ONYX, Calif. (KERO) — Dana and Amanda Epps run the Joshua Tree Reptile sanctuary in Onyx. For them, simply keeping the animals alive isn't the goal, it's to give them the best life possible. They currently do not adopt out and they do not breed any reptiles.
- In under a year, the reptile rescue has taken in over 30 tortoises from all around the U.S.
- In April of 2024 Joshua Reptile sanctuary became a 5031c non-profit.
- You can support the non-profit by buying them food for their reptiles throughchewy.com.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
It’s mealtime at Joshua Tree Reptile Haven - and everyone in the Epps family is helping out.
“We think just as much as food is a part of what they need, they need interaction with us,” said Dana Epps.
Dana Epps is the Vice-President of Joshua Tree Reptile Haven and he’s showing me around the grounds of the rescue that takes in various reptiles, but specializes in tortoises.
“Me and my wife just put our heart and soul into it. We've decided that this is what we're going to give our lives to,” Epps said.
It all started last year with a tortoise named Jojo who had a broken shell.
The Epps already had knowledge about reptiles and a friend recommended that they take the tortoise in.
“A lot of this comes from just years of being interested in reptiles and animals in general,” Epps said.
“What we did was we fixed aluminum supports right here so it would hold the shell in place until it healed,” Epps said, pointing to a clear line in the shell where it used to be broken.
He said Jojo lived a hard life before coming to the rescue.
“The people thought they were helping her and put in a duck pen so she could heal – well the ducks just tortured her,” Epps said, “She’s just a lover huh, see this is a sociable tortoise.”
They officially became a non-profit earlier this year and currently have over 30 tortoises at their facility.
“So one goal, one goal only, best life possible.”
They don’t breed the animals.
“We keep them separate, or even if it's a pond, we make separate ponds for the separate genders.”
Epps said once they started taking reptiles in, they learned there was an immense need for a rescue like theirs.
“The focus on tortoises is because of the absence of information for tortoises.”
He says size is a common issue why people can no longer care for their tortoises.
“Another one is that people just fall in love with the tortoise after having it for several years, and they make the decision that they cannot provide it the best house or the best environment possible.”
The best is what the Epps strive for, building large enclosures for the tortoises.
“The tortoise isn't given enough room to exercise, and they build up bladder stones. That bladder stone will just get bigger and bigger and bigger until it gets to the size of a softball, and then it becomes a blockage, and it kills them.”
Using their knowledge to create a healthy environment for every tortoise.
“In the wild this species of tortoise will never get cold and so what happens when they do get cold in the Kern River valley, it kills all their gut flora.”
They utilize heating pads typically used for pigs.
He said tortoises can live for a long time in environments that are harmful to them - like this one who has a deformed shell because it was raised in an environment with no sunlight.
“This turtle lived for eight years in absolutely horrific conditions and still managed to stay alive.”
He says many reptile owners just don’t know better and things like their shells can become malformed.
“If they don't have fresh water readily available to drink, as well as regular soaks, then their shell dries out and you build these points.”
Epps said the turtles have nerve endings in their shells.
NATS OF SHELL
“You can pet a tortoise.”
Epps explained the gular is an important part of a male shell - but someone who thought it was an impediment instead.
“She told us, 'Oh yeah, my dad cut his gular off.'"
“We were like, oh my goodness. So that had to have been super, super painful for him."
They have received reptiles from all over the U.S - and they go the extra mile to make sure they enjoy their new home.
“So we just purchased the laundry detergent that this family used so that his blankets will have the smell that he's used to,” Epps said.
Epps says him and his wife self-fund the operation but have received some donations - if you would like to support them you can search their name on chewy and help purchase specialized food for the reptiles.
“A lot of people think of them as scary or scaly or stinky, and I don't, I've always just been fascinated with them. And then when we got into the tortoises, and we could see that there was a real void, as far as good forever homes for tortoises, it was kind of just a given thing that that's what I was gonna do.”
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