Found Tortoise In My Yard

[martin]

Hi, I am new here. Today as I was checking my tomato plants in my backyard I noticed some weird thing around them. When I got closer I realized it was a tortoise shell and some smart person had put a sticker onto it. The tortoise is alive and moving, now it is quiet under the shade of the tomatoes. I was wondering if someone could tell me what specie this tortoise this is. I called animal sanctuaries and shelters and they just told me that it is not a native turtle so they could not take care of it. I am going to attach some pictures so that you guys can tell me the specie.

Thank you very much I appreciate your help.

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: FOUND TORTOISE IN MY BACKYARD

Its a Russian tortoise, and someone's lost pet. They are real good escape artists. If he got INTO your yard, he most certainly will get back out. You need to contain him and put up flyers on the poles around your neighborhood to try to find his owner.

Yvonne

 

[wayne.bob]

RE: FOUND TORTOISE IN MY BACKYARD

100% Russian Tortoise. as Yvonne said it is probably an escape artist. someone will be looking for it. if you can keep it for some time and try to find the owner. im sure its owner will be glad to see it again. good luck and if you need help please ask. Where are you located Because if you do not find the owner and decide you do not want to keep the tortie im sure we can get you in contact with someone who would love to care for it.

Good Luck,
Wayne

 

[martin]

RE: FOUND TORTOISE IN MY BACKYARD

Hi Yvonne and thank you. How should I contain him? What should I feed him untill I find the owner?
What kind of worries me is what is a sticker doing on its shell? I mean what kind of owner would do that? Maybe I am just freaking out and putting stickers on your tortoises is something common among you tortoise owners? I really doubt it. Do the owners deserve to get it back if they treat him badly? Should I take it somewhere else better? That's the dilemma. I do not want it as a pet whatsoever I have no pets but I love animals, I just want the creature to have a decent place to live and be happy. How about some reptile pet store in town? I am kind of lost, I would appreciate any insights.

Thank you very much

 

[wayne.bob]

RE: FOUND TORTOISE IN MY BACKYARD

you can put him in a rubbermaid tote. he will eat greens like clover and dandelions. you can also feed some Spring mix Salad. you could take the sticker off, we don't normally put stickers on our tortoises. this should start you off for now. i would like to thank you for your effort in helping this tortie

 

[martin]

RE: FOUND TORTOISE IN MY BACKYARD

Thank you Wayne, I will do that.I will probably try to find the owner.
Wayne, I am in southern Oregon.
Another question, Is it ok for it to keep it outside during the night? I mean, I will put a net or similar to keep it away from predators, but is the temperature change very bad? We have a mild climate here in southern Oregon but I have no idea about that matter.
About helping it, I love all kind of animals and I will try my best to find a good person to take care of it.
It ate some tomatoes from my garden and strawberries, hope the animal is ok. I will get some of those greens you told me about.

Thank you everyone for your help

 

[wayne.bob]

RE: FOUND TORTOISE IN MY BACKYARD

yah tomatoes are ok. it will be fine if it sleeps outside but make sure no predators get it. you could also get clippings of the weeds in your yard and feed some of those. you will be fine and if you do need help finding someone to care for it we will help you out. you are in good hands here at TFo

 

[martin]

RE: FOUND TORTOISE IN MY BACKYARD

Well thank you Wayne. I will sure do that, though it looks nervous trying to get out of the box. The box is big enough though. I put some bark in it, and a small plate with water, plus some weeds. I am going to get a net later tonight and I will put it on. I am also going to print some flyers though some opportunistic may call and claim it is theirs...I will see how I do that, I will try to find the way, though again any ideas are welcome.

Thank you guys

 

[martin]

RE: FOUND TORTOISE IN MY BACKYARD

Oh and thanks for the offering of help finding someone to take care of it, we may have to do something like that if the owner does not appear.

 

[wayne.bob]

RE: FOUND TORTOISE IN MY BACKYARD

well you could always ask the people that claim the tortoise is there was anything on the shell. he is just not used to his new surroundings so he will try to get out. you are doing a great job.

Wayne

 

[martin]

RE: FOUND TORTOISE IN MY BACKYARD

I put some flyers already, it simply says it is a reptile. Now it is up to the caller to identify the reptile and specie. Now I bet you anything some ignorant will call and say something like "I don't know...it is just a turtle" and then I will have to ask for the colors of the shell. I am asumming that someone who gets that kind of tortoise for a pet should know what he is getting, so i should not give it away unless they say the whole thing. One never knows though, and people just buy animals for fun, not even knowing what they are, and then they get tired of them and let them go or free them in non native habitats endangering everything else.

It is getting a bit cooler now but I put some newspaper inside to warm it up. Wayne thanks for the help.

Martin

 

[wayne.bob]

RE: FOUND TORTOISE IN MY BACKYARD

any time Martin.

P.S. keep us posted on how everything goes.

Wayne

 

[martin]

RE: FOUND TORTOISE IN MY BACKYARD

I will Wayne, hope it gets resolved soon.

Thanks,
Martin

 

[Crazy1]

RE: FOUND TORTOISE IN MY BACKYARD

Martin, Just a quick thought. Do not feed the Russian tomato leaves they are poison for torts. The owners should be able to tell you what was printed on the stickers that were on the tort. Your doing fine with him. Questions or concerns don't hesitate to post.

 

[martin]

RE: FOUND TORTOISE IN MY BACKYARD

Thanks Robyn. I did not feed it tomato leaves BUT the tortoise tried to eat them, gaving up, just nibbled and left, while I was catching it to put it in the box. About the stickers yes, I guess the owner should know...unless it was their children who put the sticker on it and freed it. Honestly I doubt that a child would put a sticker that says " I love global warming" on a tortoise so hopefully it was some adult. I just put some flyers that said "Pet found,reptile", so I hope the owners know what they own, or else I am not giving it away to some ignorant spoiled person. They will have to tell me what kind it is and specie. I do not think any tortoise owner deserves to have their tortoises back if he or she does not know what kind of animal it is in order to receive the appropiate care.

Thanks a lot for the warning Robyn,

Martin

 

[martin]

RE: FOUND TORTOISE IN MY BACKYARD

Hi again, I put some hickory bark in the container, is that ok? I read that cedar and pine are bad, for they cause fumes that may cause serious respiratory problems. Tonight I had to put the animal inside the house because the temperature lowered really fast. I will take it out again tomorrow.

Martin

 

[Crazy1]

Martin that sounds fine. Hickory I beleive is a hard wood and should be fine. even dirt is Ok for they love to bury themselves. Sounds like you are doing a great job for this little fellow.

 

[martin]

Great news!! The owners called, the turtle is safe with his owner now. They told me it it escaped out of the backyard and did not expect it to be found. The owners were so happy. The turtle had escaped once before, but they recovered it, and now he just took a vacation in my backyard (and messed my garden and vegetables with poop and stuff which I bet it is pretty unhealthy, but I would give away my whole backyard just to save this amazing creature), and got back to his native house this morning. My girlfriend and I miss him, it is weird but even having only stayed here for one night...well, we miss him somehow.
Anyways, I want to thank you all for your help and support, I wish you the best with your turtles and I may be checking out this forum every now and then, I knew nothing about turtles till yesterday. Now when I see one on a picture or TV I feel totally different about them. I am pretty sure he will be ok.

Have a nice one everyone, and again thanks for your kind support,

Martin

 

[Itort]

Martin, just letting you know, tort poop is great fertilizer.

 

[Isa]

Congratulations Martin

You did a really great thing by helping this tortoise