Repeatable individual behavioral traits, or personalities, mediate the way that organisms interact with and respond to their environments. Such traits are known to predict survival in the wild, thus, in the context of conservation head-starting programs, it is critical to understand how they may be shaped by maternal effects and rearing regimens. As a first step toward understanding these dynamics, we assayed behavior in Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) mothers and offspring that were involved in a head-starting and translocation program. Tortoises were repeatedly tested to characterize exploratory tendencies and boldness. Radiotelemetry was used to track individual movement, habitat use, and survival in the wild. Both hatchlings and mothers exhibited significant repeatability in the majority of behavioral traits. Some traits were correlated with each other, suggesting the possibility of a behavioral syndrome. Correlations between mothers and offspring were limited, but there were significant differences in behavioral traits across clutches. For mothers, we found significant associations between behavioral traits and time spent in burrows in the field. Field data for juveniles are still being collected and analyzed. Our results will be discussed in the context of desert tortoise conservation specifically and head-starting and translocation programs more generally.