found a fairly big tortoise on the street... what to do?

plzhelp

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I live in a metro part of Georgia, and being how my parents are.... they found this little guy and decided to take him home. They don't know anything about caring for this creature, so I must take this into my own hands. Considering that I live in a part of town where tortoises are pretty rare to hear about, this was a shock. I want to take it to a tortoise shelter, but I believe those do not exist from where I reside. This was probably a tortoise that I sadly think its owner abandoned him? I know no one who takes care of tortoises, so I really am at a lost on what to do. Lettuce was given, I think he ate some. 20150527_122929.jpg
 

Tom

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Not a tortoise. Its a box turtle and they are native to your area.

Is there a safe wooded area near where you found him to release him?
 

plzhelp

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Thank you for the fast reply!
Ah, I see. Thank goodness, I was a bit worried and confused to see how a tortoise? came into a local plaza. My assumptions were wrong, but thankfully turtles are more common around the area. Is it better to release him in an area close to a lake? or any wooded area would do?
 

dmmj

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Box turtle :)
I would consider releasing back where you found it, they often don't adjust well to captivity, and often waste away.\Good sized one though.
 

Yvonne G

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Thank you for the fast reply!
Ah, I see. Thank goodness, I was a bit worried and confused to see how a tortoise? came into a local plaza. My assumptions were wrong, but thankfully turtles are more common around the area. Is it better to release him in an area close to a lake? or any wooded area would do?

It is an eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina). It's best to release him as close to where he was found as possible, as he will expend a lot of energy trying to get back to his home territory.
 

Tidgy's Dad

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Thanks for coming here to check, very responsible of you.
Please put him back near to where your parents found him.
He is very beautiful, but belongs in the wild.
And politely tell your parents to leave well alone in the future!
 
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