found a tortoise

[cricket54]

Its been Spring here in Vicksburg, MS for some time now. The dogs found the first speckled king snake already. They find one every yr in our backyard. I rescue him from their barking at him. I think its the same adult male every yr. He lets me hold him and I release him towards the back of our neighbors yard.
Every yr a gold colored tortoise is found as well. Normally its some kind of gopher tortoise. Last yr they also found a eastern box turtle as well. The turtles don't usually stay in the yard. Today I rescued a tortoise out of the road nearby. This one looks like a hybrid box turtle/gopher turtle. Its a female.
She has a solid gold colored shell and her skin is red and yellow spotted like a box turtle. She is older, has the flaring on the edge of her shell that box turtles get when they've lived a while. Pretty and calm lady. Reddish brown eyes. Walking around the house now. I was hoping she would be happy to live in the garden if the dogs get used to her and I can let her go. They haven't barked at her which usually makes most turtles leave our yard. Was thinking I will feed her and let her go in the yard. At least she didn't become road kill.

Sharon

 

[SandDeku]

Its been Spring here in Vicksburg, MS for some time now. The dogs found the first speckled king snake already. They find one every yr in our backyard. I rescue him from their barking at him. I think its the same adult male every yr. He lets me hold him and I release him towards the back of our neighbors yard.
Every yr a gold colored tortoise is found as well. Normally its some kind of gopher tortoise. Last yr they also found a eastern box turtle as well. The turtles don't usually stay in the yard. Today I rescued a tortoise out of the road nearby. This one looks like a hybrid box turtle/gopher turtle. Its a female.
She has a solid gold colored shell and her skin is red and yellow spotted like a box turtle. She is older, has the flaring on the edge of her shell that box turtles get when they've lived a while. Pretty and calm lady. Reddish brown eyes. Walking around the house now. I was hoping she would be happy to live in the garden if the dogs get used to her and I can let her go. They haven't barked at her which usually makes most turtles leave our yard. Was thinking I will feed her and let her go in the yard. At least she didn't become road kill.

Sharon

Check with your state laws. It maybe illegal to do that. But if anything I'd let it be. Put it back where you found it. Facing where it was found or as closely as possible. Let it leave on its own(put the dogs inside to not disturb it). Should the tortoise stay for a while then make s ure it has a place to hide. If you do end up planning to keep it. I'd say make a dog proof pen for the tortoise. Make sure it has a sunny area where it can get lots of sun and an area with shade. Put two large hide outs(bigger than the tortoise) in the enclosure. One on the warm side and one on the cooler side. I'm not sure the full diet of this type of tortoise. But I imagine its mainly grasses and dark leafy veggies. Avoid any sugary fruits or only feed them once every 2 weeks.

I guess I would say try finding hay for sale at petstores. Try to avoid alfalfa. its high in fat. Try mixing up the grasses I guess. Like there's orchard grass, western timothy, botanical grass, etc. etc. That's what I do with my rabbit(Tortoises food diet is sorta like a rabbits in this sense). They should have a never ending supply of hay(they're grazers). Replace the hay if its not eaten every other day to avoid mould or bacteria. Also try feeding dark leafy greens every once in a while like say once every few days(3-4 is good). Give them a cuttle bone or sprinkle the leafy greens with calcium and vitamin powders. Provide coverage within the enclosure.


Plan to build a large enclosure. Because I'd say in my honest opinion you should make a 12ft(length)x12ft(width)x6ft(tall--- depending on how big your dogs are and how high they can jump). Also make sure the fence is in the soil. So that it can't dig itself out. All tortoises can dig, especially gopher tortoises if its that. I'd say make sure there is an underground fence(just make it taller. Say if its above ground 6ft--- add the extra ft or just use concrete mix to make it so it can't escape). Or you can dig the whole area and put the cement blocks atleast to 5ft deep(I don't know how deep they like to dig), and you can make like a little house I guess(I say little in comparison to an actual house--- or just make it the size of a room lol).

Make sure if you put in plants which you should that they are potted. And that the soil in the pot is covered by large rocks so it can't dig into that. Make sure the pot is strong an sturdy. Dig the pot into the ground(make drainage holes--- lots of them first to provide more room for the roots so they can creep outside of the pot and not cause then to get root rot--- or you can just cut the bottom of the pot off(atleast a large hole) so the roots grow down and there's better drainage. Make sure in the enclosure isn't just plain and just a terrain with a food bowl, water bowl and hide outs. Provide it stuff to cruise around. Guess I'm sure you'd be bored cooped up in a place with nothing to do. Guess like you can put stuff like logs, large rocks(provided they won't topple over and crush the tortoise and are secured), plants, etc. Try to recreate the natural habitat of its.


Provide a water dish that's large enough for it to soak in if it wants to but not deep enough that it will drown. Remember they are like rocks. In water they will sink, they don't swim--- safe assumption I guess. Make sure they can easily get out of the dish as well. And be able to just walk in there. I guess look at the size of the tortoise and measure the depth of the tortoise. Make it half the depth of the tortoises shell. That should be good. Put the water dish/pan/etc in the cooler area(this is for cooling off as well.

Make sure that the enclosure is racoon proof and make sure no predators can get to it.

If anything try going to a turtle forum. There's austins turtle page(go on their forum) or there was a turtle forum called turtle time or something. Google it.

This is advice is based on a mix of opinion and personal experience(i keep water turtles So I know some info on land turtles--- since I once kept one).

P.S. DO NOT AND I REPEAT DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE A TURTLE OR A TORTOISE THEY ARE EXPERT ESCAPE ARTIST! That's h ow I lost my box turtle a long time ago! I was looking away for just a couple of minutes and when I turned around I never found it again.

But if anything I would check your answers at the turtle forums.

Good luck hope this helps.
. you may wanna take it to a vet to check for parasites and illness. Do not put it in a tank! or any enclosure that is not outside! They need fresh air and do not thrive well indoors under normal conditions. If you have a tortoise "table" that may work but not really for large species of tortoises.

 

[cricket54]

Would not keep it as a pet. This type of tortoise shows up every spring around here and many die being run over crossing roads. I have had them and box turtles in my yard every yr because they can find the insects they eat and plants that are safe to eat. I don't block the fences so they can't get out if they want to leave. This is the first time I have found a female and she is older, so I cetainly want her to survive. The dogs are leaving her alone so theres a good chance she could stay in the yard. Their habitat has dwindled, but my neighborhood is heavily wooded and lots of areas they can survive in. Main thing that kills them is raccoons and cars running them over. She has a good chance of surviving. Would not be surprised if they are protected, but the laws,and all, they aren't going to go after people who have them living in your backyard unless someone makes a complaint. LIKE I said, she could escape if she wants, and there are wooded areas she can go to and survive if she doesn't get run over crossing a road

 

[Pssh]

If it's invasive and legal to keep, then keep it or destroy it. Dont let an invasive animal back into the wild.