Found tortoise

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NJ Scando

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:tort: hi my name is "nj Scando" & I found a 9"x12" nobby shelled tortoise in s.jersey in the street in my neighborhood.likes tomatoes,grass,and bananas.I have been all over the woods in a 90 mile radius And have never seen anything like it.perfect squares on bottom and two horns on each rear leg.tan w/tannish slightly yellow head.Escaped pet?
"It" doesn't like chilly nights and has been digging small pit to lay in late afternoons.I put shirt around to insulate "him".Will supply picture when possible.
Thanks new friends !!
 

Jacqui

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Hi and welcome! First thing we need to do, is figure out what you found. Can you post some pictures? Or does he look sorta like this guy (minus the mud)

096-1.jpg
 

wellington

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Hello and Welcome. If he is a lost pet, you need to try and find the owners. In the mean time, if we can see a pic, we can tell you what kind it is and how to take care of it unlit or if the owners are found.
 

NJ Scando

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Very close but has perfect square nobs like ATF tire for shell. Bottom is perfect squares w/offset parallel lines in squares.One picture in fellow members bed liner pick-up was really close.had piece of wood "w/face" that turtle is looking at. Thanks for your help !
 

Jacqui

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NJ Scando said:
Very close but has perfect square nobs like ATF tire for shell. Bottom is perfect squares w/offset parallel lines in squares.One picture in fellow members bed liner pick-up was really close.had piece of wood "w/face" that turtle is looking at. Thanks for your help !

Where is this picture located?
 

shellysmom

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Jacqui said:
NJ Scando said:
Very close but has perfect square nobs like ATF tire for shell. Bottom is perfect squares w/offset parallel lines in squares.One picture in fellow members bed liner pick-up was really close.had piece of wood "w/face" that turtle is looking at. Thanks for your help !

Where is this picture located?

Ahhh, I think it's Drewslife727's avatar photo.
 

DrewsLife727

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NJ Scando said:
Very close but has perfect square nobs like ATF tire for shell. Bottom is perfect squares w/offset parallel lines in squares.One picture in fellow members bed liner pick-up was really close.had piece of wood "w/face" that turtle is looking at. Thanks for your help !

My Tort Mercy in that pic is an African Sulcata just like the pic Jacqui showed you. Hope you take good care of your tort until its owner is located! If not then take care of the tort for life :D

-Drew
 

sibi

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Hi and welcome. Just think of how you are drawn to this tortoise. Now, think of how its owner is missing his/her tortoise. You need to find its owner in whatever way you can. Taking care of this tort would be a good thing for you and the tort because you will learn how to care for it, and perhaps you'll decide to get one for yourself. Glad you looked us up.
 

shellysmom

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There are a couple of sulcata tortoise "lost" listings in your area on Craig's List. This is someone's beloved pet, and I'm sure they are worried sick about it. Please check the listings and see if you can find the owner. I lost a sully after some workers left a gate open. Someone in the neighborhood found him, tried to keep him for a few days, realized they were in over their head, and then took him to the animal shelter. I felt sick the entire time he was missing, but thankfully I got him back.

Also, if you don't find the owners and choose to keep the tortoise, you should know that this sulcata is a burrowing species of tortoise that will grow to be 150lbs. I hope you have a big back yard and a strong fence. It will need to come into your house, or have a heated outdoor shelter, whenever the weather drops below 55 degrees. Shirts and blankets will not keep it warm, as it it a "cold-blooded" animal, or ectotherm, that cannot generate its own body heat, but warms up using sources like the sun, and warm rocks. In captivity, basking light bulbs are used to mimic the sun. Also, its diet should consist mainly of pesticide-free grasses, weeds, hay, organic mixed greens like kale, chard, mustard greens, red-leaf lettuce, etc. You can also feed it commercial tortoise food, like Mazuri Tortoise Diet, but it really should not be eating fruit. This animal needs warmth and UV light to properly digest its food, and with winter coming, he will need the proper setup to keep him from freezing. This is not a species of tortoise that hibernates like North American turtles and tortoises. It will probably take $200-500 to set up everything it needs for proper housing in order to be a healthy, happy animal. However, if you are up for the challenge, they are amazing animals. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
 

Jacqui

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shellysmom said:
There are a couple of sulcata tortoise "lost" listings in your area on Craig's List. This is someone's beloved pet, and I'm sure they are worried sick about it. Please check the listings and see if you can find the owner. I lost a sully after some workers left a gate open. Someone in the neighborhood found him, tried to keep him for a few days, realized they were in over their head, and then took him to the animal shelter. I felt sick the entire time he was missing, but thankfully I got him back.

Also, if you don't find the owners and choose to keep the tortoise, you should know that this sulcata is a burrowing species of tortoise that will grow to be 150lbs. I hope you have a big back yard and a strong fence. It will need to come into your house, or have a heated outdoor shelter, whenever the weather drops below 55 degrees. Shirts and blankets will not keep it warm, as it it a "cold-blooded" animal, or ectotherm, that cannot generate its own body heat, but warms up using sources like the sun, and warm rocks. In captivity, basking light bulbs are used to mimic the sun. Also, its diet should consist mainly of pesticide-free grasses, weeds, hay, organic mixed greens like kale, chard, mustard greens, red-leaf lettuce, etc. You can also feed it commercial tortoise food, like Mazuri Tortoise Diet, but it really should not be eating fruit. This animal needs warmth and UV light to properly digest its food, and with winter coming, he will need the proper setup to keep him from freezing. This is not a species of tortoise that hibernates like North American turtles and tortoises. It will probably take $200-500 to set up everything it needs for proper housing in order to be a healthy, happy animal. However, if you are up for the challenge, they are amazing animals. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.



Good post!



Along with checking out Craig's list, be sure to look other places where free ads or lost ads might be placed. Placing some of your own "Found tortoise" ads is also the right thing to do. Thoughts might be at local pet stores, vet's offices, animal control, even grocery stores and newspapers. Go back to the area where you found the animal and ask folks if they have ideas, kids especially often know who has what. So glad you found the poor fellow, as those outside temps are getting ready to drop and to stay dangerously low for a sulcata on it's own. :(

So do you think you might keep him, if you don't find the owner?
 

Chelle1101

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Hello!

Did you by any chance find "him" in Westville or near Westville, NJ (Deptford Twp)? I recently lost my female tort. She was also nobby shelled due to improper lighting and feeding prior to me rescuing her. She has a little damage on her shell closest to her head.

I am hopeing you have her but the dimensions sound a little big.

Please let me know as soon as you can.

Thanks!
Michelle


NJ Scando said:
:tort: hi my name is "nj Scando" & I found a 9"x12" nobby shelled tortoise in s.jersey in the street in my neighborhood.likes tomatoes,grass,and bananas.I have been all over the woods in a 90 mile radius And have never seen anything like it.perfect squares on bottom and two horns on each rear leg.tan w/tannish slightly yellow head.Escaped pet?
"It" doesn't like chilly nights and has been digging small pit to lay in late afternoons.I put shirt around to insulate "him".Will supply picture when possible.
Thanks new friends !!
 

Jacqui

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Chelle1101 said:
Hello!

Did you by any chance find "him" in Westville or near Westville, NJ (Deptford Twp)? I recently lost my female tort. She was also nobby shelled due to in proper lighting and feeding prior to me rescuing her. She has a little damage on her shell closest to her head.

I am hopeing you have her but the dimensions sound a little big.

Please let me know as soon as you can.

Thanks!
Michelle

Now this would be so awesome!! *crossing fingers, toes, and eyes* :D Michelle could you post a picture of your girl for him to see? Might help. Also would you like to make your own thread, either an intro thread about yourself and/or also perhaps one specifically about your lost tortoise in the Lost section.
 

Chelle1101

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I am at work right now and just received an response to my Craig's List ad that someone in NJ had found a tort. I recently moved so I will see if I can find my camera to get a picture up here of her. I will wait to see if it is her or not before I create a new thread. We've been looking everywhere and the chilly nights have had me sick with worry. I will see what I can do about pics later. Thanks!

Jacqui said:
Chelle1101 said:
Hello!

Did you by any chance find "him" in Westville or near Westville, NJ (Deptford Twp)? I recently lost my female tort. She was also nobby shelled due to in proper lighting and feeding prior to me rescuing her. She has a little damage on her shell closest to her head.

I am hopeing you have her but the dimensions sound a little big.

Please let me know as soon as you can.

Thanks!
Michelle

Now this would be so awesome!! *crossing fingers, toes, and eyes* :D Michelle could you post a picture of your girl for him to see? Might help. Also would you like to make your own thread, either an intro thread about yourself and/or also perhaps one specifically about your lost tortoise in the Lost section.
 

Jacqui

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:( The waiting for a reply back on where this guy was found, is already starting to feel like forever (and you just posted :rolleyes: ). I can not imagine how it must feel to you, Chelle. :( *hugs*
 

hotnostril

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Hello!

I too have lost our beloved Salcata Tortoise, Lumpy. I live in Washington Township, near the hospital. I've had him listed on Craigs List and by the desciption he sounds very much like mine. Please call me @ 856-207-2115 anytime day or night.

We also have been worried to death with the cold nights ans the likilyhood he would be dead if someone does find him and care for him properly!

Linda
 

shellysmom

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"I am at work right now and just received an response to my Craig's List ad that someone in NJ had found a tort."

I can neither confirm nor deny that I used my resourcefulness to contact this person and lead her to this thread. ;)
 

ShadowRancher

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Hope this works out! I'm rooting for everybody...It's fun to think that TFO is becoming widely used (and searchable) enough to be helpful in situations like this!
 
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