I’ve enjoyed reptiles for many, many years. I’ve kept lizards and snakes as a pet owner, and as a dealer when I have bred them to sell. And whereas I’ve learned a ton of information about them over the years, I know there’s still much more knowledge to gain.
This really hit home when my son asked me a very easy and basic question that I didn’t readily have the answer to. I actually had to look it up and do some research to get an adequate answer.
Can you have a Galapagos tortoise as a pet? Yes you can have a Galapagos tortoise as a pet, but it is considered an endangered species. A special permit issued by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is required to trade captive bred Galapagos tortoises in the U.S.. You do not need a federal permit to simply own one however, as long as it is purchased in the state where it was bred. Each state has its own laws pertaining to endangered animals.
Private breeders can apply for a permit to trade Galapagos tortoises, as you’ll see below, but the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will only grant the permit for three purposes.
- Educational
- Scientific
- Captive breeding programs that contribute to species conservation
You would think that would make them almost impossible to get, but a quick online search will show that you can find lots of these guys for sale if you’re prepared to pay a hefty price.
Laws Regarding Keeping A Galapagos Tortoise As A Pet
There are federal laws regarding the keeping of endangered species. These laws require you to have a special permit in most cases, which is issued by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Most of these laws pertain to your cute and cuddly animals such as mammals and birds, but are pretty vague when it comes to reptiles.
In order to trade captive bred Galapagos tortoises, you must have a Captive Bred Wildlife Registration, also known as a CBW.
The form for that permit can be found here. Captive Bred Wildlife Registration Form.
When purchasing or selling Galapagos tortoises across state lines, you also need an interstate commerce permit. Here is a link for the registration form. Interstate or Foreign Commerce of Live Animals Form.
Enforcement Of Galapagos Tortoise Ownership Laws
Although many endangered animals are covered under the Animal Welfare Act, the Galapagos tortoise is not.
This means that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is tasked with ensuring that a minimal standard of care is provided to endangered animals covered under the act, does not monitor or track Galapagos tortoises in the pet trade.
The sad truth is, the lack of such enforcement has allowed many of these tortoises to be sold to individuals who have no business owning or caring for them.
Galapagos tortoises are high maintenance.
They are long lived, and require very specific care that the average, or even above average, enthusiast is unable to provide.
Challenges Of Owning A Galapagos Island Tortoise As A Pet
There are two main reasons why people get rid of larger tortoises like the Galapagos tortoise, or even others like the African spurred, or sulcata tortoises.
The first reason is because they get too big and expensive to care for.
The Galapagos tortoise can reach weights of over 500 pounds, and can stand nearly five feet tall.
That’s a lot of pet tortoise!
As you can imagine, that means buying lots of fresh produce every day in order to sustain them. Additionally, proper housing for a reptile that size takes up a lot of space and can be expensive to properly set up and maintain.
The second main reason why people get rid of these tortoises is because they simply grow tired of keeping up with their needs on a daily basis.
The Galapagos tortoise can live in upwards of 200 years! As an owner, every day of your entire life will be partially devoted to the care and husbandry of this pet.
These reptiles aren’t like snakes which only need fed once every few days to weeks. Even many lizards can be fed every other day, not to mention that their lives are measured in years, or at the most, decades as opposed to centuries!
Galapagos Tortoises Require Advanced Care
At first glance, the Galapagos tortoise may seem like an easy pet to care for.
- They will eat nearly anything green
- They spend much of their day soaking up the sun
- When it cools down in late afternoon or early evening, they retire for the night
- Galapagos tortoises sleep approximately 16 hours per day
- Most of their day is spent foraging or napping
There’s a lot more work that goes into caring for a Galapagos tortoise though.
For starters, they need a proper diet, and climate in order to prevent things like spiked, or pyramiding shells. This is an irreversible condition.
The entire area where your tortoise is kept must be maintained.
A huge tortoise means a huge area.
Fail in this element if husbandry, and your pet can end up with something like shell rot. This is caused by bacteria growing in dirty environments. Unlike a natural habitat which can have acres upon acres of area for the tortoise to roam, your pet will be limited to the area in which you can provide.
Metabolic bone disease is another concern directly related to husbandry. These guys need the right amount of UVB rays, calcium, vitamin D, and other nutrients in order to live a healthy life.
The biggest problem for most keepers is that it an take a few years for health issues caused by poor husbandry to begin having a noticeable effect. By that time it is too late, as many of these issues are irreversible.
Conclusion
At the end of it all, we are left with not one question, but two.
Can you have a Galapagos tortoise as a pet?
Yes you can have a Galapagos tortoise as a pet.
The bigger question is, SHOULD you have one as a pet?
I think the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has it right. These animals should only be kept for educational scientific, and conservation purposes.