Help identify this Tortoise!

[dialupslim]

Hello, I just joined this forum solely for this post.

I went to visit my a friend of my mother's house and noticed she had a tank. Inside was a tortoise. I have experience with reptiles (chameleons) and told her about what she needed in her tank. There was no light and just fish beads on the bottom of the tank. Please help give me cheap list of things I need to I can better help this Tortoise.

She said their neighbor found the guy and gave it to her children... Random as hell, right?

 

[Jacqui]

How big was the tank? I am betting even that is too small for this poor little box turtle. Cheap is not the term used for the UVB lighting (I am assuming there will not be an outdoor enclosure in the future). You could go with common backyard dirt (as long as it is free from chemicals, pesticides and trash). Dirt works only if it is not a high level of clay (not sure where you live). For water and food dishes, I like the terra cotta saucers and they are not too expensive. The water needs to be big enough to the whole body in to soak. A hide, cheap would be something like either a half or even a whole flower pot on it's side and into the substrate a bit with the whole one. Cracked ones are fine and might be gotten for free or cheap. Cheap would be to use fall leaves inside the hide and as a leaf pile. Unless they keep their home really warm, your doing to want to have something for heat. Cheap would be a black light, but I don't know if it will produce enough heat for your needs. A ceramic heat emitter is a much better deal, but also more pricey.

Remember I went with cheap, not best. Cheap does not give me a warm fuzzy feeling about this poor animal's future. Any way they will build it an outdoor enclosure in the spring? Or even give the turtle to somebody who can give more then cheap to it? Is this turtle eating? I do know you mean well, but some times getting a wild turtle use to captive life can be hard and it can be costly to get on setup right and more so if it won't eat. (especially this time of year) Sorry I sould glum and not really positive here, but I am trying to do right by the animal, not so much the humans.

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I do want to thank you for seeing the little guy was needing more then it was getting and then doing something about it. That was a very good thing!

 

[desiree]

Poor thing! Those aren't good conditions at all.

Great advice already given by Jacqui. I'm nothing close to an expert in turtles, but surely someone else will help you out on this... Here on TortoiseForum there is a thread for turtles, search there for indoor habitats and info on where to buy all the stuff needed: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/forum-97.html

Other than that, you can always Google "box turtle housing" or "box turtle care", I had a quick look on it and there are many websites and topics with tips and instructions on this matter that can add up some help.

Btw, you solely joined for this, but you could stick around with us! Here you can find a lot of information and people to ask anything and everything you might ever need help for... So go ahead and introduce yourself if you wish, in the presentation topic: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/forum-15.html

Good luck and thank you for your dedication to the little one!

 

[Yvonne G]

This is a pretty stressed-out and sick box turtle...probably either a three-toe or a gulf coast. It might even be a western (luteola). Hard to tell without more pictures.

This turtle needs to be warmed up immediately! Room temperature isn't good enough.

If your mother's friend will soak the turtle in warm water every day for about a half hour, his eyes will open. They won't eat when their eyes are stuck shut. When they don't eat the eyes swell shut...a vicious circle.

She should be offering the turtle things that wiggle. I put down a bed of chopped fruit and veg then add some earth worms on top of that. But this turtle isn't going to eat until it gets warmed up and its eyes open.

 

[Saleama]

The best thing she could do is give that poor little guy to someone who can get him set up outside or at least in a BIG indoor with lots of heat, water, dirt and plants. Box turtles can take A LOT of abuse and that one looks like he has taken nearly as much as he can. It looks like a light and small Gulf Coast...

 

[lisa127]

That looks to be a three toed box turtle. I answered this exact post on turtleforum for you. Poor turtle.

I personally see no gulf coast in this turtle. It looks very three toed to me.

 

[dialupslim]

I tried to inform the lady... she doesn't care. I even told her I would help her get the things she needs...

My mother told me multiple times that she doesn't care; she barely takes care of her kids... I don't know what to do because last night I had the chance to talk to her and she straight up lied to me; which hurts my heart because for something so small to her, means a lot to me. I had a turtle when I was little and I didn't know how to take care of it, so I let it go. (The pet store owner didn't even try to tell us about the REAL things we needed)