada who had tortoises as backyard pets, adding to their pet family of cat Deja and two horses, which are boarded off-site.
The tortoises live in an enclosure in the backyard of their home in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Though Baldo’s interaction with the tortoises is minimal, they do provide enjoyment: “We like them as pets because they are pretty funny and do have personalities.” Desert tortoises are not for everyone — they’re likely to outlive their owners — and the laws about possessing captive ones vary by state (some wild desert tortoises are protected by the Endangered Species Act). In Arizona, regulations allow only one captive tortoise per household member, and multiple tortoises within the household must be the same gender.
The tortoises live in an enclosure in the backyard of their home in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Though Baldo’s interaction with the tortoises is minimal, they do provide enjoyment: “We like them as pets because they are pretty funny and do have personalities.” Desert tortoises are not for everyone — they’re likely to outlive their owners — and the laws about possessing captive ones vary by state (some wild desert tortoises are protected by the Endangered Species Act). In Arizona, regulations allow only one captive tortoise per household member, and multiple tortoises within the household must be the same gender.
Burrow sweet burrow: The tortoises live in an enclosure measuring about 16 by 16 feet, with the wall height varying from 10 to 14 inches. Baldo and Hepler built it from instructions provided by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. The tortoises started life in a 10-gallon aquarium tank kept indoors. When they were 3, Baldo moved them outside to a large wire cage with half-inch wire mesh on all six sides and buried partway in the ground. “This protected them from roadrunners and ravens. At 5 years of age, they graduated to the large burrow that you see in the photos,” she says.
“We used block for the walls and plywood for the roof. We dig it up every two years to make sure that the walls are safe and to make it bigger,” Baldo says. The table shown above is the frame from the previous cage. “We use it to give them extra shade and to support the roof of the burrow. We added the shade sail for extra sun protection.”
The burrow, shown in this photo as the shored-up hole in the ground, is used by the tortoises on cool evenings and for hibernation from November until February. In the summer, they prefer to escape the Arizona heat by burrowing partway under a palm inside the enclosure.
“Last winter was very mild, and they surprised us by coming out in February when the temperature hit 70 degrees,” Baldo says.
They drink from and soak in large saucers of water that have an automatic drip.
“Last winter was very mild, and they surprised us by coming out in February when the temperature hit 70 degrees,” Baldo says.
They drink from and soak in large saucers of water that have an automatic drip.
A day in the life: A typical day for the tortoises is foraging for food provided by the couple and roaming around the enclosure. “I don’t take them on walks because they are very fast!” Baldo says. If the weather is cool, they’ll bask in the sun. They’re not allowed in the rest of the yard because there’s a swimming pool. The yard is fenced to keep coyotes out. Bobcats have been seen in the yard but don’t seem interested in the tortoises, she says.
Chow time: Most of Baldo’s interaction with her pets is at feeding time, which occurs in the midmorning and early evening. “They come when called and can be called out of the burrow to eat.”
She says they respond more to her than her husband because her voice is higher. “I’ve been trying to have them come when I ring a bell.”
As herbivores, they eat a variety of greens. Mung bean sprouts are a favorite.
She says they respond more to her than her husband because her voice is higher. “I’ve been trying to have them come when I ring a bell.”
As herbivores, they eat a variety of greens. Mung bean sprouts are a favorite.
Making friends: There isn’t a lot of cuddling and petting when it comes to tortoises, and picking them up isn’t recommended because they might urinate in self-defense, which can lead to dehydration, Baldo says. Though they aren’t like a cat or dog, “they sometimes like the backs of their heads scratched.”
Baldo enjoys seeing the tortoises interact with wild chuckwallas, which climb the enclosure wall and share their food. The tortoises are generally good-natured, but since they’re both males, Baldo says it’s in their nature to disagree sometimes. “They rise up on their hind legs and try to flip each other over using the front of their shell. At some point, I expect we may have to make two enclosures.”
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Baldo enjoys seeing the tortoises interact with wild chuckwallas, which climb the enclosure wall and share their food. The tortoises are generally good-natured, but since they’re both males, Baldo says it’s in their nature to disagree sometimes. “They rise up on their hind legs and try to flip each other over using the front of their shell. At some point, I expect we may have to make two enclosures.”
More
How to Get Your Catio On
Read other stories about making a home for pets
Pets at a Glance
Pets: Desert tortoise brothers, both named Baby
Ages: 10 years
Location: Lake Havasu City, Arizona
Owners: Rose Baldo and Martin Hepler
Meet the tortoises: The tortoises respond to the name Baby, which is what Baldo calls both of them because she can’t tell them apart. Each is about 10 inches in diameter and weighs about 7 pounds. Tortoises can reach up to 15 inches in diameter. At 10 years old, the brothers are mere youngsters, since desert tortoises can live 80 to 100 years or more.