# Found a Sulcata



## Outatime (Sep 28, 2014)

Hi All

Need some advice please, I have had my Sully George for several months now and he is doing great, I believe he is 7 years old and is a big boy. Anyway today on our way home my wife notices a tortoise walking up the road, we pull over to take a look and its another Sulcata maybe about 2 years old, no signs of damage or pyramiding so its either lived in the wild or come from a good home. We are going to ask around our community to see if anyone is missing one and put a sign up but I don't want just anyone claiming it thinking they can put it in a tank with water (you know the types). In the meantime I have put him in the yard with our old Sully who had a sniff but isn't taking much notice of him, is the little one safe with George right now till we find a home for the new one? Feel bad its someones pet but part of me is thinking its been out for a while and just made it to us, lucky I got it before it reached the highway. BTW FYI I am Central Florida.

Thanks

Stuart


----------



## russian/sulcata/tortoise (Sep 28, 2014)

wow that is awesome post some pics of him.


----------



## mike taylor (Sep 28, 2014)

Its not a good idea to put a new tortoise in with yours . He could be sick or have parasites to pass to your tortoise . Make him a holding enclosure . Good luck finding his owners. Can you post a picture? You may have found a gopher tortoise .


----------



## Outatime (Sep 28, 2014)

Thanks for the message, this was a photo I took with George, will move him now away from my one, thanks for the heads up.


----------



## russian/sulcata/tortoise (Sep 28, 2014)

the little one doesn't look like a sulcata to me.......


----------



## russian/sulcata/tortoise (Sep 28, 2014)

looks like a desert tort maybe? where do you live?


----------



## Outatime (Sep 28, 2014)

Hi, Central Florida, we do have a large field next to us and lots of swamp land if that's any help. Damn was sure it was a sully mainly from the legs with the spurs.


----------



## chaseswife (Sep 28, 2014)

I thought it looked more like a desert tortoise from just that picture too. .. but I am still pretty new to the forum and it is just one picture.


----------



## russian/sulcata/tortoise (Sep 28, 2014)

yea thats a gopher tortoise an endangered species.


----------



## russian/sulcata/tortoise (Sep 28, 2014)

im 100% sure thats a gopher tortoise


----------



## Outatime (Sep 28, 2014)

Wow, ok, so what should I do with him? Let him go near the field? or should I call someone ?


----------



## russian/sulcata/tortoise (Sep 28, 2014)

i live in California. all i know is that your not allowed to like touch them


----------



## mike taylor (Sep 28, 2014)

Yes that is a gopher tortoise . You need to put it back where you found him . It's important to make sure you put him where you found him . They are very territorial and will push out or even kill another tortoise . Pluss it is illegal to even touch one . So put him back and walk away . But good looking out .


----------



## Outatime (Sep 28, 2014)

Think I will relocate him near the field, glad I noticed him even if he did **** all over my shorts. Someone could have run him over!


----------



## Outatime (Sep 28, 2014)

Thanks Mike, surly I shouldn't put him back on the side of a road should I?


----------



## russian/sulcata/tortoise (Sep 28, 2014)

um how far is the field from where u frond him?
i know they love making there burrows near the sides of the road because its warm maybe his burrow is near the road?


----------



## russian/sulcata/tortoise (Sep 28, 2014)

go to 7 minutes in to the video to the gopher tortoise part.


----------



## mike taylor (Sep 28, 2014)

Outatime said:


> Thanks Mike, surly I shouldn't put him back on the side of a road should I?


I wouldn't put him on the road . But I would put him back off the road a little this time of day he would go back to his burrow .


----------



## ascott (Sep 28, 2014)

Am I clear on understanding? This newly "found" tort has been in the same enclosure exposed to your Sulcata?


----------



## bouaboua (Sep 28, 2014)

I think so Angela. People should know how to quarantine a new torts before introducing to our herd.


----------



## ascott (Sep 28, 2014)

bouaboua said:


> I think so Angela. People should know how to quarantine a new torts before introducing to our herd.



I am most concerned about the OP placing the tort back into the wild and any hazards that presents to the local population...especially since that wild tortoise has now been exposed directly to the captive animal....???


----------



## Jabuticaba (Sep 28, 2014)

Outatime said:


> Thanks Mike, surly I shouldn't put him back on the side of a road should I?


It's recommended that you put them back in the direction where they were heading to, when you found them, but away from traffic. They are very territorial, so relocating them to a different area may not only stress them out, but cause issues to tortoises in the new area where you release them. 

May
THBs: Darwin & Merlin
Aussies: Dax, Vegas, & Cricket
IG: @AUSSOMEAUSSIES


----------



## Tank'sMom (Sep 29, 2014)

russian/sulcata/tortoise said:


> go to 7 minutes in to the video to the gopher tortoise part.


Omg. How did you post a video? Lol. Never seen anyone post a video.


----------



## russian/sulcata/tortoise (Sep 29, 2014)

Tank'sMom said:


> Omg. How did you post a video? Lol. Never seen anyone post a video.


i just copied the link lol


----------

