Pet Tortoise Information

All desert tortoises in Nevada, whether in captivity or not, are considered wildlife and therefore belong to the people of the State of Nevada.  Those who legally possess a desert tortoise are considered custodians, rather than owners, of a desert tortoise.  

Citizens can serve as custodians of desert tortoises so long as the tortoise is acquired through a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-approved adoption program.  Currently, Tortoise Group is the only authorized adoption group in southern Nevada.  Tortoise Group can be reached at 702-739-7113.  

Please see our Desert Tortoise Fact Sheet for more information on pet desert tortoises.   

What do I do if I find a desert tortoise in an urban area?

Tortoises found in urban and suburban areas of Clark County, Nevada, are considered stray pet desert tortoises.  If you have found a tortoise in an urban area, contact the Pet Desert Tortoise Pickup Service for assistance at 702-488-9422.

We need your help!

Issues with pet desert tortoises are taking valuable conservation resources away from efforts to recover desert tortoises in the wild.  We need animal care professionals and citizens who have desert tortoises as pets to recognize, appreciate and implement the following actions:

• Never release a pet desert tortoise, or other species of tortoise or turtle, to the wild – pet tortoises may not be genetically compatible with the wild population and they will likely spread disease, even if they appear healthy.  Unwanted pet tortoises must be surrendered to the Pet Desert Tortoise Hotline and Pickup Service.  All other species of tortoise or turtle must be turned in to your local animal shelter.
• Always keep male and female tortoises separate to avoid propagation and inbreeding.  The Desert Tortoise Conservation Center takes in over 1,000 unwanted pet tortoises a year which takes conservation resources away from wild tortoises – we must reduce this number by putting a stop to backyard breeding.  We ask that tortoise owners please consider surrendering all but one of their tortoises to the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center.
• Never give tortoises or tortoise offspring to others.  Citizens can serve as custodians of tortoises, but only through an approved adoption program.  Tortoises must be surrendered to the Pet Desert Tortoise Hotline and Pickup Service.
• Ensure proper enclosures for pet tortoises.  Unsecure backyards may allow tortoises to escape and become a stray, nuisance animal.  Tortoise Group can evaluate yards for security.
• Ensure tortoises have an outdoor habitat with an insulated burrow, healthy food plants, access to water, and above-ground shade.  Tortoises have particular nutritional needs and many of the tortoises surrendered to the Pickup Service are malnourished.  The Pet Desert Tortoise Hotline and Pickup Service or Tortoise Group can provide food recommendations.

Pet Desert Tortoise Hotline and Pickup Service – 702-488-9422 

Tortoise Group – 702-739-7113  

Action on these issues now can help reduce the conservation resources being spent on managing unwanted pet desert tortoises, which will allow wildlife agencies to focus efforts on conserving wild tortoises and avoid charging a fee for services and/or implementing more stringent restrictions on desert tortoise custodianship in the future.

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