California Desert Tortoises - Reptiles?

Question

How do I get a permit to keep a California Desert Tortoise who has been in captivity since the 50s but has never been licensed?

Answer 1

get in touch with your wildlife licensing department and they will tell you what you need, in britain we have to have a license to own certain tortoises but i have had tortoises since i was a kid and have a tortoise that was brought in 1976, she is a tortoise that is covered by cites but when i phoned up to ask how to get her the paperwork they told me i only need to have the paperwork if i wanted to sell her (which i don't) as she was got before the cites came into effect she does not need anything as long as she stays in the family so you might be covered as well here is a site that might be able to tell you if you need a permit or not and how to get one  http://www.tortoise.org/  best of luck honey

Answer 2

Contact http://www.tortoise.org

They can help you with the legal issues here. If you can prove that the tortoise in question has been in captivity for that long, it is probably going to be an easy process if it is properly cared for.

Answer 3

i think you have to apply for a zoo permit